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Palazzo Parisio is located in the heart of Naxxar, just opposite the church. Palazzo Parisio was rebuilt in the 19th century by Marquis Giuseppe Scicluna as his own private residence. The magnificent walled gardens of the Palazzo Parisio rank among the finest in Malta and are the only privately-owned gardens open to the public. They have a classic baroque style that combines symmetry and Mediterranean flowers all year long.

Ceiba speciosa, palo borracho (in Spanish literally drunken stick)It belongs to the same family as the baobab and the kapok and sometimes reaches more than 25 metres (82 ft) in height. The cotton inside the fruit pods, although not of as good quality as that of the kapok tree, has been used as stuffing f(density = 0.27 g/cm³), soft and flexible, and is employed in packaging, to make canoes, as wood pulp to make paper, and in ropes.

Ceiba speciosa is studded with thick conical prickles which serve to store water for dry times. In younger trees, the trunk is green due to its high chlorophyll content, which makes it capable of performing photosynthesis when leaves are absent; with age it turns to gray.Ceiba speciosa

Ceiba speciosa

Ceiba speciosa

Ceiba speciosaThe floss silk tree is cultivated mostly for ornamental purposes

Ceiba speciosa is added to some versions of the hallucinogenic drink Ayahuasca

Ceiba speciosa

Ceiba speciosa

Cortaderia selloana

Cortaderia selloana, commonly known as pampas grass, is a flowering plant native to southern South America, including the pampas after which it is named. It is a tall grass, growing in dense tussocks that can reach a height of 3 m (10 ft)

Cortaderia selloana was introduced to Europe, North America and Australia as an ornamental grass, and, to a lesser extent, to provide food for grazing animals. The feathery flower head plumes, when dried, are widely used in flower arrangements and other ornamental displays.

Cortaderia selloana

Free to visit the gardens but two restaurants, the informal Caffé Luna and, for fine dining, Luna de Sera, help pay the bills.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Exotic species grow in the gardens as well as a large collection of hybrid Hibiscus, with over 60 plants of various colours

Hibiscus plants are members of the Malva family, Malvaceae. This plant family includes more than 200 species of annual and perennial plants

A wall surrounds the gardens keeping it private, peaceful and tranquil. The gardens at Palazzo Parisio is maintained by a complex water and irrigation system keeping the gardens beautiful and green all year round.

Text: InternetPictures: Sanda Foişoreanu Gabriela Cristescu InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuwww.slideshare.net/michaelasanda

Sound: Enrico Musiani - Piccolo Fiore