Mendoza, Argentina, the Greenest City in the World

 

Also Called: The Forest City

Walking around the streets in Mendoza you can easily forget that you are in a city, surrounded by a desert environment.  The average annual rainfall is about 220 mm. The fully-grown trees are mostly poplar, platanus, mulberry, sycamore, Russian olive, elm, ash, linden, acacia, and others are the result of a century of irrigation. 

Who Grew These Canals and Trees?

How did Mendoza begin to address the challenges for the wide implementation of green space?  The story of greenspace in Mendoza goes back to pre-colonial times when the indigenous people, the Huarpes, dug the original acequias to direct surface water from the Mendoza River (and other rivers) to irrigate agricultural fields.

 

Located in a semiarid region, Mendoza is fortunate to have a relatively reliable source of surface water from snowmelt in the Andes mountains.  When the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, they destroyed most of the indigenous culture, but not the Acequias, the irrigation canals. 

The WaterSecurityNetwork wrote ¨The design of this modern city addressed public health concerns about toxic air, that was thought to cause diseases, by opening streets to air and light. Although nowadays the streets are sometimes completely shaded by the tree canopy cover, back then, the trees were not fully grown, and sunlight filled the streets of Mendoza. 

The new urban design also incorporated infrastructure for different modes of transportation and water systems – potable, stormwater, and wastewater. The new city is characterized by the features that we find today in Mendoza including the tree-lined streets, plazas, parks, boulevards, and of course, the Acequias.¨

Huge Parks - Larger than the Central Park

Every now and then, there are winds, known as vientos sonda, that hit the city.  These winds are unusually hot and sandy and affect the health of the population.  To protect the city from these events, two parks were built – West Park known today as the General San Martín Park; and the East Park, named O’Higgins Park. 

The parks and plazas significantly improve the air quality of the city.  The San Martin Park was designed by the famous French-Argentinean landscape architect Carlos Thays, who also designed several parks in Buenos Aires.  His design of San Martin Park followed the English and French landscape design principles of the 19th century including promenades with sculptures, a rose garden, and marvelous fountains.

Mendoza, a year-round travel destination, receives very little precipitation.  Not even snow in winter.  However, the high passes nearby, over towards Chile, close often during winter as they get lots of snow in addition to the glaciers. These waters are distributed via a smart ancient irrigating system towards Mendoza.

Until the arrival of the Spaniards, the territory of Mendoza was occupied by the Huarpe Natives.  Mendoza was first the living area of the native Huarpes who invented the ancient agricultural irrigating system.

Destroyed by an earthquake in 1861, Mendoza was rebuilt and, during the following century, became the regional metropolis of the province, with important commercial, industrial, financial, and cultural development.  The city nowadays has 120.000 inhabitants and much lower living costs than Buenos Aires. 

Mendoza is also close to the highest mountain in the western hemisphere at 6.962 meters, it is the center of the famous Argentinean wine growers and a cultural hub which all make it a very attractive place to live and travel to. Mendoza is very much an outdoor city: Very pedestrian friendly and with lots of additional parks besides all these thousands of tree-lined roads.

Read more about Mendoza´s trees:

https://www.picturethisai.com/region/tree/Argentina-Mendoza.html

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Fabulous Blooming Trees and Shrubs in Mexico

Planting lots of Oleander and Bougainvilleas during the last two years in a friend’s garden in La Ventana, Baja California Sur, I saw first-hand how wonderful they are growing and blooming.

Especially after this year's frequent rains in Mexico, plants and trees are lush and bursting into fabulous flowers.

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Searching for the name of a young, small tree with striking orange blooms I came over the MexicoLiving site and an article by Brooke Gazer.  She describes not only several blooming trees but added great photos of the fire-red blooming Flamboyán, the Lluvia de Oro with its long hanging clusters of yellow blooms, the Tulipán, an orange-red showpiece in every large garden, and the Plumeria or Flor de Mayo.  

Last but not least the “stable plant” in Mexico and South America:  Bougainvilleas shrubs and trees in all colors, from white, pink, and salmon colors to dark red, magenta, and deep purple… the range of hues is just endless.

Read this passionate gardener's description of these blooming trees here:

https://mexicoliving.com/five-fabulous-flowering-trees-in-huatulco/

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An Urban Oasis in the Heart of Tucson

 

Tucson Botanical Gardens

A lush oasis in the heart of Tucson:  Mature trees and expertly cultivated foliage, a Cactus and  Succulent Garden, Barrio Garden, Herb Garden, the Butterfly Greenhouse, and Nuestro Jardín, which honors traditional Mexican-American gardening, are highlighting the diversity of native plants.  One of the top 10 North American Gardens worth traveling for!

I am glad I could squeeze two hours into my busy traveling plans and finally walk the stunning "garden rooms" with a fantastic collection of plants.  A friendly lady greeted me on this early morning as the first visitor.  I was glad that I came first thing before heading to other attractions in Tucson.  It was nice and cool under huge trees, and when I left, the parking lot was full, and more people were streaming in. 

Exhibits include "Enchanted Garden Sculptures", "Drawn to the Desert", Botanical Illustrations, "Butterfly Magic", However, also classes, such as "Nature Photography in the Gardens", "Transforming Spaces with Pot-Planted Grandeur", or "Backyard Chickens" are offered.
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History
Located on the site of the historic Porter property, it was founded in 1964 by horticulturist and collector Harrison Yocum at his home, the public was allowed to wander a huge collection of cacti and palms in his yard, along with piles of exotic, glittery, almost tingly piles of rocks and minerals he collected.

In time about 100 fellow plant nuts chartered a non-profit corporation and the whole operation was moved to Randolph Park, then to the former Desert Gardens Nursery grounds owned by Mrs. Bernice Porter, who wanted to preserve her house and gardens from demolition.  It became "The Tucson Botanical Gardens" in 1974 when the city council passed fabled Resolution 9384 converting the five-and-one-half-acre site into what remains a great place for visitors years later.

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LightsUp! A Festival of Christmas Illuminations
Stroll through these six themed light areas and be dazzled by over one million lights, dancing sculptures, and awe-inspiring luminaria displays. 6 nights a week, Tuesday - Sunday from 6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.    Enjoy a sensory winter outing around Tucson Botanical Gardens with more than 3,000 luminarias, over a dozen stunning Korean lanterns, 200+ elegant poinsettias, a 10’ tall succulent tree, a colorful array of LED lighting, and festive holiday music to complete the wonderful ambiance.   November 24 - January 7.

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The Gardens' café, Edna’s Eatery, offers refreshments, breakfast, and lunch in lovely seating - indoor and outdoor. It was the perfect resting spot for me after wandering the Gardens.

Visitors will find the gardens at 2150 North Alvernon Way, located about 4 miles east of downtown Tucson - not very well signed ...  Open Daily: from 8:30am – 4:30pm   If you are visiting: Don't miss next doors garden on 2130 N Alvernon Way: JUME Japanese Gardens of Tucson.

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A true urban oasis, Tucson Botanical Gardens was selected #4 
in USA Today’s 10 Best Botanical Gardens in America!

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Adults $15
Students, Seniors (62 years and up) & Military $13
Children (4-17) $8
Only service dogs are allowed

https://tucsonbotanical.org/

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Photo Impressions of Sky Ranch Lodge Botanical Garden

 

The Sky Ranch Lodge, an amazing hotel next to the small airport in Sedona, AZ, received the arboretum accreditation and botanical garden certification in 2020.  Sitting above the city next to the airport on a mesa with beautiful views over Sedona and its Red Rock mountains.

The garden aims to aesthetically display a diversity of plant life.  They strive to create a sense of well-being while providing an opportunity to observe and admire nature.

Interspersed among the native Mesquite, Cypress, and Junipers you will find a multitude of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs, flowers, grasses, and succulents. 

Gracing the property is a massive Agave Americana.  These slow-growing giants bloom only once in their lifetime and were planted over 30 years ago. 

It's small, compared to other botanical gardens.  However, very interesting to walk the grounds and to learn the plant names.

When you are in Sedona, come in person to the Sky Ranch Lodge or email them to inquire for permission to walk the garden.  Unless you stay at the hotel, you are certainly invited to walk the grounds as often as you want.

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Mums in Your Fall Garden

Chrysanthemums – often referred to as mums – are a classic favorite fall plant.  Mums are now available everywhere: grocery stores, box stores, hardware stores, and garden centers.  They have arrived just in time to tune up the garden. where a few annuals are beginning to lose their luster.  Purchase mums when they are budding rather than in full bloom. 

Mums Need Water 

Mums won’t wilt or show signs of drought until it is too late.  If you leave your newly bought mums in their grower’s pot, be sure to give them water every day and fertilize once a week with 20-20-20 to keep your blooms going as long as possible.  Even when fall brings cool and cloudy weather, mums remain thirsty.

Plant them in the Ground

To extend the life of your mums and have them blooming again next year, it is a good idea to plant them in the ground.  Simply tip the potted mum on its side and slide it out of its pot.  Water well before and immediately after planting.  I place mine before planting at least for an hour in a large bucket, filled with water.

Plant Mums in Full Sun

Plant mums in good garden soil early in the fall.  Garden mums are perennials, meaning they’ll succumb to frost, remain dormant through winter, and regrow in spring.  Before the ground freezes, add a layer of wood mulch or leaves over and around the plant to provide insulation.  Leave the plant stems intact, rather wait until spring to cut back the dry stems. 

Early in spring, once the soil warms up, remove the mulch to reveal fresh new growth.  In the garden, mums can be left alone and likely will bloom periodically through summer.  But if you want a repeat performance of fall’s impressive bloom:  Prune or pinch your plant once a month to between 7-10 cm.  This pinching will start to form a tighter, more compact plant with strong branching which results in a fuller, stronger plant with more flowers.  You should do your last prune around July 1st for early flowers, or July 15th for a more traditional fall flowering time.

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Greening House Walls for Better Air, Shade, and Insulation

 

photo Doris-Maria Heilmann

Driving through a residential area in St. Antonio, Texas I saw beautiful green walls on a home and planned to come back to take photos of this smart use of evergreen plants which cooled this good-looking home.  The climbing plants were not directly attached to the masonry, but rather five inches away.  A two-foot-high narrow (10 inches/25 cm deep) planter holds a metal lattice on which the plants can climb like on grids, detached 5 inches from the house walls. 

In cooler climates, further north, such as in Canada, climbing hydrangeas, especially on north and east walls are your best bet. For south and west sites, blooming clematis would be a good choice.

The Global Climate is Getting Hotter!

The number of hot days and tropical nights in the city area is rising continuously.  The city of Vienna must counteract these effects of the climate crisis.  An effective means of combating summer overheating in the city is green facades.  The vegetation causes buildings to heat up less and creates a pleasant microclimate.  In Austria, for example, there are already many examples of houses in Vienna that have been greened even with very simple means.  Greening of facades is mandatory in the case of new regulations or amendments to zoning and development plans.

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Milan Green Tower

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- Counteracts heat islands as well as noise and pollutant pollution

- Applies throughout the city, including industrial areas

- Applies in existing neighborhoods and new urban development areas

- Prerequisites:

- Specified building height above 7.5 meters

- From 26 meters building height no prescription (fire protection)

- Greening is not prescribed for single-family houses, garden settlements, allotment garden areas

- Exceptions are possible where special local conditions require it.

- The City of Vienna subsidizes street-side facade greening up to a maximum height of 5,200 euros.

https://www.wien.gv.at/stadtentwicklung/strategien/bestimmung-fassadenbegruenung.html

Climbing plants protect the facade from heat, wind,  and weather and beautify any house wall.  Here comes our selection of the best climbing plants for the facade: clematis, climbing roses, wild vine, ivy, and climbing hydrangea.  All are absolutely hardy, robust, and easy to care for.  

Evergreen plants prefer shady or semi-shady north or northeast facades, while deciduous climbers feel particularly at home on sunny southwest or southeast facades - like Clematis. Which climbing plants are suitable for the facade?

• Climbing vine
• Climbing roses
• Wild vine or Ivy
• Climbing hydrangea
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For small wall areas, or between two windows, you can even use a hanging shoe organizer with 8 deep pockets.  Fill them with soil and plant colorful, hanging plants.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BPHVJGNL

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Benefits:

As a kind of natural air conditioning system, the facade greenery 

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• Balances out temperature and humidity fluctuations and protects against intense sunlight, driving
  rain, and erosion - which ultimately also prolongs the durability of the facade.
• Evergreen climbing plants protect against wind and cold as an insulating buffer layer, which reduces heating or air conditioning costs.
• In addition, green facades have a positive impact on the microclimate around the house by providing pleasantly humidified air, reducing pollutant levels, and acting as dust filters. The surface area of a planted wall is about six times larger than that of a bare wall and can therefore also absorb six times as many dust particles.
• Some municipalities support green facades with subsidies. It's best to check with your local building department to see what regulations apply to your community.
  
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photo Doris-Maria Heilmann

Additional Benefit in European Cities:  

Every time I am in Europe, it shocks me how reckless young guys are destroying the beauty of buildings (often heritage houses) due to brainless spraying. The cost to remove these tags is immense!  Planted walls will deter sprayers from using house walls for their tagging.

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright:  “A doctor can bury his mistakes, 

but an architect can only advise his client to plant living walls.”

Green Roofs

However, green walls are not all a house or building owner can do to help the climate and produce clean air:  Green roofs not only contribute greatly to the creation of green spaces in cities, but in additionally, homeowners save on energy costs due to good natural insulation.  Rainwater is retained and can slowly evaporate again.  This humidification of the air enables a cooling of up to three degrees Celsius.  The retention of rainwater is also an important flood protection during heavy rainfall. 

Green roofs can also mitigate noise pollution in townhouses.  Evergreen, foliage-bearing plants dampen sound.  In addition, green roofs make an important contribution to combating particulate pollution in large cities:  one square meter of green roofs can bind up to five kilograms of CO2 annually, and also filters around 0.2 kilograms of suspended particles from the air each year.

Green roofs as a habitat for people and animals.  Depending on the size, accessibility, and type of roof, green roofs can be designed to provide a natural recreational and retreat space for people. In this type of intensive green roof, grass, perennials, shrubs, and even trees are planted on the roof. Green seating areas can be created, as well as space for raised beds.

Another plus: Extensive green roofs are very low-maintenance.  However, architects and gardeners should always be consulted when planning a green roof.  Especially in the case of flat roofs, the load-bearing capacity plays a roof greening is a good way to make a lasting change to the cityscape and make life in cities more pleasant.  

Biodiversity, air quality, and microclimate are improved, temperature fluctuations are better balanced, and, in addition, roof gardens give city dwellers a relaxing place to spend their leisure time as green oases.  Many municipalities and cities also offer subsidy programs for private individuals for green roofs and facades.

photo Gena-Chris-Bronson-Boot

Resources & Inspirations:

DIY Outdoor Wall Building

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQfOHKJLICk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUm2CTdtX_8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaSVugf6IPc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLOxML1dDYU

https://livewall.com/idea-guide/

https://livewall.com/products/outdoor/

https://livewall.com/benefits/#food

Singapore, the Green City

The last part of this video (the commentary is in the German language) shows how the city of Singapore incorporates gardens into and onto high-rises, making it a green city.

https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/planet-wissen/blumen-baeume-buesche-was-bringt-mehr-gruen-in-der-stadt/ard alpha/Y3JpZDovL3dkci5kZS9CZWl0cmFnLWY1NGQ2MDhhLWExMjQtNGU5NC04MGJlLTAyOTJkNGRkNzNlNw

https://www.mein-eigenheim.de/gartengestaltung/kletterpflanzen-fassade.html  (German language)

https://archi.capital/facades/plants

https://greenroofs.org/about-green-walls

https://greenology.sg/urban-greening/

https://www.temasek.com.sg/en/news-and-resources/stories/sustainability/generational-investing/the-healing-touch-of-nature

https://www.futurarc.com/people/veera-sekaran/

https://good2goco.ca/products/earth-studio-modular-vertical-garden-80-pot-kit-garden-set

https://www.amazon.ca/Pockets-Vertical-Hanging-Growing-Planting/dp/B08LGL4V26/

https://www.plantsonwalls.com/

https://www.greenadelaide.sa.gov.au/news/2022-build-green-wall-home

https://www.greencity.de/projekt/justnature/

https://www.greencity.de/projekt/quartierswende/

https://www.s3i.co.uk/facadeplantingadvice.php

https://www.treehugger.com/villa-m-paris-triptyque-architecture-5271129

https://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com/realisations/paris/quai-branly-jacques-chirac-museum

https://www.edouardfrancois.com/

https://www.treehugger.com/why-did-people-build-houses-just-leak-heat-out-4853719

https://www.cbc.ca/life/home/everything-you-need-to-know-about-climbing-plants-and-how-to-choose-them-1.5736101

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photo Patrick Hall

However, not only private homes benefit from green walls, but also office and industrial buildings should start to build living green walls to help offset the heat domes that cover our cities and towns in summer.  Governments and municipals need to create financial support and a legal framework to prepare for the future greening of our environment.

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