Forestiere Underground Gardens

Forestiere Underground Gardens
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location:	5021 W. Shaw Ave., Fresno, California
Coordinates:	36°48′26″N 119°52′51″W
Architect:	Forestiere,Baldasare
Governing body:	Private
NRHP Reference#:	77000293
Added to NRHP:	October 28, 1977

Forestiere Underground Gardens Located at 5021 West Shaw Avenue in Fresno, California are an unusual manmade creation built by Baldasare Forestiere, an immigrant from Sicily, over a period of 40 years from 1906 to until his death in 1946. The gardens, while subterranean, have many skylights and catchbasins for water. There is a wide variety of hybrids and grafted trees, and the underground temperature helps guard against frost. It is operated by members of the Forestiere family through the Forestiere Historical Center, and can be considered a spectacular and unconventional example of vernacular architecture.

See also

• Hermit House, a residence located in Herzliya, Israel with mosaics constructed by one man over thirty years.
• Watts Towers in Los Angeles, a collection of 17 interconnected structures, built by Italian immigrant Sabato Rodia.
• Nitt Witt Ridge a house in Cambria, California constructed in a similar style.
• Ferdinand Cheval, a french postman who constructed an "ideal palace" out of rocks in his spare time.
• House on the Rock Alex Jordan,Jr. constructed "Japanese House" atop rock pinnacle in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

External links

• Forestiere Underground Gardens
• Baldasare's Magnum Opus
• Thomas Curwen (January 29, 2004). "Dreams dwelled here". Los Angeles Times. http://www.baltimoresun.com/topic/la-hm-forestiere29jan29,0,2121302.story?page=1. 
• Baldasare Forestiere's Underground Gardens