by Connie Pillsbury

I was treated to a wonderful surprise botanical garden in Merano, Italy, this summer while traveling in the South Tyrol, the Southern Alps in northeast Italy. Merano, or Meran in German, (not to be confused with Milan), is a town of 38,000 people in a lush valley surrounded by scenic peaks.

For years it's been known as a health spa due to its mild and warm climate.I thought it odd to have a name like Trauttmansdorff in Italy, but I soon learned that this area used to be part of the Austrian (Hapsburg) Empire until it was annexed to Italy after World War I (1918) when the Allies redrew the map of Austria.

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Source: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/