The laudation given by Michael Walker can be downloaded here.
In the Capuchin Order, vegetable gardens have always been considered valuable assets, both for their productivity and for meditation and prayer.
This garden in Venice has never before been open to the public and has been deeply affected by the passage of time, as well as by the ‘acqua granda’ of November 2019 — an exceptional tide that reached 187 centimetres and devastated the city.
In May 2021, the Venice Gardens Foundation was appointed to oversee the garden’s restoration. Through studying maps and ancient documents, and consulting with landscape architect Paolo Pejrone, the essence of the place has been preserved in the restoration.
The project’s cornerstones are the small and large olive groves, the vines, and the old fruit trees, as well as some unusual aromatic herbs. A vibrant world of herbs and vegetables has been cultivated wherever possible, in accordance with the well-known sequence of rotations and rests that is necessary for this type of planting. Flowery, fragrant borders of Mediterranean species flank the walkways, creating a chromatic dialogue with the olive trees’ foliage and the artichokes, which are another recurring motif. The contrast between their velvety grey tones and the dark, nervous greens of the cypresses is one of the fundamental contrasts that breathe life into the place.
At the heart of the garden lies a pool adorned with lotus flowers and water lilies, paying homage to the Serenissima’s enduring ties with the East. The final, unmissable destination is a small, secluded, shady garden filled with mosses, ivy, violets, irises and Hedera helix and Pittosporum tobira nanum specimens.
The jury decided to award 1st Prize in recognition of the equal attention and respect given to the botanical and architectural restoration. Created by local citizens, this place now offers people the opportunity to explore and enjoy the cultural and religious history that is of great importance to Italy.
