Plant and Human Work at the Botanical Garden of Rome: A Biosemiotic Ethnography

Abstract

In this paper, we aim to answer two research questions: how do plants work with signs? Moreover, how is the human work of gardeners and conservators intertwined with the plants’ semiotic actions? Starting from a field internship at the Botanical Garden of Rome and interviews with some of its conservators and gardeners, we highlight the central role of direct observation in recognising the work that plants undertake to achieve their flourishing and well-being. Further, we link the biosemiotic framework to multispecies ethnography, showing how the semiotic continuum between species is central to the recognition of vegetal work and to a broader reconceptualisation of it.