When you visit a city like Copenhagen, it takes a while to sort out all the elements that make it so pleasant. Everything stems from everything else: it’s safe, quiet and clean because it’s lived in; it’s lived in because it’s not choked by traffic; it’s not choked by traffic because you can travel by bike, bus and metro; you can travel by bike because the roads are safe and well planned; it’s well planned by planners and architects who seem to have a mandate and influence: over centuries, they have made it a good place to live, and continue to do so, meaning that people want to live there… and on it goes.
For ‘plant people’ such as us, you can add ‘greenery’ to the essential mix of what makes this city - or any city- beautiful. There is an abundance of plants, not just in beautiful parks, but in pavement cracks, flowerpots, tiny planting holes, windowsills, walls and balconies. Greenery is everywhere. Buildings without gardens are adorned with roses. 10 story apartment block facades are covered by ‘living walls’ of greenery that originate from one small gap in the paving at the base. Trees grow against buildings on narrow streets. Cafes, shops and businesses are surrounded by pots and planters. City streets are colonised by street furniture, pots, climbers and wild patches. The absence of parked cars frees up space for playgrounds and grassy patches.
Coming from Dublin, we can only aspire to be more like this. Our history is different. We have some enviable built heritage and natural beauty. It’s a fantastic climate for growing a wide range of plants. And we have some great new planting around Dublin and suburbs. But on a large scale we seem to suffer from a lack of collective organisational capacity. Maybe this is already changing.
Being personally unable to bring about change is frustrating. Policy, planning, infrastructural change takes too much time. What we can all do is find space for plants: in our homes, workplaces, balconies, porches, doorsteps, tiny gardens, big gardens, streets….
No apparent soil or 'beds', yet room for plants to grow on the street.
No fear of big pots or of looking after them in Copenhagen!
From two tiny planting holes on the street, each just a few cms in diameter, can grow an entire 'living wall'.
A city cemetery where plants and nature bring calm and peace to resting souls
No evidence of 'flower beds' but plenty of greenery. Permeable paving such as cobbles allows water to drain into the surrounding soil, reducing flooding and increasing growing potential.
'Messy' but not messy: a tolerance and encouragement of casual greenery that makes the city so much softer, more comfortable and nicer to live in.
Tasteful, stylish, well maintained planters around every corner.
The 'Ellen' set of furniture from Cinas that we sell in Dublin, tucked into a tiny off-street sitting area.
Supermarket parking lot!
Another on-street planter, so well-chosen and well kept....
Room for animals as well as plants...
The very beautiful Louisiana museum, just outside Copenhagen: a mecca for architects, landscape designers and art lovers.
The wonderful ability of trees to grow from nowhere, and what they bring to any street.
An Owl Door: what we all need.
Coffee in the park: what a fabulous colour scheme.