13-14 May. The Festa della Primavera takes place at Rome's Botanic Gardens in Trastevere over the weekend 13-14 May. The festival includes exhibitions of bonsai and photographs, demonstrations of gardening and botanic painting, and presentations of books including Opera senza io by Silvia Stucky (16.00 on 14 May). There are also guided tours of the rose garden, educational activities and drawing competitions for children.

The botanic garden is located in the heart of Trastevere, behind Palazzo Corsini and across from the Villa Farnesina, on a 12-hectare sloping site filled with palms, yucca and terraces with gravel paths. Established in 1883 after the Corsini family donated it to the Italian government, it is now run by the University of Rome La Sapienza.

The gardens host over 3,500 species of plants, including specially-cultivated species in danger of extinction in the wild, and feature a scent-and-touch garden for the visually impaired. Open every day except Sunday until 28 Oct

09.30-18.30, and from 30 Oct-31 Dec 09.30-17.30.