Open Day at the Historic Villa Frere Gardens this Sunday
The only sounds to be heard in the Villa Frere gardens are the ponds’ rippling water, the birds’ twittering calls, and the buzzing of insects among the blossoms. A visit is bound to leave anyone feeling refreshed, and there’s no better opportunity than this Sunday, December 3. But how did the garden that was once nominated as one of the most beautiful gardens of Europe and visited by three queens take such a decline in popularity?
On Marina Street, right before the turn leading to Valletta, is where one will find a large, three-story edifice painted a dull brown ochre colour. Sitting between two old structures that date back to the Knights’ era, Villa Ciantar and Bezzina House, Villa Frere was initially nothing more than a one-story house. Despite its pleasant view and tranquil atmosphere, Villa Frere has undergone a lot of reconstruction over the years, and what remains is merely a fraction of what there once was.
The story starts in the mid 1800s with British diplomat, poet, scholar, and philanthropist John Hookham Frere, who built Villa Frere out of what was originally two or three houses joined together. Following the death of his wife in 1831, Frere threw himself into a new project as a solace for his grief. Frere hired the best architects to create an English neoclassical terraced garden from the bare rock behind the villa. With expansive views that stretched all the way from Mdina to Valletta, he could see his wife’s grave at the Msida Bastion Cemetery from this garden. Villa Frere became a sort of hub for many scholars; among them was the renowned Mikiel Anton Vassalli, who is said to have discussed the implementation of Maltese as a written and taught language with Frere.
villa frere, 1926
Once John Hookham Frere died in 1846, the Villa became abandoned for a few decades until Count Rosario Messina took up the lease in 1876. Capt. Edward Noble Price came into possession of the property after marrying his daughter Josephine. As a passionate gardener, he restored it and even added a Japanese Garden. His many international friends would send him exotic plants to embellish the garden, which made it qualify as a botanic garden, as well as the Royal Horticulture Society Headquarters. The location had gained such popularity among both tourists and locals that it got nominated as one of the most beautiful gardens of Europe. What’s more three Queens visited the garden during the Price family’s residence there; Queen Mary in 1912, Queen Marie of Romania in 1924 and British Dowager Queen Adelaine in 1929.
Sadly, bombings in the Second World War did serious damage to the gardens, as did the construction of Pieta Primary School and St Luke’s Hospital in the 1950’s. Even though only a third of the original acreage remains today, and that includes the house, the location’s aura of mystery lives on. Additionally, the non profit organisation Friends of Villa Frere and Heritage Malta have been putting a lot of effort into preserving what is left and bringing life back to the gardens.
The Open Day will be held between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm on December 3. Admission into the garden costs a €5 donation and is free for children, all collected funds will go towards the recurring restoration of the gardens. Parking is available behind Karen Grech Hospital on the grounds of St. Luke’s Hospital. Kindly heed the instructions posted at St. Luke’s gates. Entrance is through St Luke’s Hospital, Pieta’.
