One way to make something beautiful is simply to add water. Witness Bob Ross (The Joy of Painting) – Saint Bob, as he’s known in our house, not just for his built-in halo, but for his kindness and capacity to gently empower would-be artists of all ages and abilities. A snowy mountain scene beautified by a bubbling stream or forest pool reflection, miracles conjured in seconds from titanium white and Prussian blue, aside softly spoken tales of squirrel friends.

But, just like wealth, too much water in one place can be a dangerous thing. That’s why Noah built the Ark and Pot Noodle has a fill line. The Flood literally washed away the sins of the world. Water continues to cleanse today, and not just in the metaphorical sense of our baptism. The earth is fighting back, trying to protect itself and the rest of creation, as we (Monty Don excepted) vandalise God’s gift of the garden. The violent storms and flooding that go hand-in-hand with climate change expose our capacity to simply look the other way, but also test our ingenuity. Fundamentally, though, the earth will always survive, but we won’t.

So, Joni Mitchell, have we paved paradise and put up a parking lot? The ban on kerb parking in our narrow streets, parking charges in residential areas and, ironically, the need to recharge electric vehicles, have all encouraged the conversion of gardens into driveways, with the loss of plants and trees, which not only take up hundreds of litres of water daily but also provide an island for wildlife, shade and oxygen. And we build and build, filling the gaps, joining the dots to Musselburgh, with the double whammy of fewer recreational spaces and more demand upon them. And the rain keeps falling. Where does that water go now? Beneath the bridge on Brighton Place for one.

Each tree is a living treasure entrusted to our care. The least we can do is not chop down healthy trees just because they obscure our view or light or shed leaves on our shiny new driveway. But we can also plant, and in doing so celebrate. We planted Jim the tree in our front garden to honour a sadly missed friend, a giver of buns; it gives comfort to us and his family. That planting may also commemorate events is nicely illustrated by the Forest of Biologists (https://forest.biologists.com/landscape), with its engaging virtual forest mirroring the real thing. Where there are only buildings, look up: a forward-thinking city council, a change of planting and a flat roof are all you need to help manage water (see attached on flooding in towns and cities); and many such rooftop gardens have developed into highly productive spaces (e.g. https://www.brightvibes.com/rooftop-farm-dakakker-in-rotterdam).

Kermit the Frog once complained that it’s not easy bein’ green, but green we must be, and gardens tackle both cause and effect of climate change. So, plant a tree, celebrate, commemorate. Better still, why not two? As Saint Bob always said: “Everyone needs a friend”.

Mette and Colin Davey