Christa Wilm is a shell artist whose inspiration for shell ornamentation comes from Italy.

The Grotto at Villa Melzi, Italy is set within a neo-classical style garden with open belvedere visible across Lake Como.

The Victorian garden at Waddesdon Manor was designed to extend the collection of curiosities within the manor.

The Shell Grotto, Pontypool, is a Grade II* listed late-18th-century slate roofed shell grotto decorated with shells and animal bones.

This Little Venice (Vizcaya Mansion) includes an Italianate house and garden and took eight years to construct, 1914-22.

Another European shellhouse visit here. Our next showcase takes us to a beautiful villa in the North of Italy near Milan.

Today we are reminiscing about the stunning Palazzo Borromeo which is located on Isola Bella, Lake Maggiore, Italy.

Trsteno Arboretum dates from c1494. It is the oldest in Europe and a perfect setting for this late 18th century rusticated grotto.

St James's Church, Piccadilly, London was built in 1648 by Sir Christopher Wren.

The Renaissance Villa di Costella had been the residence of Cosmo I de Medici and still provides fine views towards Florence. The...

This gorgeous shell house and sunny shell designs were lovingly created in 1964 by Alice Lennox-Boyd. She and her husband had collected...

The Shell Loggia (1620), Woburn Abbey Designed by Isaac de Caus and built from 1620, this magnificent room connects various ground-floor...

Thomas Goldney," an early water-magi" began his ambitious grotto in 1737. It is one of Britain's best preserved shell grottoes.

Iford Manor has been home to the Cartwright family since 1965, and features a stunning shell pavilion.

The Shell Room (c1759) is a stunning example of shell architecture within the Neues Palace, Potsdam.

Discover The Pleasure Garden at Painshill in Surrey. A stunning landscape garden complete with a grotto.

There is a majestic Neptune Fountain, the Neptunbrunnen (1891) currently before the rathaus, the red town hall in east Berlin. It was...

The cusp of 2019-20 saw us in Poole, Dorset photographing shell carvings, returning to lectures in Gloucester and Wiltshire before flying...

In our extensive travels we have assessed and photographed over 300 authentic Shell Houses and Grottoes in Britain, Ireland and Europe....

Followers of our website will know that as writers/lecturers we have spent over 10 years exploring England, Wales and Ireland and noted...