The annual contest to select Italys most beautiful gardens has two winners in this 11th edition 2013. The arduous task of choosing among over 1,000 high quality competitors has thus prompted judges to award twin prizes, one for a privately owned garden and the other for a public park.

The private garden prize Parco più Bello d'Italia that has been selected this year, is the Parco Giardino Sigurtď Valeggio sul Mincio, near Verona, while Villa Medicea di Castello, Florence, wins in the Public Park category.

The idea of setting up a competition to highlight Italys magnificent parks and gardens, many of which are virtually unknown internationally, is thanks to the initiative of architect Leandro Mastria of Treviso (Veneto), who has set up the network www.ilparcopuibello.it which can be consulted freely on the web.