Urban Horticulture Article

Its summer in karachi and the rise in temperature is no joke to the people trying to survive the heat. The exhausting heat that we are suffering from today has a name. Yes! Its called urban heat island (UHI) and you will be glad to know that the blame goes to no one but us! My friends, do not be disheartened as we are presented with a very green and a (literally) cool solution!
The possiblities of Urban horticulture is only beginning to be understood in Pakistan. Horticulture includes not only ornamentals but also fruit culture, vegetable culture, floriculture and so much more. The practice of horticulture within the parameters of the city is known as urban horticulture!
According to wikipedia, there is a big temperature difference of about 20°F (11°C) between the urban and rural areas. The higher degree of temperature in urban areas is due to the concrete, asphalt, and the human and industrial activities. Tar, asphalt, concrete, bricks all of which are a good conducter of heat than vegetations.
The bottom line is simple, we need to go green! There are a variety of environmentally sound and sustainable innovations we can adopt from. Rooftop gardening, living roofs and walls, container and vertical gardening, hydroponics take your pick.
For instance rooftop gardens and covers improve air quality, provide insulatiion, increase wildlife habitat and support urban food production. In scandinavia sod roof or turf roof are traditional type of green roofs covered with sod. Similarly the idea of living walls has also emerged, turning the angle of 180° to 90°! Patrick Blanc a French botanist has invented the idea of vertical gardening. Suitable for arid areas such as Karachi the circulating water on a vertical wall is less likely to evaporate then in horizontal gardens. Vertical gardening ensures maximum use of a small area and can transform it into a quick growing, low maintenance, fairly drought-tolerant paradise in no time at all. Plant surfaces as a result of transpiration, do not rise more than 4-5°C above the ambient and are sometimes cooler.
Ultimately the need to move towards smarter and sustainable cities is ever-growing. Eco-cities demonstrates that urban growth and development can be sustainable process and that the concept can be applied to an urban setting. The concept has alredy taken roots in Abu Dhabi, UK, rest of the europe and 20 being planned across China alone. Concepts such as allotment gardens could also be introduced by the government, where plots of land are made available for individual and non-professional gardening. Not only it adds up to the aesthetic charms and eco-friendly methods but also provides food and improves the environment. More food can be grown by consuming less!