Nature at our doorstep

On rediscovering our space

Rising from the ground and climbing on the bricks of our homes is where beautiful, magical nature can reclaim her space alongside us.

Take a stroll through the city. Where do you feel better?

I, for one, feel an absolute joy whenever I see fences or houses covered in climbers. Hidden behind trees. When I see nature taking over man made structures. When I see a symbiotic relationship between our space and the natural world.

Because it’s not one or the other. In our cities, it should be both. Intertwined.

And I’m certain this is what most of us feel.

Making our cities wilder does not only mean inviting nature in for her sake only - but for ours, too. And the easiest and closest space that we can use for this purpose is exactly our doorstep.

I have spent a few weeks in The Netherlands, and even though the country has only a few truly wild places left, the cities are making space for her at every step. On facades. Between buildings. On the corner of streets. On bicycle parking covers. On public transport stations.

Photography of a street in Delft, The Netherlands. Courtesy of Chris Bruntlett

Walking on a street like this makes me feel safe. Hugged. It’s incredible how much positive mental impact it can have.

And creating something like this isn’t only the decision of the government or local municipality, nor is everything maintained by them. The people who want to use the potential space in front of their building for plants can do so by removing tiles and putting down climbers, flowers, shrubs or trees. And the municipality not only enables it, but it also supports it. And the results speak for themselves.

As an example of gardening for the benefit of everyone, Vincent Wagenaar has kindly shared some photos from Haarlem, The Netherlands:

In Haarlem, The Netherlands, there are a lot of smaller streets, filled with greenery, bicycles and an overall cosy vibe. Courtesy of Vincent Wagenaar

Most of the houses have a climber or two, which not only look beautiful, but also provided shade and shelter for wildlife. Courtesy of Vincent Wagenaar

There seems to be a community feel, as all people trust each other and display their plants on their doorstep, even in containers. Courtesy of Vincent Wagenaar

Quite often you’ll find benches, where residents expand their house into the outdoors . Courtesy of Vincent Wagenaar

Red bricks and greenery. A match made in heaven. Courtesy of Vincent Wagenaar

Quite an inviting spot. Courtesy of Vincent Wagenaar

It’s what I’d call a blueprint for community stewardship. Taking matters into our own hands.

If you think about, it’s akin to gardening. But not for yourself only, but for the benefit of others, too. Including nature.

Photography of a bicycle path in Delft, The Netherlands. Courtesy of Chris Bruntlett

The same way rainforests are a thriving ecosystem, so can our own cities be. Imagine the corridors we’d build for wildlife if more of us would be doing this.

And whilst parks can be amazing, we are unfortunately running out of space. And we still need to expand our cities, as population grows and the housing crisis is an ever present issue.

There are so many places where people have no access to nature. Think tanks such as Create Streets or the Lab of Thought are great at researching these topics, making it easier for people to take action. A request for your municipality will weigh more when backed by science.

Photography of a street in Athens, Greece. Credits: The Guardian

The benefits for this are enormous, even if we were to think only of ourselves. Better mental health. Better air quality. Reduced temperatures during the summer, and therefore lower electricity bills. Less noise.

It’s not high tech solutions that will make cities more liveable. Nor better for biodiversity. But simple, community driven actions.

The growing interest for countryside living and for hiking during the weekend proves that we are longing for this connection. But both options are difficult and expensive.

The great outdoors is not some place to escape to, but a place to live within.

Photography of Hampstead, London

---

References:

1. Analysis finds urban areas in England where no one lives within 15-minute walk of nature

2. Give britons the right to plant

3. Nature in Amsterdam

4. Kowarik, I., Fischer, L.K., Haase, D. et al. Promoting urban biodiversity for the benefit of people and nature. Nat. Rev. Biodivers. 1, 214–232 (2025)

5. Remove your tiles