On April 27th 2025, Szombathely citizens gathered in the Herény district for a workshop on climate-conscious gardening named 'Living Garden, Living Future', organised by the Municipality in the context of the JUSTNature project.
Hosted in collaboration with local environmental experts, the event offered guidance on how to design resilient, low-maintenance, and biodiverse gardens that contribute to urban cooling and water retention.
In the first part of the workshop, three local horticultural engineers shared their knowledge about conscious plant placement and garden solutions that adapt to climate change. They presented a set of examples to analyse both guidelines to follow and aspects to avoid in order to develop truly livable and environmentally conscious gardens. The experts highlighted long-term sustainability without overlooking aesthetic aspects. Their presentations allowed participants to analyse real-life garden scenarios, learning about native species, soil health, and the long-term benefits of nature-based solutions.
During the event's second part, attendees were invited to worked together in groups, proposing their own ideas designing imaginary gardens and thinking of ways to turn private green spaces into pieces of climate adaptation.
The workshop gave room for inspiring ideas, reflections and exchange in a co-creation environment. Furthermore, it reflected Szombathely’s ongoing commitment to implementing nature-based solutions and building a greener, more liveable urban future as part of the JUSTNature project.
