London is turning into a city of part-time farmers, as a new study reveals that almost one in four people with a garden devoting some of its space to growing their own produce.
The number of small-time urban farmers is boosted by the use of countless balconies and windowsills as mini vegetable gardens.
The increasing popularity of gardens has been followed closely by London estate agents, who know only too well that gardens are not just good for supplying fresh food but also for adding value to a property.
There are plenty of factors driving the gardening boom: the explosion in the number of celebrity chefs and their programmes, most of them encouraging the use of organic food; London’s warmer climate; a growing hunger for relaxing and fighting stress, and a rediscovery of the old-fashioned joy of producing your own home-grown vegetables and fruit.
Last winter’s torrential rain in Spain and consequent shortages of lettuce, courgettes and others vegetables in British supermarkets led to a run on seed supplies, particularly with the seeds of vegetables that are easier to grow such as lettuces, courgettes, cucumbers and spinach.
It also led to an upsurge in the sales of what are normally called “exotic varieties” of fruit and vegetables, such as kale and less common green vegetables. The popularity of berries – blueberries, raspberries, red currants and even strawberries – has also caught many in the garden centres by surprise, leaving them short of supplies.
As an example, Crocus, a leading gardening website, reported that its sales of lettuce seeds have increased by 270 per cent year on year. Celebrities from Jamie Oliver to David Cameron and from Gwyneth Paltrow to Kate Moss have their own vegetable plots, while new property developments from the Battersea Power Station to new homes in the East End of London are being designed to include residents’ rooftop plots and gardens.
There are now so many rooftop gardens that a view of London from outer space would find the capital surprisingly green.
Rooftop greenery
“It is becoming even more popular,” said Chris Manderson, sales manager of Foxtons in Hackney. “I think a lot of people who have moved to Hackney are eco-conscious and care about where their food comes from. So they increasingly grow it themselves.”
Andrew Harkin has developed a passion for gardening since moving into Docklands with his girlfriend six years ago, even though he lives on the seventh floor or a high-rise block of flats.
When he first arrived the view of the O2 arena was considered quite spectacular and sought after. Less sought after was the amount of pollution in the area, which he believes is a result of being on the flight path to London City Airport.
“We came up with a plan to plant green stuff out on the balcony, which is quite large,” he told Felix Magazine. “We gradually noticed that the dust and grime from the air pollution and from the aircraft lessened with the more stuff we grew. It has reached a stage where we look out of our balcony window and it is a virtual jungle of green plants out there. We can still see the O2 but somehow it is prettier because we are looking through a canopy of greenness.”
Harkin, who works in finance in the City of London, said he is convinced that his garden has also reduced the noise from aircraft landing or taking off from the airport.
“At a time when pollution is a big talking point, I would encourage everyone to plant and plant and plant as much green stuff as they can,” he said. “Somehow all that foliage takes the muck out of the air.”
by Bob Graham
The post Gardening: A Solution to London’s Air Pollution? appeared first on Felix Magazine.
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