The Garden
Relaxing hideaway
A historic, botanically significant exotic park of 1500 sqm surrounds the Hotel Villa Schuler. The sea-front Palm Terrace with it’s oleanders, frangipanis and jasmines offers stunning sea views.
In the large terraced garden on the town’s side you will discover a precious botanic treasure with over 350 species of mediterranean flora as well as tropic or subtropic rarities cared by our expert and passionate gardeners.
Romantic paths, fragrant flowerbeds and shady pergolas, a herb section, a fish pond with gold fishes and water turtles, a nursery and cosy secluded corners where you can enjoy relaxing moments.
Oasis for the senses
One of the things that make the Villa Schuler so special are it’s gardens. From the busy Main Street “Corso Umberto”, a dozen of steps down a small alley and entering through the wrought iron gate of the Villa Schuler Gardens, our guests find themselves immersed in lush greenery and alluring Mediterranean scents…an oasis of quietness.
The large terraced garden has been laid out by grandfather Eugenio Schuler in 1902 with palm- and lemon trees, rosemary and sage, jasmines and bougainvilleas, a pergola, a pavillion and various cosy furnished corners. Already back then, our in the meantime more than 20 meters high pinus pinea pine was towering high above the premises. With its 200 years it´s the oldest tree in Taormina.
Adding also the gardens of both our neighbours, the Villa Schuler Gardens are the largest green area inside the medieval town centre of Taormina.
Over the years various species were added. Sicilian and Mediterranean plants form the heart of the garden, surrounded by tropic and subtropic plants from all over the world. Rare palms, banana trees, cactuses and succulents. Being passionate gardeners ourselves, some of them we brought from our own travels.
In the hotels´ nursery we cure, grow and multiply them. A wide range of the plants of the Villa Schuler gardens are labeled with their botanical names and origin.
In 2023, our historic botanical park was included in the prestigious network of the “Great Gardens of Italy,” a member of the “Great Gardens of the World“.
The plants of our garden
- More than 350 species from the Mediterranean, Africa and Asia
- Orange, lemon, tangerine and grapefruit trees
- Fragrant plants and herbs
- Cactuses and succulents
- annual, biennial and perennial flowering plants
Garden lovers will find various books and publications on botany in our hotel.
According to prior agreement we can organize guided tours through our garden with our gardener Francesca and the owner Gerhard Schuler, a great garden lover and appassionate gardener (in english).
FRANCESCA is our new gardener since the 2022 season, succeeding our legendary gardener Pippo, who has decided to retire, but not without initiating Francesca into the secrets of this special garden that he cared for with passion for many years. He has passed on his valuable knowledge to Francesca with pride and joy.
Francesca is a daughter of the territory and brings with her much experience, from working in her father’s orchards to taking care of her own garden. She has a special love for succulents and medicinal herbs. In addition, she brings a keen sense of the aesthetic design of a garden.