Latest news with #Pennisetum
Kuwait Times
7 days ago
- Kuwait Times
Green urban initiative on Kuwait's Second Ring Road first of many to come: Ahmadi Governor
KUWAIT: Kuwait has unveiled the results of its first green urban development initiative under the Green Urban Development Initiatives Committee, with a beautification and planting project along sections of the Second Ring Road. 'This marks the beginning of our committee's work,' said Sheikh Humoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Governor of Ahmadi and Chairman of the committee, during an inspection tour of the project on Saturday. 'Similar initiatives will follow across various locations throughout Kuwait.' The beautification project, proposed by engineer Haifa Al-Muhanna and generously funded by residents of Shuwaikh residential area and surrounding neighborhoods, aims to transform a heavily trafficked stretch of roadway into a visually appealing and environmentally friendly space. 'This is nothing new for the Kuwaiti people,' Sheikh Hammoud said, praising the spirit of community engagement. 'We invite all those interested in contributing to greening and beautification efforts in all governorates to visit the committee's website or our accounts on X and Instagram (@gudikuwait). These projects improve the visual landscape, reduce pollution, and enhance quality of life.' KUWAIT: Thousands of plants, including palm trees, were planted as part of the project. Imported palm trees The first and second phases of the Second Ring Road beutification initiative began on April 14 and continued for three months. The project included the planting of thousands of hardy plants adapted to Kuwait's climate. Among them are date palms, Tecoma, Pennisetum, and red oleander, chosen for their resilience and aesthetic appeal. The palm trees were especially imported with uniform heights to maintain visual harmony. A full irrigation network was also installed to ensure sustainability. 'The palm trees used in the project are non-fruiting to make maintenance easier along major roads,' Al-Muhanna explained. 'We also enhanced the soil quality to support the long-term health and appearance of the plantings.' Spanning 1.46 kilometers and covering two roundabouts, the project reflects Kuwait's broader environmental vision, said Capital Governor Sheikh Abdullah Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah, who also joined the tour. 'This initiative represents a major step in promoting environmental sustainability,' he said. 'It's part of a nationwide effort to create healthier and greener urban spaces that improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions, and raise environmental awareness.' Falah Al-Enezi, Acting Deputy Director General for Beautification at the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources. — KUNA photos Officials plant flowers as part of an inspection tour of the first green urban development initiative on Saturday. Sheikh Humoud Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Sheikh Abdullah Salem Al-Ali Al-Sabah Supporting the initiative, Falah Al-Enezi, Acting Deputy Director General for Beautification at the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, said the authority is committed to offering logistical and technical support for such efforts. 'This kind of collaboration increases Kuwait's green footprint and contributes to environmental development,' he said. Al-Muhanna thanked the local community for their support and expressed appreciation for Sheikh Humoud's direct involvement and follow-up on the project's implementation. 'The support from both residents and officials has been key in delivering this project to a high standard,' she said. The initiative is the first major undertaking by the Green Urban Development Initiatives Committee, formed in August 2024 by ministerial decree. The committee includes senior representatives from Kuwait's agriculture authority, housing and infrastructure agencies, the Ministry of Electricity and Water, the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, and civil society leaders, among others. The committee's mission is to align urban development with global sustainability trends, creating greener, healthier communities throughout Kuwait. — Agencies
The Guardian
22-04-2025
- General
- The Guardian
How to garden in spring (and the best tools for the job)
The Earth's orbit of the sun is just long enough that, by the time spring rolls back around, we have all but forgotten the sumptuous reality of the season: how the extended sunlight fills our souls; how the growing green reinvigorates the spirit; how cherry blossom against a blue sky manifests something bigger than beauty alone. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. As a gardener, I can wholeheartedly affirm that one of the best ways to enjoy spring is to actively engage with it. Spring is for doing: cutting back perennials; tying and training roses; pruning shrubs. Over the years, I have been leaving more and more of the garden tidy-up for spring, having once seen much of this off in autumn. Common horticultural practice now recognises the importance of leaving dead stems and seed heads standing over winter as shelter and forage for wildlife, so even my small garden requires a good deal of maintenance at this time of year. Plenty of material, then, to set 12 pairs of secateurs on. First off, the ornamental grasses – my scattered clumps of Molinia, Pennisetum and Chasmanthium – needed cutting down to ground level, their new shoots beginning to mingle with the straw of spent stems. Perennials, including Aster, Agastache, Hylotelephium and Eutrochium, with brittle, yellowing stems, were similarly due a chop. Next, the shrubs: a now vigorous Buddleia in our sun trap required fairly harsh treatment, reducing each limb in advance of new seismic growth; the black elder was also scaled back, and there was sculpting work to undertake on my two young Viburnums. Being surrounded by domestic fencing, our little garden depends on the ample coverage of climbing roses: these needed further deadheading and new string ties added to control the rapid new growth (cutting cleanly through string, I often find, separates the good secateurs from the dull). The great advantage of trying out a range of secateurs was the opportunity to consider new options. Due to their everyday utility, gardeners become very attached to certain brands and models – I definitely have. When I began my first ever gardening job, joining a garden maintenance company doing the rounds of upmarket London homes, the director urged new recruits to use a particular brand of secateurs, for the simple reason that a good pair saves time, money and plants; clean cuts in place of butchery. And so for almost two decades, I've used the same model, and thanks to their robustness and reliability, I've replaced them only once (after losing a pair down the leg of my pond waders …). Eager for change, I approached the testing with peak-geek scrutiny, registering their every quality as I went snipping beneath an extraordinarily blue spring sky: their comfort and feel, their cut and heft; how well they clasped and unclasped, and even how easily they could be spotted in the herbage if dropped (secateurs are notorious escapers whenever misplaced). My final task in the garden was to plant a new rose, a shrubby, semi-climbing Rosa x odorata mutabilis, with blooms that change from apricot to ruby-red. As with all newly planted roses, I chopped its stems back to fresh buds (teaser: saving this privilege for my new favourite pair), and in doing so marked the unequivocal return of glorious, galvanising spring. Sunscreen and snail slime: what skincare experts do – and don't do – to their skin The best espresso machines to unleash your inner barista at home, tested 'Has the texture of feta, but not much else': the best (and worst) supermarket feta cheese, tested Beat brain rot: clear your mind with 55 screen-free activities, from birdwatching to colouring books Rainbow vases, vintage soap dishes and crystal bike bells: 15 colourful pick-me-ups to elevate your everyday It's hard to pay attention to the first beautiful blooms of spring if you're distracted by the filthy state of your patio or decking. A good pressure washer will make that all-important spring tidy-up less of a back-breaking experience (and make for very satisfying before-and-after photos, too). Our reviewer Andy Shaw has been out tackling his patio, his car and a (very grateful) neighbour's decking to sort the best from the rest. Monica HorridgeDeputy editor, the Filter A brave editor at the Filter once went camping in Britain over the early May bank holiday and had to scrape frost off her tent in the morning. But there are upsides: campsites are often blissfully uncrowded, and as long as you take lots of blankets for the night, the days can be glorious. Don't forget your head torch for evening dog walks and loo trips (read our comprehensive review of the best head torches before you buy one). What's your most hated cleaning job (you do clean your house, don't you)? The loo? The oven? The windows? The stairs? Or trying to get rid of the dust that settles on top of books? And is there anything that makes these jobs easier? Let us know by emailing us at thefilter@
