Vatican City: A small vegetable garden inside the Vatican Gardens is entering a new chapter in its long history by becoming fully organic. Located beside the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, the garden is now being managed with a strong focus on caring for the soil, protecting nature and respecting the natural growth of plants.
The change reflects the environmental principles promoted by Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato si’, which called for greater responsibility toward creation. The garden is not being managed simply to produce as much food as possible. Instead, the aim is to work with nature and allow crops to grow according to their natural cycles.
Pope Leo XIV has also spoken strongly about the responsibility of those who work with the land. In an address to Italian agricultural and forestry professionals, he described care for creation as a practical expression of love for the earth and for future generations. He reminded them that the earth is a gift rather than something that people simply own.
The Vatican garden is putting this approach into practice through several changes. In the past, manure from the Pontifical Villas in Castel Gandolfo was used to enrich the soil. Today, the garden uses certified organic fertilizer in pellet form, chosen according to the season and the needs of the crops.
Farmers and gardeners also try to prevent pests through good agricultural practices rather than depending heavily on plant protection products. Keeping pests below damaging levels reduces the need for treatment. Every intervention is carefully recorded in a field logbook, while naturally based substances can be used without the same registration requirements.
Maintaining healthy soil is another important part of the work. Crop rotation is used to protect the land and maintain its fertility. Legumes such as green beans can naturally add nitrogen to the soil. This year, the gardeners are also testing a fertilizer made from seaweed on the tomato plants.
The garden receives seedlings from outside rather than producing all of them on site. The seedlings have already been treated using natural methods. This approach helps reduce the possibility of plant diseases spreading through an entire crop. At the same time, plans are being considered for a nursery within the Vatican garden, along with a greenhouse that could be used for bonsai trees.
The garden is managed by the Gardens and Environment Service of the Governorate of Vatican City State. Experienced gardener Gilberto Bianchi takes care of the land across four terraces covering almost 400 square meters.
He is also training a group of young workers who are gradually learning the practical knowledge required to care for the garden. Much of this knowledge comes from simple daily actions that are difficult to learn from books. Passing these skills to younger workers helps ensure that the tradition continues.
The religious sisters living at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery also play an important role. They communicate which vegetables and fruits are needed, while the gardener decides what can be grown according to the season and the condition of the land. Even irrigation is still carried out manually.
The garden follows a seasonal rhythm. Garlic, basil, chili peppers, citrus fruits and pumpkins are among the crops grown during the year. Some of the chili peppers include a particularly hot variety from Peru. This year, the sisters also requested that kiwi plants be introduced.
As summer comes to an end, preparations begin for winter crops such as savoy cabbage, broccoli, spinach and lettuce. May is generally the garden's most productive month. Summer is more challenging because of the intense heat, although tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, green beans, zucchini and cucumbers continue to grow.
The garden is also home to citrus trees that are around 150 years old. Over the years, different varieties have been grafted onto these trees, including some that are now difficult or impossible to find commercially. Because the fruit is grown without chemical treatments, it can even be eaten with the peel.
The sisters use the citrus fruit to prepare jams, candied peel and biscuits. Some are given to guests while others are sold. Produce from the garden has also supported charitable activities, including Casa Dono di Maria, which is being renewed with fresh energy and commitment.
The garden itself has a history stretching back about 800 years. When Pope Nicholas III moved the papal residence from the Lateran to the Vatican between 1277 and 1280, he ordered the creation of an orchard and a garden within the new walls. The land was intended to help provide food for the papal household.
Centuries later, that original purpose continues in a different form. The garden remains a place where food is grown, but it has also become a living example of responsible care for creation.
The connection with the Mater Ecclesiae monastery adds another important dimension. The monastery was commissioned by Pope John Paul II and built between 1992 and 1994 to provide a home for cloistered religious women dedicated to praying for the Pope.
The sisters once worked the land themselves. Their understanding of cultivation was closely connected with prayer and daily life. The idea that working the soil can itself become a form of prayer remains part of the spirit surrounding the garden.
The space was also special to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who enjoyed walking through the Vatican Gardens.
Today, the small plot continues to combine agriculture, tradition, prayer and environmental responsibility. Its move to fully organic cultivation shows how an ancient Vatican tradition can adapt to modern concerns while remaining closely connected to its original purpose of caring for the land and providing nourishment. :::