The Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, California, is a series of subterranean structures built by Baldassare Forestiere, an immigrant from Sicily, over 40 years from 1906 to his death in 1946. Members of the Forestiere family operate the gardens through the Forestiere Historical Center and can be considered a spectacular and unconventional example of vernacular architecture.
History
Baldassare Forestiere July 8, 1879 – November 10, 1946) was born in the hamlet of Filari, near Rometta, on the northeastern tip of Sicily. He immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s after a conflict with his father, and after time on the East Coast, he purchased land in Fresno. Unfortunately, he found the hardpan soil unsuitable for citrus trees and the weather punishingly hot during the summer.
Baldassare dug a small cellar to escape the summer heat. Roman catacombs and wine cellars likely influenced him he had seen in Italy. Finding it effective and comfortable, he carved a series of attached rooms and took up residence there. Baldassare then began experimenting with growing trees in underground chambers with skylights and found that they would grow well with care, and being below ground protected them from frost. Baldassare continued expanding and improving these underground gardens until he died in 1946, using hand tools and a pair of mules.
Description
There are 65 rooms in the Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, CA. It has a summer bedroom, a winter bedroom, a bath, a functional kitchen, a fish pond, and a parlor with a fireplace. Interspersed amongst the beautiful stone walls and archways are grottoes and courtyards, allowing for light pockets. Without blueprints, the intricate pathways were created section by section over 10 acres (4.0 ha). There are three levels within the underground structure, one 10 feet (3.0 m) deep, one 20 feet (6.1 m) deep, and one 23 feet (7.0 m) deep.
The gardens have skylights and catchbasins for water. The dirt that was moved to create the large structure was utilized elsewhere to fill planters, create stones within the catacombs, and level out other parts of the land. The pathways and rooms were constructed with various widths to help direct airflow by creating pressure as it moves through narrower portions and maintaining movement as it bounces off the slants and curves of the cavernous walls. The conical skylights allow the hot air to be pushed out more quickly and the cool air to remain below. Junk Removal Fresno
The plants and trees, some over 100 years old, are protected from frost in winter by construction. Each level was planted at different times, so they bloom in succession to lengthen the growing season. It houses a variety of fruit ranging from citrus and berries to exotic fruits like the kumquat, loquat, and jujube. The trees have been grafted to bear more than one kind of fruit, allowing for a more extensive variety throughout the space. Trees and vines were also planted above the dwelling, acting as insulation and forming canopies that protect it from the elements.
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