“Gardening Matter: Urban gardens” brings together, for the first time, UK and international research into how gardens affect the air temperatures of towns and cities. The report not only shows how important urban gardens are at reducing temperatures but also that they provide a range of other benefits.
Results quoted in the report prove that plants bring down energy consumption in winter by providing shelter and insulation; cool the air in towns and cities in the summer; help reduce the risk of flooding by absorbing rain water through soil and support increased biodiversity.
“Gardens are important for reducing city warming,” says Dr Roger Williams, Head of RHS Science. “We are concerned that with current trends for building apartment blocks with limited green space and houses with much smaller gardens the benefits from private gardens will decrease to the detriment of people living in cities. We hope this report will highlight the need to keep green spaces and that even they may even be increased for the benefit of the environment and future generations.”
Research shows that urban environments are prone to heating when vegetated areas are replaced with dark, impervious surfaces. Pavements and roads absorb more heat and reflect less than planted surfaces, making them warmer. This results in urban air and surface temperatures being significantly hotter than surrounding rural areas.
Gardens also provide valuable flood-reduction benefits. Trees help reduce the flow of rainfall by holding rain in their canopies. In addition water is filtered into the soil which helps ease demands on urban drains. Despite this the area given over to hard paving in gardens is increasing. For example, in Leeds over a 33-year period there was a 13 percent increase in impervious surfaces. This has been linked to a higher frequency and magnitude of flooding in the area.
“Although gardens provide immense benefits we also need to be aware that there are some potential negative impacts on the environment,” says Dr Tijana Blanusa, lead author of the report. “Gardening can contribute indirectly to carbon emissions through the use of powered garden tools and the manufacture and transport of horticultural goods. And the use of water in gardens is predicted to rise over the coming years.”
The report suggests ten tips for gardeners to improve the benefits of gardens to urban areas. The charity is also launching an online survey during RHS Chelsea Flower Show to see how people garden in urban areas. Anyone wanting to participate should visit – www.rhs.org.uk/urbangreening.
Source: Royal Horticultural Society
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