Sustainable Garden Research Articles

A Comprehensive Overview on Sustainable Vegetable Gardening: Eco-friendly Approaches to Home Grown Production

Sustainable vegetable gardening is an eco-friendly practice that integrates organic farming principles, resource conservation, and biodiversity promotion to produce nutritious, chemical-free food while minimizing environmental impact. This approach emphasizes soil health through the use of organic amendments, crop rotation, composting, and mulching to improve fertility and water retention. Water conservation techniques, such as drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting, are employed to optimize water use, especially in arid regions. Pest and disease management relies on integrated pest management (IPM), biological controls, companion planting, and the use of organic pesticides to reduce chemical input while maintaining crop health. Sustainable homegrown produce has been shown to have superior nutritional content compared to commercially grown produce, and the avoidance of synthetic chemicals reduces the risk of pesticide residue exposure. Gardening fosters healthy eating habits by connecting individuals to their food sources, encouraging the consumption of fresh, unprocessed vegetables, and contributing to food security. The mental and physical health benefits of gardening, including reduced stress, increased physical activity, and improved mental well-being, further highlight its holistic value. However, challenges such as the initial setup costs, time investment, pest management, and knowledge gaps can hinder widespread adoption. Addressing these challenges requires greater access to resources, educational initiatives, and the development of climate-resilient practices tailored to specific regions. Future trends in sustainable gardening include the adoption of technological innovations, such as smart irrigation systems, automation, and vertical farming, which offer scalable solutions for urban and small-scale gardeners. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of resilient, local food systems, and sustainable gardening is poised to play a critical role in addressing future food security concerns.

Plant the pot! Understanding consumer willingness to pay for sustainability in garden shop products

This study explores consumer preferences for various sustainability attributes in gardening pots using a discrete choice experiment. Data were collected from 499 respondents in garden shops across Milan and Monza, Italy. The study examines different aspects of sustainability, focusing on attributes that influence consumer purchasing decisions, such as the use of renewable energy, recycled material usage, ethical certification, and end-of-life options (recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable pots). The primary objectives are to determine consumers' preferences and the relative importance of these sustainability attributes in gardening pots and assess the impact of educational information on these preferences and willingness to pay. A mixed logit model is employed to capture the variations in preferences across the entire sample, providing a detailed analysis of the average willingness to pay for each sustainability attribute. A latent class model aimed to identify distinct segments within the sample, revealing specific groups of consumers with unique preference patterns and varying monetary evaluations for sustainable features. The results indicate strong preferences for reusable and recyclable pots, followed by biodegradable options and products made with recycled materials. Additionally, providing consumers with educational information about the environmental impacts of plastic pots significantly influenced their preferences and willingness to pay. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by offering detailed insights into consumer behaviour towards sustainable gardening products and their relative importance and providing actionable recommendations for policymakers and marketers to foster sustainable consumption practices.

Optimizing water usage through an automatic garden sprinkler system: Enhancing efficiency and sustainability in gardening

This study investigates the design and operation of an automatic garden sprinkler system, focusing on the need for a dependable, self-operating watering solution that conserves water and supports night-time watering schedules. The research method included a detailed evaluation of the system's performance over 30 days, analyzing data on timing accuracy, water distribution efficiency, and user feedback. The results show that the system works accurately, starting watering cycles within minutes of the set time and efficiently distributing water evenly across the garden. The findings suggest the system can help reduce water waste, supporting global sustainability goals. Additionally, its flexibility and ease of use suggest it could be popular with gardeners and widely adopted. This research adds to the conversation on sustainable gardening and provides insights into using advanced technology in traditional gardening practices.

Engagement in sustainable horticulture is associated with greater perceived health benefits amongst gardeners

Gardens are unique ecosystems with the potential to deliver an array of important environmental and health benefits, particularly for urban populations. A large body of research has established that contact with nature and activities within green spaces (including gardening) are beneficial for our physical, mental and social health. An adjacent body of research has explored whether and how pro-environmental behaviours are also linked to positive outcomes for human health and wellbeing. But published research has not yet established whether pro-environmental behaviour in the context of gardening (“sustainable horticulture”) further increases the health and wellbeing benefits that gardeners derive. This paper uses evidence from a nationally representative UK survey (n=2086) conducted in August 2021 to explore this question. We used multiple regression analysis to quantitatively demonstrate that a positive association between gardening more sustainably and perceived health benefits from gardening exists at the population level amongst UK adults. This finding implies the possibility that promoting environmentally-minded gardening techniques may lead to an increase in the health and wellbeing benefits that gardeners can derive from their actions. The paper puts forth a range of potential mechanisms that could explain the identified positive association between sustainable gardening and perceived health benefits and identifies related policy implications.

Comparison of the Climate Change Tolerance of Native and Non-Native Species Used or Potentially Used as Ornamentals in Mediterranean Areas

As a consequence of climate change, temperature and rainfall regimes are being modified, threatening the survival of the current gardening concept in many areas of the world. This situation highlights the need to investigate the potential of other species, especially in more sensitive areas such as the Mediterranean Basin. The aim of this research is to study the resilience of adapted species to promote sustainable gardening. To achieve this, seven species belonging to three families (Amaranthaceae, Lamiaceae and Asteraceae) used or potentially used as ornamentals were selected to compare their tolerance at the germinative stage to different levels of temperature (10 °C to 35 °C) and water stress created by PEG 6000 (−0.10 MPa to −2.5 MPa). Germination percentage, mean germination time, base temperature, thermal time, base water potential and hydrotime were calculated. The results showed a good response to high temperature and low osmotic potential in most of the species, and germination even increased under certain stress levels. Salsola oppositifolia presented by far the best results in terms of germination under high-water-stress conditions and the second best at high temperatures. The extraordinary response of Celosia argentea, an alien species, highlighted the risk of it becoming an invasive species.

Gathering a bountiful harvest: the impacts of cultural ecosystem service experiences on management practices and agrobiodiversity in urban community gardens

ABSTRACT In addition to their food security and ecological benefits, urban community gardens support human well-being in numerous non-material ways. In this paper, we investigate whether experience of these cultural ecosystem services (CES) shapes how gardeners choose to manage the garden ecosystem, which may influence the ability of these multifunctional green spaces to provide other local ecosystem services (ES). Using questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and plant community analysis, we assess the relationship between perception of CES by community gardeners, the management practices they utilize, and the agroecological characteristics of their garden plots, such as presence and prevalence of species that provide regulating and supporting ES. We find that while almost all survey participants report sociocultural benefits of gardening, experience of these CES varies significantly between gardeners, with garden structure influencing which group of benefits is most perceived. Experience of some CES was also correlated with local ecological knowledge and use of certain sustainable garden management practices, such as utilizing integrated pest management strategies and planting a wide variety of species, but not with observed non-provisioning plant agrobiodiversity. These results provide important insights into the complex role that CES play in encouraging environmental stewardship and shaping ecological outcomes in collectively managed urban green spaces.

Integrating Plant Physiology in Landscape Architecture: A Comprehensive Approach to Sustainable Garden Design

This paper delves into the convergence of plant physiology and landscape architecture, with the overarching objective of establishing a comprehensive framework for the creation of sustainable garden designs. The fusion of these disciplines allows landscape architects to harness a profound understanding of the intricate needs and intrinsic characteristics of plants. In doing so, they can craft gardens that not only exhibit resilience but also harmonize with the environment, all while appealing to the senses. This exploration encompasses a broad spectrum of plant physiological aspects, embracing themes like water and nutrient uptake, the intricate process of photosynthesis, and the complex responses plants exhibit when subjected to stressors. Furthermore, this paper extends its purview to practical applications of this botanical knowledge in the realm of garden design. It underscores the pivotal role played by plant physiology in guiding decisions regarding plant selection, the thoughtful arrangement of garden elements, and the implementation of maintenance practices. The ultimate aspiration is to underscore the significance of adopting a scientifically informed approach within landscape architecture—a mindset that can pave the way toward the creation of healthier, more sustainable, and aesthetically captivating outdoor spaces. Through this holistic integration of plant physiology and landscape architecture, we embark on a journey towards the conception of gardens that are not just visually appealing but also ecologically meaningful and enduring.

Sustainable Water Management: Developing a Hydroponic-Watering System to Support Epiphytic Plant Growth

This study introduces an innovative hydroponic–epiphytic water system designed to address water conservation challenges in urban agriculture. The system involves repurposing water from a hydroponic setup to irrigate epiphytic plants, promoting sustainability and efficient water management. Expert opinions on the system's development and innovations were gathered using a structured evaluation based on key indicators. Notably, the mean scores were analyzed using an Inter-rater reliability assessment in order to determine the expert's opinion on the development and innovations of the hydroponic-epiphytic water system, and indicate strong acceptance in various aspects, including economic profitability, low initial cost, and compatibility with social values. However, identified areas for modification, such as time and effort savings and immediate benefits, offer valuable insights for refinement. The hydroponic–epiphytic system's components, meticulously detailed in the study, contribute to its structural integrity and water circulation efficiency. The chemical composition of the hydroponic solution, emphasizing nitrogen-rich urea, ensures precise nutrient delivery. The hydroponic growing medium, a blend of carbonized rice hull and coconut coir, provides an optimal environment for plant growth. The closed-loop water flow system minimizes wastage by recycling hydroponic water for epiphytic plants, aligning with sustainable gardening practices. In conclusion, the hydroponic–epiphytic water system proves effective in meeting its objectives of innovation and water conservation. Expert evaluations enhance its credibility, and the identified areas for improvement offer a roadmap for optimization. Recommendations include exploring alternative energy sources, conducting extended studies for long-term observations, and a more comprehensive expert opinion study. This study contributes to the advancement of urban-friendly, sustainable water management practices in agriculture.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Current Knowledge Structure and Research Progress Related to Urban Community Garden Systems

Community gardens offer broad research opportunities and analytical resources encompassing urban planning to environmental sustainability, food systems, and social capital. However, little is known about the knowledge structure and research development related to community gardens. This study presents an in-depth bibliometric performance analysis and visual scientific mapping analysis of the literature on community gardens by examining 487 published papers selected from the Web of Science database. The results indicated a considerable rise in research papers in this subject area from 2012 onwards, with most contributions from the United States. Studies from high-income countries accounted for 93.22%, and 38 countries have cooperated 167 times in this field. “Health” is the most frequent keyword, and the terms “ecosystem services” has been gaining popularity over the last five years. A combination of co-citation clustering and keyword co-occurrence clustering analysis identified three major research themes in the field of community gardens: “ecosystem services and disservices”, “multidimensional association”, and “sustainable garden systems”. The development of ecosystem value assessment frameworks, the establishment of region-wide soil monitoring databases, accounting for the cost-effectiveness of nature-based solutions, the integration of garden systems into smart cities, and the integration of water management into regulation will be important future research directions regarding community gardens. Overall, this study provides scholars with a systematic and quantitative understanding of community gardens.

Sustainable Horticulture Practices to Predict Consumer Attitudes towards Green Hotel Visit Intention: Moderating the Role of an Environmental Gardening Identity

A successful expansion and intensification of the links between tourism and horticulture is needed for tourism to contribute to economic diversification. Without inter-sectoral coordination and the cultivation of sustainable links between tourism demand and other sectors in the destination’s economy, tourism will be unable to function as a driver of tourist attraction. Therefore, tourism needs to establish ties with other industries, such as agriculture, to positively contribute to the surrounding area’s economy and improve the quality of life in rural and urban areas. The current study explores the sustainable gardening practices (SGP) in hotels and their impact on predicting tourist revisit intention with the mediating role of tourist attitudes (ATT) toward green hotels and assessing the environmental gardening identity (EGID) as a moderator. Dyadic data were collected from 286 guests and hotel gardeners and was analyzed by PLS-SEM. The results revealed that sustainable gardening practices positively (R2 = 0.581) and significantly (p > 0.05) improve tourist revisit intention through the mediating role of tourist attitudes toward green hotels. At the same time, the empirical results supported the moderation effects of the EGID on the links between SGP and ATT. Several practical and theoretical implications were discussed and elaborated upon.

Sustainable Gardening for Economic Inclusion, Poverty Reduction, and Culture Preservation

Sustainable gardening activities can be the basis to reduce poverty while preserving culture. By generating economic inclusion, gardening can provide the entry point into society for vulnerable communities. Community stakeholders in Mexico City and Northeast Ohio were studied to analyze whether sustainable gardening can generate economic inclusion while preserving culture. Through in-depth interviews, the relationship between these three components is analyzed. In particular, topics such as gardening experience, family traditions, institutional support, economic barriers, use of technology, cropping methods, and social integration were explored. From conception to implementation and analysis, the goal of agency building reinforced social sustainability. In addition to interpretive qualitative interviews, experiential research was conducted through a “working-with” model where the communities in reference contributed intellectual resources to the project-based research design. Primary results fall into three primary categories including gardening methods, cultural preservation, and economic factors. In each analyzed case, implications of cultural preservation emerge as a foundational motivation to maintain the particular agricultural practice. Despite significant economic barriers, including high poverty rates, the cases in reference nonetheless maintain traditions, thus highlighting the importance of culture. Negative economic implications suggest an absence of institutional support, which contribute to issues of poverty and low quality of life. Social implications indicate a level of marginalization that contributes to the aforementioned economic and institutional barriers.

Analysis of the adequacy of landscape composition to the semi-arid of squares in Montes Claros

Public green areas such as squares, especially in semi-arid regions, should be planned with the choice of more resistant species that require less labor and water for irrigation. This study is aimed at analyzing the suitability of three public squares of Montes Claros to local climatic conditions and the potential for the introduction of sustainable gardens in this municipality. Three squares of Montes Claros, Southeastern Brazil, whose biome is the Cerrado, were evaluated in terms of the total number of individuals (trees, palms, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants) and analyzed accor- ding to the literature regarding their classification in relation to origin (exotic or native), drought tolerance, and the benefits they bring to fauna. Among the squares studied, it was observed that Duque de Caxias was the one with the highest percentage of drought-tolerant plants and that bring benefits to the fauna proportionally to the total number of plants. This square was also the one with the highest percentage of native plants (25.93%), however this value is still low for the edaphoclimatic conditions of the region, which, due to the scarcity of water, requires a greater number of drought-tolerant native plants. It is concluded that the studied squares have many exotic plants that are demanding in maintenance and therefore there is a need for their gradual replacement in sustainable landscaping projects, especially with the use of a greater number of native species suitable for semi-arid conditions.

Level of Understanding and Attitude of Primary School Pupils’ towards Food Security Through Sustainable Garden Implementation

In recent years, many countries have faced challenges balancing food production and the increasing needs of the rapidly growing population and large-scale urban development. This situation reflects the importance of food security in overcoming food shortages. Food security allows every citizen to acquire the same amount of nutritious food to survive and lead a healthy life. The concept of sustainable gardens is the best way to improve food access and increase food resources to ensure food security. This study examines primary school pupils’ level of understanding and attitude towards food security through the implementation of sustainable gardens. In this study, pupils’ understanding of food security means they understand that it entails access to the same physical, social, and economic resources and adopting a healthy and active lifestyle. In terms of attitude, sustainable gardening activities can help pupils provide feedback openly and influence them to adapt these practices to their social environment. This study aims to measure pupils’ level of understanding and attitude. The quantitative component of this study was conducted in nine selected national schools and involved three hundred and thirty-five respondents. The findings of this study demonstrate the pupils’ level of understanding and attitude towards food security through the implementation of sustainable gardens. It was found that the primary school pupils showed a high level of understanding and positive attitude. This study’s findings can guide education stakeholders toward the next step in sustainable practices. The study results suggest the need to conduct further studies to examine the development of pupils’ understanding and attitude towards implementing sustainable gardens to address food security issues. This study allows all parties to curb food security threats by implementing sustainable gardens.

A garden network system for sustainable garden tourism in South Korea

Garden tourism has a significant influence on the global tourism trends. This study focuses on private gardens as a major source of garden tourism, with the following goals: 1) investigate problems associated with private garden registration system through interviews with private garden owners; 2) as an alternative to solve the problem associated with the private garden registration system, analyse international garden network cases and derive their implications; and 3) propose the application of a garden network system suitable for the South Korean situation for sustainable garden tourism. We used two methods: field survey and semi-structured interviews, and international case studies. Twelve private garden owners and managers in South Korea were investigated to identify specific challenges when opening to visitors. Garden networks in Europe and Japan were also evaluated to identify solutions to problems. Based on these cases, we propose a method for building a garden network by interconnecting and utilising existing systems, human resources, and organizations in South Korea.

Sustainable Development Garden Landscape Design Based on Data Mining and Virtual Reality

At present, there is no obvious development of virtual reality technology in the garden industry. In order to improve the application of virtual reality technology in the sustainable development garden landscape design, this paper combines data mining technology and virtual reality technology to construct the sustainable development garden landscape design system. Moreover, this paper proposes a method of using the maximum likelihood method to solve the optimal hyperparameters of the covariance function and analyzes the elite-preserving genetic algorithm and the rough steps of its optimization. In addition, this paper analyzes the digital design process of garden landscape and improves the algorithm. Finally, on the basis of virtual reality technology and data mining technology, an intelligent and sustainable development garden landscape design system is constructed. The experimental analysis results show that the sustainable development garden landscape design system based on data mining and virtual reality proposed in this paper has a good effect.

Sustainable Grassland Management in Historic Gardens

Sustainable Grassland Management in Historic Gardens

Gardening for Food Well-Being in the COVID-19 Era

“Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness”, is what millions of Americans strive for. The onset of COVID-19 has highlighted the disparities that exist among Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, which are facing food access inequities. In this paper, we argue that engaging in growing food sustainably can improve food access, support food justice and enhance sense of purpose and well-being. We expand the notion of Food Well-Being (FWB) to include food producers—especially gardeners—and hypothesize that gardening has the potential to enhance FWB, regardless of the racial and socio-economic background. However, without policies tackling social and racial justice issues, structural barriers may hinder this potential. We use three studies to draw a rich profile of sustainable food gardeners in Arizona, USA and their well-being: (a) the children and teachers engaged in school gardens in the Phoenix metropolitan area; (b) sustainable gardeners and farmers in Phoenix and Tucson; (c) Arizona gardeners during the pandemic. The results show a connection between sustainable gardening and eudemonic well-being, and an impact on the five FWB dimensions (physical, intellectual, spiritual, emotional and social). However, without appropriate policies, funding and infrastructure, the impact might remain minimal, volatile and subject to tokenism.

Weeding Out Hunger: A Community Garden and Food Pantry Approach to Address Medical Student Food Insecurity

ABSTRACT This project’s objective was to build a community garden and a food pantry to ease food insecurity among medical students attending the University of Utah. Medical students planted and maintained a 400 square foot garden and hosted numerous skills workshops. Volunteers harvested 250 pounds and the food pantry oversaw the distribution of over 6500 pounds of other donated food items. Establishing a sustainable garden and food pantry contributed a significant amount of no cost healthy food to students. The magnitude of student involvement and utilization of all food demonstrates the need for novel strategies to combat medical student food insecurity.

Sustainability approaches to Chinese landscape architecture

ABSTRACT Parks, gardens, and recreation areas play a vital role since they significantly improve the overall health of citizens, help meet people's needs for social interaction, and provide residents with safe outdoor activities in a green environment, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. China has a rich cultural heritage, namely, sustainable national reserves, parks, and gardens. Despite numerous studies dedicated to the sustainability of landscape architecture, there is a lack of research on sustainability approaches to Chinese landscape architecture, including the historical background. By way of the qualitative comparative analysis of several Chinese parks, the study revealed that Chinese traditional and modern landscape design and construction correspond to six sustainability approaches to landscape architecture: environment, economic, equity, aesthetics, experience, and ethics. The methods and results of the study can be applied by scientists to research sustainability approaches to landscape architecture in other countries and regions.

Effect of light, temperature, and salinity and drought stresses on seed germination of Hypericum ericoides, a wild plant with ornamental potential

Hypericum ericoides is a rock plant of potential ornamental use in sustainable gardening in Mediterranean urban environment. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of temperature, light, salinity and soil moisture at the stage of plant life most sensitive to abiotic stresses (seed germination). The results indicate that light is not a germination requirement, while temperature the main factor that regulates the germination process of this species. Seed germination was inhibited by warm temperatures of 25 and 30 °C. By contrast, intermediate temperatures of 10, 15 and 20 °C induced high germination percentages both in alternating light/darkness and continuous darkness. The alternating temperature of 12/20 °C led to germination percentages close to 100 % and the highest germination speed, making this the suggested optimal for germination. The germination values attained demonstrated the absence of dormancy in H. ericoides seeds. In general, salinity and drought stress (induced by NaCl and PEG solutes, respectively) caused similar effects, reducing and delaying seed germination as the osmotic potential decreased (from 0 to -1.68 MPa). However, while most non-germinated seeds remained viable during exposure to all the osmotic potentials induced by PEG and germinated when drought stress was alleviated, the highest levels of salt stress permanently inhibited germination, although not in all seeds. These results indicated that germination inhibition under both NaCl and PEG stress is mainly due to the low water potential caused by osmotic stress, while salt stress had the added toxic effect of specific ions at the highest concentrations of NaCl. So, H. ericoides seeds can germinate well under conditions of moderate salinity and high drought stress, making it a promising species for use in sustainable urban gardening, with a low input of irrigation water of low quality.