If you are reading this, there is a 50% chance you are already living in a city. By 2050, nearly three-quarters of the world’s population will be living in cities too. In just a few short years our urban areas have become the centre point for human activity and interaction. Breeding grounds for experimentation, innovation, education and culture, their appeal is both magnetic and irrepressible.

This presents us with both challenges and opportunities. People across all layers of society are experiencing the effects of rapid urban growth and becoming more aware of the increasing pressure we are putting on the environment. Even today, in 2018, city dwellers are responsible for 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, and 92% of the world’s population lives in regions where air quality exceeds health limits. Air temperatures are rising and the growing presence of artificial surfaces increases the chances of flooding, leaving little room for flora and fauna to flourish.

Yet innovative minds from all over the world are already addressing these urban challenges. Dependent no longer on unsustainable resources, entrepreneurs of every background are embracing plants and flowers as an original and dynamic asset. Be they forward-thinking florists or budding microbiologists, visionary architects or curious bio-designers, we are seeing the powers of plants and flowers being put to the test, ready to lay down the roots for happier and healthier city living.

Imagine how our cities could look in just a few short years: the walls of every building are teeming with plant life, filtering the air around us and providing a safe environment for flora and fauna to thrive. Every rooftop has its own circular farming system and plants are the principal conductors of electricity. With a little perseverance, air temperatures will be stable and vegetation will come in such abundance that cities will be host to all kinds of wildlife. City-folk will be de-stressed and de-congested, both mentally and physically. Nature and urban life will be thoroughly, indefinitely, intertwined.

We have still not realised the full potential that plants and flowers have to offer. Thanks to the interminable curiosity of scientists, researchers and urban idealists worldwide, green intelligence is being unlocked every day. This is a vision that cities across the globe can strive towards. Equipped with the right know-how and the proper tools for growth, we are well on our way to ensuring our cities grow in a healthy direction.