Gardens of Hope Cultivating Coexistence

Description

Radicepura Garden Festival announces the Call for Ideas to participate at the sith edition of the Biennale dedicated to garden design, which will have the topic Gardens of Hope: Cultivating Coexistence from an idea of Emanuela Rosa-Clot, artistic director of the festival.

The international call is open to students, landscape architects, agronomists, garden designers, botanists, nursery gardeners, urban planners, engineers, artists, curators and all those who have the skills to design and create a garden. For the next edition of the Festival will be realized 8 gardens reserved for under 36 years old - teams or individuals.

Participation is free.

Gardens should be a celebration of biodiversity, the natural landscape, and the Mediterranean man-made landscape. Gardens should be innovative, attractive, usable, capture the attention of visitors, and clearly illustrate their design idea and message. The Festival encourages interaction with the public, an innovative approach with new ideas that support and develop a positive relationship between people, their culture and the natural environment where they live. The diversity of climate zones in the Mediterranean and the complex cultural vicissitudes of the area offer a wide range of creative ideas.

The deadline to send the applications is the 30th October 2026.

To download the call for ideas: Call for Ideas 2026 – Radicepura Garden Festival

To apply: Radicepura Garden Festival

For any further questions: application@radicepurafestival.com

Gardens of Hope
Cultivating Coexistence

It is a place for human and botanical coexistence, where the slow rhythm of growth teaches us patience and harmony. A garden that uplifts the spirit and inspires optimism, a place where life feels possible even after hardship. A garden that is both a sanctuary and a classroom, where humans and plants truly live in dialogue rather than humans simply shaping nature. A place based on coexistence, not control.
What we expect to see:
Native plants, exotics and introduced hybrids coexist with wildlife habitats and gentle pathways for humans. The garden is designed to adapt naturally, letting plants guide human experience rather than the other way around.
Long-lived trees, perennial flowers, and layered plantings that unfold day by day, teaching visitors patience. Seasonal changes are highlighted—fallen leaves, sprouting bulbs, flowering cycles—so growth is experienced, not rushed. Benches or terraces that allow visitors to watch life unfold at its own pace, connecting human presence to natural rhythms. And, of course, water features.

Emanuela Rosa-Clot, artistic director of the Radicepura Garden Festival