the slants and curves of the cavernous walls. The conical skylights allow for the hot air to be pushed out more quickly and the cool air to remain below. The plants and trees, some of which are over 100 years old, are protected from the frost in the winter months by virtue of construction. Each level was planted at different times, so they bloom in succession, in order to lengthen the growing season. It houses a variety of fruit ranging from citrus and berries to exotic fruits like the kumquat, loquat, and jujube. The trees have been grafted to bear more than one kind of fruit, allowing for a larger variety to be grown throughout the space. Trees and vines were also planted above the dwelling, acting as insulation and forming canopies that provide protection from the elements. Depictions T. Coraghessan Boyle wrote a fictionalized account of Forestiere, the short story "The Underground Gardens," which was published in The New Yorker in 1998. See also Burro Schmidt Tunnel is a mining tunnel dug with hand tools and dynamite over a 38-year period Ferdinand Cheval, a French postman who constructed an "ideal palace" out of rocks in his spare time. Hermit House, a residence located in Herzliya, Israel with mosaics constructed by one man over thirty years. House on the Rock Alex Jordan, Jr. constructed "Japanese House" atop rock pinnacle in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Nitt Witt Ridge a house in Cambria, California constructed in a similar style. Watts Towers in Los Angeles, a collection of 17 interconnected structures, built by Italian immigrant Sabato Rodia. Hobby tunneling References External links Official Website - Forestiere Underground Gardens Forestiere Historical Center and Underground Gardens Baldasare's Magnum Opus Baldasare Forestiere's Underground Gardens Buildings and structures in Fresno, California Historic house museums in California Museums in Fresno County, California Houses in Fresno County, California History of the San Joaquin Valley Subterranea of the United States Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in California National Register of Historic Places in Fresno County, California Parks in the San Joaquin Valley Roadside attractions in California Underground cities Tourist attractions in Fresno, California Vernacular architecture in California Visionary environments