The challenge of the future is to view nature as a source of wisdom from which to draw inspiration for human life on Earth. One lesson we can learn from plants is their extraordinary adaptability: plants are capable of living using only the resources they have available. We, the human race, are doing the opposite; we are depleting the resources that belong to future generations. One of the most effective metaphors for the wisdom of plants is that of pioneer species. Looking at land devastated by a volcanic eruption, it seems impossible to predict that life will resume, but even in the most difficult conditions, flora always finds a way to settle. Pioneer plants are not afraid of adverse conditions; on the contrary, they can colonize barren land and, through the action of their roots, make the soil suitable for species that will settle later, laying the foundation for the life of future ecosystems.
The landscape of Mount Etna offers a paradigm of plant resilience: on its lava-covered and arid land, pioneer species, many of which are endemic, manage to survive and prepare the ground for the life of new, complex, and diverse ecosystems.
The pioneer plants of Etna are the heart of Plantocene, a garden that looks to the future through the conscious contemplation of the plant world. Visitors are invited to enter the garden by passing through the “volcanic desert” made of lava rock dunes. The garden, defined by a stone fence, “stages” in the amphitheater a composition of pioneer species. The path is marked by six elements that function as viewers, each explaining a key word related to the garden’s theme and serving as lanterns for night visits. At the end of the path, visitors are invited to pause in the garden to contemplate the representation of the plant metaphor from a new perspective.