The Rose Garden: a little piece of heaven in Florence

There is no better place to find inspiration for your art projects than in the Rose Garden, just under Piazzale Michelangelo.
This garden was created in 1865 by Giuseppe Poggi, who also designed the piazzale, and it houses a collection of about 400 varieties of roses, lemons, and other plants as well as a little and intimate Japanese garden.
A hidden tresure for those who want to find a nice spot to paint, draw some sketches or take pictures while enjoying a marvelous panoramic view of Florence.
Among green grass and rose bushes, you will find bronze sculptures by Jean-Michel Folon, a belgian artist whose relationship with Florence was very special. The works of art - with the characteristic surrealist and delicate style - that the artist had intended to go to Florence shortly before his death, were donated to the city by his widow and placed here in 2011, transforming the garden into an elegant open-air museum.

It's the place to be on a warm spring day, but it retains it's charm even in bad weather: if you get caught in the rain you can just sit on the porch overlooking the garden and admire the view on the city through the dreamy suitcase-sculpture by Folon!
There are 3 entrances to the garden: one is in Viale Poggi right below the Piazzale, the second is a small gate at the corner of Via dei Bastioni and Via del Monte alle Croci and the third is along the stairs coming up from San Niccolò.
The entrance is free.