The first university botanical garden in the world continues to fascinate a public that is increasingly enthusiastic and motivated, to the point of spending hours or even the whole day in the period before Christmas on one of the guided visits along the avenues of the antique “Garden of simples”, discovering how one of the mildest autumns on record has enabled many plants to continue to flower. Many visitors explored the spectacular new greenhouses of the Garden of biodiversity (Giardino della biodiversità) and took part in the many games and workshops. More than 1600 people, including many children of all ages, booked for the various activities, workshops, games and conferences.

On Saturday, December 13, there were 401 people booked for these, and on Sunday 14, no less than 700. The conference on Botanical Carpaccio given by Luca Mercalli also saw a plentiful public.

The mood was festive and participatory, with adults having as much fun as their children, discovering the chemical secrets hidden on the famous Christmas hampers during the highly popular Botanic Christmas Show.

There was much interest also in the environmental education Focus called “Nuggets of sustainability” (“Pillole di sostenibilità”), given by ARPAV experts for the protection and safeguarding of the environment, with a series of practical educational workshops on highly topical subjects: air, water and ecosystems, waste, sustainable purchases, radon, soil, electromagnetic waves and fields, climate change.