Green Melbourne

Driving through the city today, it struck me again at how green this city of Melbourne actually is. Every other block (or so it seems) there is a little (or not so little) park, mostly called reserves here, that break up the sea of houses. End even though summer is coming quickly, and everything is getting pretty dry, there is still quite a bit of green to be seen.

If you’re not living directly in downtown Melbourne, chances are pretty high that you are living in a free-standing, one-family house with a garden. (Granted, what goes for a ‘garden’ here is oftentimes nothing more than a covered deck and a few square meters of patchy grass. In other words, just enough for a barbie.) But while the old, larger plots are being divided and now have two or even more houses on them now, the city planner have left plenty of room for parks.

These parks are one of the factors why living here is so nice. They are easily reachable by foot and offer a great chance for a stroll, a bit of fun and games and, of course, the inevitable barbie. They also give Melbourne this extremely green character.

A small "park" across from where we live. In Europe, this would have become a building long ago. — A small “park” across from where we live. In Europe, this would have become a building long ago.

Sometimes the park is not much wider than the path going through it. But that's plenty if you're going for a run. — Sometimes the park is not much wider than the path going through it. But that’s plenty if you’re going for a run.

But sometimes the path widens and invites you to play.

Have a sit-down and a pick-nick. — Have a sit-down and a pick-nick (or a barbie).

Or follow the creek towards the Yarra. — Or follow the creek towards the Yarra (as most creeks here run towards that one river).

Even close to CBD there is plenty of green to be had. — Even close to CBD there is plenty of green to be had – to be enjoyed on foot, on your bike…

...or from the water itself. — …or from the water itself.

But watch out for the balloon-eating trees!

In a city of 4.5 million people I find it quite remarkable that these patches of green have survived and continue to be places to be treasured. Some of the city planners in Europe could definitely learn a thing or two from this.