Back to Stone: Urban Horticulture

Why take up urban horticulture?

Life in big cities is stressful, the need to adapt quickly is tiring, and deep involvement in solving multiple problems wears you out. Isolation from nature becomes a habit that takes its toll on our lives.

In this context urban horticulture appears as a useful connection between plants and the urban environment, the stake being the functional use of horticulture to maintain and improve life in this environment. With significant climate change and population migration to cities, technology-based agriculture is becoming increasingly important in raising people's living standards. EU statistics show that around 75% of the population (higher than in the rest of the world) choose to live in cities, with accelerated urban development raising multiple issues, from the reduction of arable land around cities to changing eating habits and waste recycling. In this context, urban horticulture emerges as an interconnection of plants with the art and science of the urban environment. The concept encompasses ornamental crops, fruit plants, and other plants in their struggle with pollution and rising temperatures, as well as the concrete jungle of today. So urban horticulture brings income, contributes to securing food supplies, helps to improve microclimate and preserve biodiversity, is effective in solving environmental pollution and waste management problems.

Domestic and community gardening

If you need fresh vegetables or herbs, it's most convenient to grow them yourself. This activity is a healthy and economically beneficial 'hobby'. In the kitchen, on the balcony, or in the yard, gardening is a basic form of urban horticulture that is good for everyone. If there is community land, such as some of the land around blocks or on the outskirts of towns, usually managed by the municipality or indoor spaces in office buildings, then community gardening can be practiced, involving groups of people who belong to the community, who share both the duties and the results of the work.  Urban community gardening ranges from growing useful plants to decorative landscaping.  

Landscaping 

Landscape gardening includes the cultivation of garden plants, lawns, stone, and water gardens, with adjacent landscaping, extending the concept of urban horticulture. An important section is floriculture, which has become part of the modern lifestyle through the increasing use of plants and the diversification of approaches. It represents the activities of production of ornamental plants, cut flowers, and lawns, making decorations and floral crafts, and other services for such projects. 

Another section of today's landscaping is window gardens. Annual plants are a suitable choice for planters. They have long-lasting flowering and vivid coloring. Upright-growing plants are also good, as are perennials. All help to enhance the outside of your home. For exceptional decor choose plants that match the colors and architecture of your home. On balconies and terraces, container plantings are suitable. Plants, both annuals and perennials, adapt well to this style, they need large pots to grow, and they can also be elements of delimitation between spaces. The herb and medicinal plant garden is both effective and useful. Both find their place in balconies and generally have multiple roles: in gastronomy, medicine, to ward off pests, or simply give a nice smell. 

 For a relaxing environment and an effective escape from the stressful city environment, it's good to have a meditation garden. Its purpose is to provide a relaxing environment for your body and mind. The designed arrangements and chosen plants are meant to create or preserve your well-being. 

Z-farming systems

Nowadays, indoor cultivation systems are used in specially designed buildings, which create a protected environment that avoids contamination with outside agents.  Another category is rooftop farming, which uses open spaces on the roofs of shopping centers, supermarkets, or hotels. Z-farming systems, which are now a major concern in Canada, the US, and Europe, include indoor farming, vertical greenhouses (with edible plants), green walls, and rooftop landscaping, offering a viable alternative to conventional systems. 

Soil-less agriculture

Technological development has allowed the adoption of soilless cultivation techniques (on organic or inorganic substrates). Of these, aeroponics uses spraying of roots with nutrients, while hydroponics uses water as a nutrient-rich substrate. A brief comparison between the two shows that the former gives better yields but the latter is cheaper. Aquaponics is a combination of hydroponics and aquaculture, in that plants are grown using nutrients from fish droppings. Either technology saves water and land area. A fourth technology is organogenic. 

Conclusions: According to EU statistics, the percentage of green space in cities is decreasing as the amount of built-up space increases (in 2010 the EU average of built-up space was 492 sqm/capita). Most European cities were built on fertile land, the remnants of which can be found on the outskirts, in very small areas per person.

At the same time, it is estimated that by 2050, population growth will double the demand for food, which will jeopardize food security, and the alternative of urban horticulture has many advantages. Among these, energy savings, improved public health, and environmental sustainability are the most important. In these conditions, the EU proposes a "Farm to Fork" strategy based on the sustainability and prevention of certain processes.

In the same vein, the European Green Deal promises to improve living conditions for future generations through clean air and water, healthy soils, biodiversity, energy-efficient buildings, healthy and affordable food, clean energy and sustainable products that can be recycled and reused, and jobs and training that are fit for change. The PIATRAONLINE brand supports the EU's urban horticulture development program with specific adjacent products: pebbles, rockery, gabions, stabilization systems, Japanese steps, garden furniture, decorative cladding, and floating floor systems. 
photo sources: northsearegion.eu, unsplash.com