Trees in the City, Gardens in the community

I found the reading "Getting it right from the start" was very insightful and interesting. Trees and other plants ARE often an afterthought in urban design. Because of limited understanding of what a tree needs to grow, trees are often just plopped down in a patch of dirt and expected to grow a beautiful canopy. After reading this excerpt about what trees need, I am now very surprised at the number of trees that are able to grow in "urban" areas. It would seem that a city is the most dangerous place for a tree to grow. The soil could be compacted from construction of the surrounding buildings and sidewalk, and therefore the soil is unable to provide oxygen, nutrients or water flow to the trees roots. Another aspect is the amount of water. It would seem like there isn't much available water in the city because of the extensive storm drains. Also, during the winter, the sidewalks are often over-salted to prevent ice, but what happens when the ice melts? Doesn't the dissolved salt modify the soil for the tree?

Greenery in urban areas seems to create opportunities for a sense of community to develop. The online article on gardens and the interactions between the neighbors working in the garden seems to echo the points made in earlier readings. Gardens supplement diet, provide a community space, etc. I found it interesting to read the demographics of urban gardeners, but not all that surprising. Women in every culture have always had to provide for their family in some way or another. Modern society seems to further stress this with the prevalence of female-headed, single families. How do these women possible find the time and energy to work, take care of their kids, take care of their house, run errands AND garden? And yet, community gardening fits very well into the needs of a family. The garden offers opportunities for parents to meet fellow community members ( the parents of their children's friends, teachers, neighbors that often share the responsibility of overseeing children in the area), a place to call your own (an important thing if your financial status forces you to rent most of your things house, furniture, etc), and fresh produce that can either supplement your store bought food or can be sold to supplement your income.