A Floristic Analysis and Reconstruction for the Renewal of Botanical Memory: The “Experimental Agricultural Garden of Villa Santa Maria in Potenza” (Southern Italy) as a Model

Historic gardens are dynamic archives of biodiversity and cultural heritage, yet many have been lost or transformed, erasing their original floristic identity. This study reconstructs the experimental agricultural garden of Villa Santa Maria in Potenza (Southern Italy). The garden was founded in 1823 by the Società Economica di Basilicata as a provincial center for agronomic innovation. Through a multidisciplinary approach—archival research, iconographic analysis, and taxonomic revision—we analyzed the Catalogus Plantarum Horti Agrarii Lucani (1846), which listed 670 cultivated taxa, including 196 varieties. Updated nomenclature confirmed the presence of 450 plant taxa. The garden featured a clear functional zoning system integrating ornamental parterres, orchards, nurseries, artificial meadows, and experimental plots for industrial crops and forage species. Chorological analysis reveals a dominant Mediterranean component, along with significant Asiatic and American elements, and smaller Australian and African contributions, reflecting 19th-century plant exchange networks. The conservation assessment shows that many historically cultivated taxa are now nationally protected, and several endemics retain high ecological value. These results highlight the role of historic gardens as living laboratories for biodiversity conservation and cultural continuity. Reintroducing documented species and heritage cultivars within a conservation framework can strengthen urban resilience and identity. This case exemplifies how botanical memory can guide landscape planning by linking historical authenticity with contemporary ecological and educational objectives.