Day 1, Tuesday: 24.09.2024
In the morning visit to the Municipal Delegation of Environment of Rome, we are received by the Delegate Sabrina Alfonsi, who emphasizes the necessity of the institutional support to the Urban Gardens, on the other hand she speaks about the importance that people of all the ages (not only young people) can benefit and participate in this type of scholarships of mobility to learn on these natural spaces that are the Gardens in the middle of the city.
Visit to the Urban Garden in the neighbourhood of Garbatella, the plots are not delimited, and are small, there is a lack of maintenance. There is the presence of the oriental wasp.
In the afternoon, we visited the Urban Garden of Valle del Casali, where they do activities with schools and grow different varieties of wheat.
Opposite is the plot of the Arvalia Social Garden, where there are bee hives, but there is also the presence of the oriental gall wasp.
Day 2, Wednesday: 25.09.2024
In the morning we visited the FAO headquarters in Rome, a very enriching visit, Eduardo, our guide, showed us the building and told us the history of the organisation, we ended up on the terrace, with spectacular views, a demonstration garden, and many ornamental plants.
In the afternoon we visit the Monte Ciocci Educational Garden, a small plot of plots on the slope of a hill, with breathtaking views, with a lot of auxiliary flora.
Fosso di Bravetta Urban Garden, in the middle of the park of the same name, the plots are separated by hedges, there is an important deficit of auxiliary flora, and we detected the presence of some chemicals.
Day 3, Thursday: 26.09.2024
In the morning visit to the Department of Environmental and Agricultural Policies of Rome.
Visit to Orchard 9, a huge plot of plots, in a spectacular park, it shows investment in its facilities as it is a private orchard that has almost 200 members and a monthly fee of 20 € each, so they have a large budget and carry out all kinds of improvements in the common areas.
In the afternoon we visited the vegetable gardens in the Valle del Aniene Nature Reserve, a truly majestic setting, with fantastic plots ‘downstairs’, of incredible beauty, and those ‘upstairs’, less spectacular but very crowded with gardeners.
Gardens of the Urban Park of Aguzzano, very particular gardens, the role of the gardener Bárbara is worth mentioning.
Day 4, Friday: 27.09.2024
In the morning we visited the Giuseppe Garibaldi Cooperative, where they do great social work with people with autism spectrum disorder using the garden as a therapeutic tool, we had lunch there.
In the afternoon, we visited the Della Gru Urban Garden, a small educational garden for children in a residential area.
Visit to the Gardens of the Palatucci Park.
Personal impressions of the Rome Gardens: I am struck by the exuberant presence of green in all the plots of Urban Gardens, as well as in the whole city, and the orography, in comparison with my city, Seville, so flat and so dry. I am positively impacted by the lushness of the landscape.
I would also like to highlight the hospitality and generosity of all the gardeners of all the plots we have visited, always with an overwhelming kindness, and always inviting us to have coffee, wine, and various meals.
Day 5, Saturday: 28.09.2024
In the morning we had an evaluation session with the Replay team. We had lunch with all the colleagues from Colombia and Austria, Mattia and Carlotta. We had a walk through monumental Rome.
In the evening, we all went to a party at the Orchard 9, the Orto beer Fest.
