Most people have probably seen a fair share of gardens in their lives, but we bet you haven’t seen one quite like this. The Forestiere Underground Gardens are below ground, and even more unbelievably, the entire thing was dug and created by one man decades ago. You can find it at 5021 West Shaw Avenue, Fresno, CA.
The creator of this garden was Baldasare Forestiere, an immigrant from Sicily.
Brigette B./Yelp
He dug and built this garden over a period of four decades, from 1906 until his death in 1946.
Who D./Yelp
Forestiere built the garden as a place to escape the hot Fresno summers. There’s a functional kitchen, a bath, two bedrooms, and a parlor with a fireplace.
McKenna H./Yelp
Forestiere was inspired by the ancient Roman catacombs that interested him during his youth.
Bet L./Yelp
Some trees in the garden have been grafted to bear multiple kinds of fruit.
Bethany N./Yelp
Depending on the time of year, you might find anything from kumquats and loquats to lemons and berries.
Hector P./Yelp
To create this garden, Forestiere had to spend countless hours digging through the hardpan layer of earth that cements much of the soil in Fresno.
Hector P./Yelp
Today, the garden is operated by members of the Forestiere family.
Hector P./Yelp
The garden has even won awards, and is also listed as a California Historical Landmark.
Bet L./Yelp
Not only is this garden unique and stunning, it’s a piece of history that’s been preserved over several decades.
Brigette B./Yelp
Who D./Yelp
McKenna H./Yelp
Bet L./Yelp
Bethany N./Yelp
Hector P./Yelp
Did you know an oft-debated question about Fresno is whether it’s considered a part of Northern California or Southern California? The general consensus appears to be NorCal, but you can check out more things that NorCal and SoCal argue over here.
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