The report by Boverket (2004), Hållbara städer och tätorter i Sverige - ett förslag till strategi says that large and somewhat intact green areas are better than several small. Linking rural natural areas with the city's green areas, improves the opportunities for recreation and biodiversity (Boverket 2004). To create this, there is need for a green structure in the city and its surroundings. But how to create this structure and what are the problems with the green areas in the city today? The scenario that more and more people choose to settle in urban areas is a trend which not appears to decline, and at the same time our green spaces in cities and rural areas decreases (Boverket 2007). In the current debate on sustainable urban development, I believe that the green issues in the future will play a more important role in our cities. How can we work with green structure planning to create a sustainable urban development? ; The method has been literature studies of the green structure concept development in Swedish urban planning, the green areas functions in urban areas and the possibilities of green structure planning. The essay also highlights the urban ideals whose green concepts have been a part of the solution to the city's problems. The aim for the paper has been to develop a theoretical background and better understanding of the issues of urban greenery and green structure concept. The work is mainly addressed to students in the field of landscape architecture and planning. ; The development of the green structure concept, introduced in the 90:s in Swedish urban planning, has led to an increasing focus of the green issues in the city. The green structure concept is multi-functional and can be analyzed from several different perspectives, which the literature study shows. At the same time, the green structure concept can be a way to support strategic planning of the green areas in the city and its surroundings. The forms advocated for green structure today is large continuous green areas and green wedges to link rural natural areas with the city's green areas. To link the green areas and parks in the city avenues, green ways and corridor dispersal routes are advocated. The main features highlighted for the green structure are the ecological aspect that is dependent of a certain size of the green area and a coherent structure and the social aspect for recreation. Urban ideals where greenery had an important role are interesting because the green areas are often given strong shapes that are often referred today. The sustainability of green structure planning can be supported by flexible structures for future needs not known today and to enable the functions considered today for the social and ecological sustainability in different places in the city.