Ludwig Winter

It was on this day that the German botanist and internationally-regarded landscape architect Ludwig Winter was born.

Winter taught Karl Forrester - of Karl Forrester grass fame - when he came to visit him in Italy.
Early on, Winter was drawn to exotic plants. When he began gardening in Italy, he experimented with them. Instead of letting them go crazy or turn into a jungle, Winter's tropical gardens were very controlled and created a scene.
Winter's reputation is inextricably bound to palm trees, and Palm Gardens became symbolic of the seaside resorts along the Italian Riviera. Ultimately, Winter’s contribution was making exotic plants accessible to all gardeners, not just to the wealthy.
Winter also created new concepts in the marketing of nurseries. Winter came up with the idea of using nurseries to exhibit plants permanently. This would help his clients imagine the end result of garden designs and to promote various schemes that could be replicated in the client's garden.
Winter's best gardens were created along the Italian Riviera - some exist still today.
When Monet saw the area, he wrote:

"Water, flowers, and poetry merge into a musical harmony of colors that my eyes have never met…. In addition, to paint certain landscapes you should have a palette of gems and diamonds. It is wonderful."