The total area of Vatican City is 44 hectares, just over half of which consists of gardens. Augusto Minosse has been working in the Vatican for 34 years. He heads the team of gardeners. Does the Pope often walk in the gardens of the Vatican? Minosse: “We do not release any information about that. But the gardens are closed to the public in the afternoons, so that would give him the opportunity."
What is your role here?
“As the son of a farmer, I have been in this line of work since I was fourteen. These days, I head the team of gardeners. My own speciality is the care of the flowers. Ten years ago, Pope Francis wrote the papal encyclical Laudato si, on caring for our planet. In it, he points to our responsibility to pass on a healthy planet to future generations. From that moment on, we switched to organic crop protection. But to be honest, it is not always easy to control insects that have come from outside Italy.”
