Livia Pietro has a creative and educational summer job at…

Livia displays her artwork in the light of the evening sun. I have been drawing since childhood and every weekend I go to the museum with my dad. My favorite is Boijmans Van Beuningen.” The Rotterdam woman has a wonderful workplace during her summer job; outdoors under the Japanese magnolia that has been in Hortus since 1975.

Behind her is a group of people meditating. “During summer evenings, there is a lot for you to experience at Hortus. For example, I teach people some easy drawing techniques so they can start drawing botanicals themselves.” Next to it is a magnifying glass. I study biology and use it a lot. This way you can see the details of the plants. How do nerves work, for example. Because I have a scientific background, I can also teach people a lot about the plants they draw.”

In this case, the pavement plants, because Livia is working with her colleagues Andre and Thale, who are standing behind her with a cargo bike to tell visitors about the special plants growing among the stones. I have shown the pavement factory manual for sale here in the shop. It was a great honor. They are scientific drawings that explain how the plant works.”

In addition to her course, Livia also runs a project from Hortus. “Next year we will celebrate the Year of Science and I will be able to put Hortus on the map with a few other students. We are preparing for an exhibition.”

Plus, she goes to the neighborhood every Wednesday morning to make sidewalk plant art with the kids. It will be a kind of green tower of Babel. Every neighborhood makes a floor. The diversity of working with children and adults makes it very interesting for me.”