They are called Phenological Gardens, they will be placed inside some green areas and they will host overall about 300 plants. The first one of the three expected in Bologna was inaugurated in the last days inside Parco dei Giardini of Cà Bura, in the outskirts of Bologna, where one hundred trees and shrubs have found a home.

The aim of the project is to monitor and to study the plants to better understand their effects on the climate, in order to adopt an innovative urban green management strategy, shared with citizens and business community, which takes more account of the positive impact of some arboreal species on phenomena associated with climate change and on the subsequent well-being of citizens.

A Phenological Garden is, indeed, a place where defined vegetal species are implanted in order to regularly register and study all the stages of development. In fact, Phenology is the branch of biology that studies the relationship between climate and those phenomena that are periodically present in living organisms. The rhythmic reactions of vegetation are determined, as well as the genetic characteristics of each plant, also by several environmental factors, like the terrain, the climate, the cultivation practices, soil and air pollution or plant pathogens. 

The other areas of Bologna that will host Phenological Gardens are the urban parks Nicholas Green and Villa Ghigi.

The Phenological Gardens project is one of the actions of LIFE CLIVUT (Climate Value of Urban Trees) financed by the EU LIFE programme and led by the University of Perugia.