The Ecological, Aesthetic and Psychological Benefits from Using Climbing Plants in Urban Green Spaces in Cracow and Dresden

Abstract

Nowadays, when the cities are even more crowded, the environmental planning and design is a big challenge. Due to outstanding features, like high oxygen production ability or small requirements, climbing plants can considerably improve city living conditions. What is more, they can partly solve the problem of shortage of public green spaces. This work is based on the research conducted in Cracow in cooperation with Dresden. It contains analysis of climbing plants location, comparison of their application methods and technical solutions, as well as public authorities attitude to this topic and inhabitants opinion about meaning of climbing plants in the urban circumstances. This paper considers climbing plants problem of ecological, aesthetic, psychological and economic aspects. The aim was to find the perfect solutions for using climbing plants in city structures and gain maximal benefits. The research shows the most popular climbing plants application methods and also the increasing popularity of unconventional uses. It compares methods used in Cracow and Dresden and shows the similarities and differences, giving the solutions for improving the quality of life in the cities generally. Moreover the longer tradition of using climbing plants in Dresden is a chance for Cracow and other cities to improve support technology and selection of sorts.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.3.4.4497