Let’s suppose….
Tell the farmer to restore the hedges
tell the farmer not to use fertiliser
tell the farmer to reduce her stock
tell the farmer not to cut the grass when the birds are nesting
And you, dear urban dweller, what will you do?
Tell the farmer that food must be cheap?
Imagine a city where every front garden had a hedge
where every front garden was full of green plants and flowers
where houses were kept cool in summer
and warm in winter by plants and trees
where the air was clean
and humans and wildlife flourished
Let’s suppose …. that every urban front garden had at least a hedge
Urban plants and trees help cool the air in summer and provide shelter and insulation in winter.
Urban domestic gardens can support a substantial range of wildlife.
Domestic gardens are among Britain’s key nature reserves.
Garden plants and trees intercept rain, slowing run-off and so reducing pressure on drains.
Unlike hard surfaces, soil naturally absorbs rainwater thus reducing the risk of flooding.
Gardening contributes to mental and physical well-being.
While one person may have only a small garden, a whole street’s worth adds up to a considerable amount of green space: domestic gardens account for about 25% of urban land.
© Maggie Learmonth 2019 — London, UK