By Michael Smith (Veshengro)
The report highlights, in its eight pages, the immense value that (urban) gardens present for people and the environment.
I should think, though, that there is very little of that that really comes as a surprise to those of us involved with the environment and with gardens and gardening, whether on an amateur or a professional basis.
In the same way as do city trees, and hence they are so valuable, gardens moderate the temperatures and cool the urban environment. A town or city without trees, gardens and parks would be much hotter in summer and less balanced in its micro climate. We get a detailed rundown on how gardens work by way of moderating the urban climate on page three of the report.
Gardens, and that too has been a given to those of us who work with Nature, are an aid to the prevent flooding in the urban environment and page four of the report highlights that very well indeed.
When I look around my own neighborhood it is obvious why we have a problem with flash floods everywhere when it rains heavily. Most front gardens have been paved over between three quarters to completely to make parking spaces for the at least two cars per home, often even three or four. Back gardens too often are no more than ten percent of their former selves as people build decking and patios to create (large) outdoor “rooms”. All this contributes to a lack of soil capable of absorbing water and leading to run off.
The report “Gardening Matters: Urban gardens” is a very valuable piece of research and resource that has lot of good and important information for the urban gardener. Making it, therefore, available for downloading as a PDF document from the RHS website would be a very good idea.
© 2011
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