Piemonte's Venaria Reale Trains 'Art Gardeners' for Historic Parks

The Reggia di Venaria Reale in Turin, Italy, is running the fourth edition of a training course for 'art gardeners' specializing in historic parks and gardens, with 18 participants. The course, conceived in 2010 by the Mibact Regional Directorate of Piedmont and the Regional Council for Training and Labor, aims to establish a recognized professional figure akin to a restorer. Topics include garden history, plant care, and nursery maintenance, totaling 800 hours of lessons and an internship. Graduates have secured positions at Versailles and Caserta. A recent conference at Venaria Reale, 'La formazione del giardiniere d’arte per giardini e parchi storici,' proposed submitting the professional figure to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage for official recognition, supported by the Sovrintendenza ai Beni Architettonici and the Associazione Parchi e Giardini d’Italia. Mario Turetta, director of the Consorzio delle Residenze Reali Sabaude, emphasized the need for formal recognition, stating Italy has many gardens requiring such expertise.