While we looked a lot at how vegetation worked with buildings to define public space, we also learned about how trees develop or get stunted in the urban environments. The tree roots above were originally limited to a very tight box, and even when they were given more space, many of the roots were stuck in the original enclosure.

As we moved back to the university district, we saw how some magnificent trees had been able to grow on walls. It is estimated that over 1200 trees, mostly Chinese Banyan, spouted up in the joints of the pre-war stone retaining walls. The tree roots can stabilize the soils and relieve the water pressure of the soil through transpiration while providing shade and air-cleansing. Unfortunately, on Bonham Road near the University, one tree fell down and that caused the authorities to cut down a row of other trees.