Florence’s Five New Community Gardens

Florence is adding the green to the city with five new urban gardens. The gardens will be entrusted to the citizens, associations, and neighborhood organizations to manage. Residents will be allowed to plant whatever they like in the gardens. The local community also has the commitment of carrying out educational, social, and cultural activities that have been financed with €110,000 . 

The project is supported by the CR Firenze Foundation, and will be implemented, thanks to, Rete Semi Rurali association and the Tuscan Horticultural Society, under the guidance of the city councilman for the environment Andrea Giorgio.

One new green space has been created for each of Florence’s five neighborhoods: the park of Villa di Rusciano, in the cloister of the Thouar library, the Malcantone garden, the Lippi garden and the Gozzini garden.  The latter is located right in front of the Sollicano prison where inmates will also be allowed to take care of the plants. 

Urban horticulture is the cultivation of vegetables, fruits, aromatic plants, or medicinal herbs, outside or in enclosed spaces on a domestic scale, taking place around cities. Urban agriculture is changing the landscape in cities and bringing back the greenery. (Sophia Koch)