CLIMATE GARDEN LAB

DATE: 2026 –2029

Current Phase: Development of scientific collaborations and local partnerships.

BRIEF PROJECT DESCRIPTION: A participatory ecological research project exploring the adaptation, resilience, and aesthetic qualities of predominantly thermo-Mediterranean plant communities within the bioclimatic conditions of Umbria, and their potential use in private and urban landscapes in the context of climate change.

Project Description

Climate Garden Lab, conceived and coordinated by Terra Ascoltata, is an ecological research and landscape experimentation project that explores how Mediterranean plant communities can adapt to the environmental conditions of Umbria and develop over time as resilient, biodiverse, and visually engaging landscapes.

The project focuses on the relationships between plants and the behaviour of plant communities as a whole, drawing inspiration from plant sociology and the dynamics of spontaneous vegetation. Through a series of small experimental plantings in and around Paciano, the project will observe ecological development over time, plant diversity, responses to climate change, and the aesthetic qualities that emerge from these living systems.

Climate Garden Lab brings together research, landscape design, and community participation, creating opportunities for citizens, professionals, and institutions to contribute to a shared process of observation, learning, and landscape stewardship.