Like all good love stories, this one begins with a chance encounter and involves passion, commitment, beauty, and devotion. In 1967, Dagmar, a young journalist from Zagreb, met Toto Meneghello on Hvar. He took her to the tiny islet of Sveti Klement – she immediately fell in love with this handsome Dalmatian man and was enchanted by his home, in an old stone villa (without electricity or running water) set in an overgrown botanical garden, called Palmižana. 
In fact, the story of the garden goes back to 1906, when Professor Eugen Meneghello (Toto's father) began planting exotic tropical vegetation at Palmižana - palms, agave, cacti, eucalyptus, aloe vera and lilies – and opened a guesthouse in the villa, first for friends, then also for wealthy globetrotters, who came to this magical hideaway to refind harmony with nature.
By the time Dagmar arrived in 1965, the garden was well established and the villa offered an escape from urban limitations. She decided to stay. She brought a new gift to Palmižana, the vision of modern art, adding space for exhibitions, and offering a retreat for aspiring artists. In the years that followed, Dagmar and Toto had three children, who grew up to love art and nature too. Their names are Eugen-Toto, Romina and Tarin, and they are the first people you will meet if you come here.