What is Urban Sustainable Living?
Inspiration I took my initial inspiration from gardening after hearing the definition of the word Paradise. The word Paradise is an old word, loosely translated as a shaded water garden. [As I researched this it became clear that our gardening roots come from the medieval European gardens inspired by the Hispanic Arab gardens of the ninth century.] Gardens were incredibly valuable places in the pre-industrialized age. Gardeners and gardens were important, not only because of their ability to produce food and contemplation, but because almost all medicines and treatments for disease came from plants grown in gardens. In days long ago, gardens were places of fun and enjoyment, almost like the living rooms of today. Medieval Gardens were essentially tended landscapes. Nobility treasured them, and everyone helped maintain them.
It wasn't uncommon for a garden to include enclosed areas, shade, water features and fishponds, vegetable and flowerbeds, dovecoats and aviaries. The same basic landscape themes are found in gardens around the world. Medieval gardens were often strongly fortified, treasures so important that the VIPs would be buried there, making them in a sense sacred ground. Arab medicine had already figured out that when people are sick diets of fresh food, especial fruits and vegetables was the best medicine (The Hospitaller monks brought that little tid bit back to dark age Europe after the crusades and created Hospitals). St. Benedict believed that self-sufficiency was critical to monastic life, and since many monasteries were also the hospitals of their day this makes complete sense. A medieval garden had to be sustainable, it simply wouldn't have worked. The gardens are neatly laid out in raised beds with paths between them.
Whenever I look at artwork of Medieval gardens I am struck by how much the remind me of Asian gardens, French bio-intensive gardening, to things that can actually work where I live. Our cities are laid out in ways that are perfectly suited for Urban Gardening; most buildings have some sort of outdoor space available. From condo's and apartments which have decks and porches. Suburban and planned development homes have incredible potential for sustainable gardening as well. The key factors to any sustainable garden are water and manure. All urbanites have water, whether it is from the tap (not so good) to collected and stored from nature of our roofs and potential outbuildings (much better). Those that don't have land or deck space may have roof space. Many roof spaces worldwide have been made into wonderful sustainable gardens. Remember a garden isn't supposed to be a food factory, it is supposed to welcome people and encourage them to spend time there. Comfortable and shady seating area must be incorporated along with the all important water features.