Orticolario 2026 to explore dreams and imagination at Lake Como

Orticolario returns for its 16th edition Oct. 1-4, 2026, at Villa Erba in Cernobbio on Lake Como with a theme centered on dreams, illusion and imagination. The four-day event will feature more than 250 exhibitors, themed gardens, site-specific installations and a guest of honor, artist Luigi Serafini.

Why it matters: - Orticolario is positioning landscape culture as both a design showcase and a social mission. - The 2026 edition broadens the event beyond plants into art, architecture, craft and cultural programming. - The event’s new foundation signals a long-term effort to turn Orticolario into a permanent cultural platform.

What happened: - Orticolario announced its sixteenth edition, titled en rêverie, for Oct. 1-4, 2026, at Villa Erba in Cernobbio on Lake Como. - The event is framed around a dreamlike theme that centers on imagination, illusion and the creation of worlds that do not yet exist. - More than 250 Italian and international exhibitors are set to take part. - The program will include rare, unusual and collectible plants, artisanal objects, original creations, performances, workshops and experiences for children and young people.

The details: - Seven thematic gardens selected through the international Creative Spaces competition will be featured. - The winner of Creative Spaces receives the Foglia d’oro del Lago di Como award. - Seven site-specific installations will be built around the 2026 theme. - The cultural program will involve experts, landscape architects, agronomists and other visionaries. - The event’s central pavilion will host Hypnos, a project by Mario Mariani / Central Park and Matteo Boccardo, with support from Fondazione Banca Popolare di Milano. - Phantasos, a botanical installation by Mario Mariani / Central Park and Matteo Boccardo, will spotlight fantastical plant species with unusual forms, colors and survival traits. - Les imaginaires will take over the atrium of Villa Erba, with artist Lau Cabantous and ethnobotanist Lucia Papponi, supported by Taroni. - Luigi Serafini, artist, architect and creator of the Codex Seraphinianus, is the guest of honor. - The Codex Seraphinianus is known for its invented organisms, architectures and botanical forms, presented in asemic script.

Between the lines: - The 2026 theme moves from wonder to rêverie, which frames the event as a more introspective exploration of creativity. - Orticolario is using visual art and speculative design to deepen its identity beyond a traditional horticulture fair. - The focus on a guest of honor from the arts reinforces the event’s interdisciplinary approach. - Fondazione Orticolario E.T.S. reflects a shift from an annual event model to a longer-term cultural institution.

What's next: - Orticolario will return to Villa Erba from Oct. 1-4, 2026. - Organizers are expected to release additional programming, exhibitor details and visitor information ahead of the event. - The foundation will help support the event’s continuity and future growth.

The bottom line: - Orticolario 2026 is selling more than a flower show: It is building a cultural experience around nature, imagination and landscape design.