Durban (South-Africa) has been selected as the greenest city in the world in 2019. Followed by Rio de Janeiro (2d) and Austin, USA (3d). They all score high on the percentage of green space combined with great distribution and health of vegetation. In Europe Geneva has been scoring the best. This all according to the HUGSI-monitor: 98 cities in 51 countries have been rated on a number of green Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s).
Author: Katja Staring
Chutney recipe for windfall apples
Windfall apples, what to do with ‘m? I do not want to waste food, but these green apples are not really tasty… bit tough, and not very sweet yet. I asked an apple expert and he said: make applesauce. Hmmm, too simple. So from the first batch, I made apple chutney. There is a beautiful apple […]
Tulip Festival: riot of colour in Noordoostpolder
Each Spring, the Dutch tulip fields burst into a colourful feast for the eye and are spectacular to visit. And just about now over 2.000 hectares of tulip fields are exploding in the Noordoostpolder area, one of the Netherlands’ largest flower bulb cultivation regions, east of Amsterdam. A true Tulip Festival. The highlight of Noordoostpolder’s […]
Make treats for birds in your garden
Get more wildlife in your garden. Make treats for birds. These seed snacks you can make yourself easily and: they are plastic free. Other treats for birds Get a bottle and some kitchen spoons and your bird feed unit is ready. Apples are the easiest snack, but not so popular compared to the grease snacks… […]
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Plant your spring flower bulbs now!
Great, isn’t it, when you see colourful and cheerful photos of crocuses, daffodils, and tulips appear on social media in March and April? Do you want that same early flowering in your garden next year? Then plant your spring flower bulbs now! I tell you how, and share some secrets from a famous Dutch bulb […]
5 bulb flower spots in The Netherlands
The Netherlands offer large bulb flower ‘gardens’ in spring time. The country is known worldwide for its bulb cultivation. Hyacinths, tulips and daffodils are grown on long fields that colour the landscape like a piece of modern art. Most tourists head for the region where this flower industry once started, around the towns Hillegom and Lisse, […]
Weeding for pesto is so much more fun
In my garden after winter, suddenly some weeds have totally taken over the hidden corners. I did not pay attention. Elder, cress and dandelion leaves are growing exuberantly. Normally I would have been a grumbling gardener about that fact. Now I am a happy gardener. Because I am weeding for pesto! See how you can […]
Green Paris is most lovable in the springtime
A lot of crooners sung the song ‘I love Paris in the springtime’. Actually, the lyrics are about Paris’ beauty all year round. But for green Paris lovers, spring is when it all starts. The chestnuts and paulownia’s are in bloom. On the squares, in the parks and along the quays of the Seine people are […]
Porto in early spring is about camellias and azulejos
I visited Porto in the third week of March. My ‘nature eye’ immediately spotted a flower that is celebrated throughout the whole town: the camellia. Till then, I thought that is a bit of a bourgeois flower. I know better now (read on)… And: I discovered some more joy for green lovers (read on too). […]
Globonaut writes about my nature flatlays
What a surprise that Roselinde Bon from the blog Globonaut suddenly wrote an extensive article about the nature flatlays I make weekly for ‘my Insta’! It articulates very well what I mean and what I want to ‘say’ with my images. “Have you never heard of this Instagram genius with a seriously green thumb? I’m sorry […]