Maria
Novella Batini Presenti, publicist journalist, is born in Florence in 1953 and
is editor-in-chief of the quarterly magazine “Toscana Qui”, with which she has
collaborated since the founding year (1981). She writes about art and antiques,
has participated to the writing of the dictionary L’amico della ceramica di
Giorgio Batini (1974) and is co-author of the volume Etruschi curiosi (1985). She
also shows interest for gardening, which is the theme of several of her
articles, columns and guides to growing plants and vegetables (from Divertirsi
con le piante, 1987, to the “Verde Facile” series of manuals, 2004). She collaborates
since 1985 at the Magazine “Gardenia”. She is one of the curators of the
Camellia Exhibition, organised annually in Florence by the Garden Club and
designed by Claudia Pianetti della Stufa, and is herself a collector of
camellias and unusual plants.