Casa Rocca Piccola is one of the few houses in Valletta with a garden. Gardens were considered to be a great luxury due to the scarcity of water in the capital city especially when the population grew in the 17th Century.
It has some orange trees and is home to April a red-eared terrapin and Kiku a blue and gold macaw. If the weather is good, sit and have a rest if you like.
The statue called ‘Effervescence’ (which means vivacity and enthusiasm) has been here for over a hundred years and was put in by Antonio Cassar Torregiani who was a bright and modern thinker and it must have appealed to him. The statue has a 1920’s haircut and a very muscular torso both of which were unusual for statues at the time.
Kiku III, The Blue and Gold Macaw : Kiku III is the third Macaw that the de Piro family have owned in recent years hence the dynastic numeration. The photo you can see below is Kiku I being held by the 8th Baron de Piro in 1968.
Parrots are owned by many members of the family in Malta and abroad and they are wonderful playful and affectionate birds. Please wave at Kiku and talk to him as he loves company and having his photo taken.