How many volunteers has the Orti Dipinti had over the years? An easy metaphor would simply cite the number of flowers that have bloomed and dried in the sun. Giacomo Salizzoni would say otherwise, speaking more directly and tangibly. It’s a matter of observing the people who visit the old athletics track, now transformed into a garden in the center of Florence. Most importantly, it is a matter of listening to them.
A matter of listening.
With Luigi, though, it was the opposite, Giacomo tells me. He goes on: it was Luigi Ceccon who listened to me when he came to the Gardens. Consuelo had introduced him as, let’s say, a special “volunteer gardener” in his role as Il Bisonte’s CEO. I knew then that my green social project might be facing a turning point.
So, what happened after the meeting? “Luigi asked what I needed,” says Giacomo, and repeats the list: One, restore the flowerbed boxes. Two, a better bathroom. Three (this is a big one), a greenhouse for the Garden’s winter activities. Four, a new irrigation system. In no particular order.
Il Bisonte’s support for Orti Dipinti
It might have been just another ordinary day at Orti Dipinti. But instead of the usual business talk, Luigi and I were willing to listen to each other. I found true support and new hope.
Is it the kind of meeting that one might also wait for in vain, though? we ask Giacomo, trying to get a rise out of him. No, he’d had a hint that wouldn’t be the case. From what? Something magical, like a crystal ball? “Almost,” he replies in the end. These are the types of meetings that take place at the Orti.