Communities in Bloom

Climate change is reshaping our cities, towns, and homes, demanding a new approach to urban landscape design and maintenance. While climate change is a global issue, its effects are deeply felt at the local level, where we live, work, and play. Each community must find tailored solutions, developing initiatives to address challenges on its streets, parks and playgrounds, and across all its green spaces.

Now, more than ever, our living landscapes are essential to our collective health and well-being. These thriving green spaces are beautiful and provide places for people to gather, connect, and enjoy the outdoors.

The Power of Urban Green Spaces

Urban green spaces — including gardens, parks, transportation corridors, and woodlands — offer countless benefits to people and wildlife. Our green infrastructure plays a key role in:

• Improving air and water quality

• Reducing the urban heat island effect and limiting the impact of heat waves

• Providing spaces for physical activity and reducing stress

• Enhancing the mental and physical well-being of residents

• Filtering air and water, helping mitigate climate change impacts

• Managing stormwater by slowing and storing excess rainwater, reducing flood risk

By investing in and maintaining our green spaces, communities can create resilient, vibrant environments that benefit people and nature. Communities in Bloom continues to support these efforts, encouraging innovative solutions for a greener, healthier future.

With January’s arrival, these therapeutic plants come into play:

• Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a soothing perennial herb cherished for its uplifting citrus fragrance and calming properties. Often used in teas and tinctures to ease stress, support sleep, and improve mood, it’s a favourite in wellness gardens. Lemon balm prefers rich, well-drained soil and partial sun, and it grows steadily once established. Easy to start indoors in winter, it brings a gentle sense of tranquillity to both your home and garden.
   
• Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is an aromatic perennial valued for its grounding, clarifying qualities. Traditionally used for cleansing spaces, supporting respiratory health, and promoting mental focus, sage is as spiritually soothing as it is practical. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, appreciating drier conditions. Starting it indoors in January gives this slow-growing herb time to form sturdy roots before spring planting, making it a reliable cornerstone of any therapeutic planting scheme.
   
• Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) is a striking flowering perennial known for its immune-supporting benefits and bold, uplifting blooms. Its vibrant purple petals attract pollinators and add a strong visual presence, making it both restorative and beautiful. Echinacea does well in full sun and tolerates a range of soils once established. Because it grows slowly from seed and often requires a period of cold stratification, winter is an ideal time to begin nurturing this powerful wellness plant indoors.