School project of the Monte Ciocci Garden

Citizen Garden

Introduction

The good practice identified consists of welcoming school students to the garden for long periods. Pupils come to take part in the garden’s activities at regular intervals, sometimes over several years. In this way, awareness of nature conservation and learning about gardening can become more deeply rooted in them than during one-off visits.

Activity Topic

Education to environment, sustainable development and consumption, social cohesion

Organisation

Orti Urbani Monte Ciocci APS

Legal Status

NGO

Year of Establishment

2014

Location

Via Domizia Lucilla, 40-58, 00136 Rome

The Monte Ciocci garden is a community urban garden located in the north-west of Rome on an affluent residential hill overlooking the city and facing the Vatican. The volunteers are mainly retired people, but there are also working people (all from a rather high social class).

Flavio, president of the association (a young engineer in his fifties), is also the local gardeniser. Arianna, secretary of the association, is a natural sciences teacher.

The garden, created 10 years ago, is not very large (1600m2, 17 plots, around 50 volunteers) but is very well-kept and hosts numerous activities. Initially centred on vegetable production, over me it has become a space offering numerous opportunities for socialising. So, in addition to the presence of cultivated plots, combining numerous flowers and perennial herbs, there is also an orchard, a small greenhouse, a small wood and a social space with tables and chairs. The site does not have toilets or a space sheltered from the rain, which somewhat limits its development, but nevertheless allows groups and especially school groups to be accommodated.

Activity Description

Aims and Outcomes

The project, mainly run by two retired volunteers (Emmanuella for disabled pupils from the agricultural college and Maria Gracia for pupils from the local primary school) aims to make children aware of their responsibilities in protecting the environment, to teach them how to garden, recognize plants and learn about their uses, as well as to create social links between volunteers (generally retired) and children (and occasionally their parents). The projects for secondary school and primary school pupils are different but both are part of a long-term program.

As for the secondary school pupils (3 pupils, 40 hours per year), they have been devoting themselves to aromatic plants for a year. Their work is based on descriptive sheets produced by Emmanuella (see photos and content at the end of the document). They identify the plants, produce drawings, summary sheets and planting plans, and learn how to use these plants. This year the project continued with edible flowers, and then it will be the turn of fruit.

For schoolchildren, the program is similar but simplified. An entire class participates with their teacher (15 to 20 pupils aged 6 to 10, who have been coming 2 to 3 times a month throughout the year for 3 years, with 2 successive teachers). At the beginning, the children were between 4 and 7 years old. The activities in the garden therefore evolve with their age.

Implementation Steps

For the project with the local primary school:

The idea came from Roberto, who had two young children he took to the garden (an existing educational resource, as the garden was created in 2014)
2018: first agreement with the local primary school (initially with children aged 8 to 10)
2020-2021: training of Maria Gracia with Roberto, who then left the project for personal reasons
Maria Gracia runs the project as a volunteer
Establishment of a more comprehensive partnership with the school: the children come in the mornings from 9am to 12pm and can then stay for lunch in the garden. The project allows for the same pupils to come for 5 consecutive years, starting the activity when they are younger.
Children are welcomed by volunteers and activities are organized: the children are divided into groups of 3 with one adult (Maria Gracia, Emmanuella, Anna, Catherina, etc., as well as
the teacher and possibly parents). The activities in the garden are: observing, sowing seeds, watering, preparing the soil, removing weeds, using the hoe, making compost, planting their seedlings, making a scarecrow, doing artistic activities for Mother’s and Father’s Day (sowing flowers, salts or sugar flavored with aromatic plants, printing flowers and leaves on special paper)…
Mobilization of families to buy seeds and gloves and provide the picnic
Keeping the link between the children and the garden during periods of bad weather or the summer holidays by sending photos of the garden by Maria Gracia
Celebration of achievements at parties and shared meals organized with parents, teachers and municipal officials (preparation of explanatory panels)
Official visits from the education and environment departments of the city of Rome

For secondary school pupils, the protocol was similar, but it only concerns 3 pupils who are disabled. The project is led by Emmanuella. As the children are older, the teaching materials are more comprehensive (descriptive sheets) and the children follow a single theme for a year (aromatic plants, edible flowers, fruit).

Advantages and Benefits

The special feature of the educational projects run by the Monte Ciocci Garden is the continuity of activities with the same children on a regular basis over long periods. This makes learning more effective. The bonds created with the garden and the people who welcome them are stronger. The enthusiastic children pass on what they learn to their families.

The volunteers involved, often retired, feel valued and useful in what they can pass on. Intergenerational ties are strengthened, as are the bonds between volunteers.

Required Competences and Skills

Children are made aware of environmental protection: biodiversity, soil preservation, water management, composting, etc. They acquire skills on these topics. They also learn how to garden and produce food without pesticides or chemical fertilisers. They relearn how to make the link between nature and food, taste, smells and therapeutic care through plants. The special feature of the educational projects run by the Monte Ciocci Garden is the continuity of activities with the same children on a regular basis over long periods. This makes learning more effective. The bonds created with the garden and the people who welcome them are stronger. The enthusiastic children pass on what they learn to their families. The volunteers involved, often retired, feel valued and useful in what they can pass on. Intergenerational ties are strengthened, as are the bonds between volunteers.

Evaluation

The activity, which started six years ago, seems to be a real success. If the garden manages to be granted another plot of land, located nearby, to expand the garden, the volunteers are considering taking over a second classroom at the primary school. The volunteers we met are delighted with the interaction with the children and are highly motivated. The photos of the children during the workshops and visits give an idea of how much they enjoy coming to the garden. The wealth of learning and the bonds created between the volunteers, children, teachers and parents bear witness to a major interest in society and its necessary evolution (care for nature and for people).

Conclusions

Developing nature and gardening activities with children requires existing and suitable support. The diversity of plants and spaces (vegetable garden, aromatic plants, flowers, orchard) is an asset. The regular presence of motivated volunteers, who are educators and have knowledge of plants and gardening, is essential. This approach helps to get children interested in nature and gardening, which makes them aware of the preservation of the environment and resources. It also makes them aware of the link between nature and their food. The regular involvement of children over several years makes it possible to anchor learning in a lasting way and to involve their families as well. Finally, this activity, which brings together retired people, with their wealth of experience, and children, helps to create strong social bonds and respect for the elderly. The preparation and organization of the workshops also create bonds between the volunteers.

Advice / Recommendation

In this example, primary school pupils can come on foot, as can secondary school pupils. With a view to offering activities in the long term, it is important to ensure that schools will be able to attend regularly.

It is important to ensure that there are enough volunteers to supervise the children properly.

The garden must be accessible and well organised to facilitate learning. Signs are essential to help people find their way around. Cultivated areas must be suitable for children (small stature). Activities must be consistent and sufficiently diverse to arouse children’s interest.

A known link must be maintained to encourage children’s interest and promote their learning.