A Lost Maltese Garden: John Hookham Frere's Masterpiece. A Lost Maltese Garden: John Hookham Frere's Masterpiece. Fernando Mifsud. 1 21 11:04. Dear friends, the gardens of Villa Frere will be open again for the public on Saturday 1th February from 9am to 13:30. There will be a guided tour of the gardens in English at 11am. John Hookham Frere's masterpiece - This is the story of a childhood fascination with a lost garden, and the remarkable English gentleman scholar who lovingly created it