Blink and you might miss a famous but hidden gem in Fresno County, California, nestled near the train tracks at Shaw Avenue near Highway 99, where the tops of citrus trees can be seen popping out of the ground, prompting curious passersby to stop and take a photo of the phenomena.
The trees that rise from beneath the ground are part of the horticultural mystique of the Forestiere Underground Gardens, a subterranean network and living museum of tunnels, rooms, and underground courtyards built over 100 years ago by a Sicilian-born immigrant with a can-do attitude.
The creator behind the exquisite underground gardens was Baldassare Forestiere. In 1906, the hopeful citrus grower bought 80 acres in Fresno County, California, beginning a decades-long journey of excavation, innovation, and horticultural achievement.
At the underground gardens, tour guides offer a detailed account of Forestiere’s 40 years of excavating the property.
Forestiere, born in 1879 on the Mediterranean island of Sicily, grew up farming citrus with his family before his dreams of exploring the world and making a name for himself brought him to the shores of America.
Just before his 21st birthday, he arrived in Boston, where he worked two jobs that would come in handy in California: subway tunneling and underground aqueduct construction.
When he bought a train ticket to California, he joined one of his brothers working at a macaroni factory in Fresno. By the time Forestiere bought 80 acres for just $80 in 1906, he was hopeful that he could turn his purchase into a successful citrus farm.
His dreams were not to be—the soil was too dense and difficult for farming. But Forestiere, instead of giving in to disappointment, put his tunneling and excavation skills to the test during the particularly hot summer of that same year.
At 27 years old, he began digging through the hardpan dirt and gritty loam with just shovels, a pickaxe, and a wheelbarrow, reinforcing his tunnels with bricks, scraps of metal, rebar, and even the mattress springs from his bed.
The deeper he dug, the cooler the temperatures became. Forestiere carved out bedrooms, a parlor, a bathroom, a small aquarium, a wine and food cellar, a kitchen, and multiple courtyards bursting with carefully grown citrus trees like grapefruit, loquats, oranges, and lemons.
In the near center of the estimated 23 acres of excavated garden, a heavy chapel bell is suspended above an atrial opening, which tour guides at the gardens said Forestiere used as a doorbell.
Forestiere was also a deeply religious man, according to tour information, and his Roman Catholic upbringing is apparent throughout the gardens. The first courtyard visitors see while taking a guided tour of the property is the Trinity Courtyard, complete with three carved benches, three citrus trees, and one Black Moroccan grapevine.
The sequences of three allude to the Holy Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Another sequence visible in Forestiere’s architecture is the number seven, which references the seven days in which God created the world.
Several trees throughout the gardens are referred to by tour guides as “Baldassare originals,” which means they were originally planted by Forestiere himself.
One impressive citrus tree on the premises was grafted and cultivated by Forestiere to produce seven kinds of citrus at one time. Planted in the cool, damp temperatures of the subterranean oasis, his garden thrived, yielding grapes, dates, Italian pears, and pomegranates.
There is even an expansive grand ballroom where Forestiere envisioned hosting the upper echelons of Fresno society, its entrance fronted with an automobile tunnel and valet service that, sadly, never quite materialized.
Throughout the network of tunnels, Forestiere also carved out carefully placed openings, allowing sunlight to fuel tree growth without overexposure to heat. In a dining area, Forestiere even designed an orange tree to grow through the center of a table, allowing his guests to pluck fruit from its branches while eating dinner.
The deepest point of the garden is 25 feet underground, where temperatures drop anywhere from 10–15 degrees below the surface, tour guides said.
When Forestiere died in 1946 at 67 years old, his brother Giuseppe Forestiere continued to develop the property—work that eventually kept his son, Ricardo, occupied, as well.
Today, the Forestiere Underground Gardens is a historical landmark that welcomed 60,000 visitors in 2023 alone. Visitors can book a guided tour online. The garden is busiest between March and November, and scheduling is contingent on weather conditions, according to the website.
After taking the tour, visitors can peruse a gift shop with unique products such as humorous hardpan dirt jars, hats, local jewelry, and tourist items like magnets and postcards.
Forestiere’s family still lovingly operates the garden, said the grounds’ assistant manager. The remarkable property often hosts school field trips and employs a staff of around 30 people, she told The Epoch Times.
Although Baldassare Forestiere’s dreams of becoming a successful citrus farmer were dashed in Fresno County over a century ago, the underground gardens that he meticulously designed have left a one-of-a-kind legacy behind for thousands to enjoy.
