Urban Gardens Research Articles

Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination and Health Risks in "Snow Cover-Soil Cover-Vegetation System" of Urban and Rural Gardens of an Industrial City in Kazakhstan.

This article investigates the extent of heavy metal pollution in both urban and rural gardens in Pavlodar, which cultivate potatoes and tomatoes. As a city of industrialization, Pavlodar is exposed to emissions from industrial enterprises, transport and stove heating. The city also has the highest incidence of environmental diseases among the population. This study examines the accumulation of heavy metals and metalloid in the snow, their migration into the soil and their accumulation in plants, and assesses the non-cancer and cancer health risks of consuming these vegetables. The results show that the concentrations of trace elements in the solid phase of snow decrease in the following order: Fe (26,000) > Mn (592.5) > Cr (371.3) > Zn (338.8) > Pb (161.9) > Cu (142.5) > Ni (30.9) > As (15.1) > Co (12.1) > Cd (2.6). In soils, the concentrations of elements decrease in the following order: Mn (22,125) > Fe (20,375) > Zn (246.9) > Cr (109.5) > Cu (39.3) > Pb (25.6) > Ni (22.4) > As (9) > Co (6.6) > Cd (0.2). In urban gardens, the snow pollution coefficient was the highest. In rural gardens, the contamination index varied from 0.3 (Cr) to 5.3 (Cd). Magnesium in the soil exceeds the maximum allowable concentration (MPC) by 28.6-35.7 times, and zinc by 1.6-10.9 times. Only zinc and copper exceed the MPC for vegetables. Nickel in potatoes exceeds MPC by a factor of 6 and in tomatoes by a factor of 4.4. The cobalt content in tomatoes exceeds the background value by 2.2 times, with a maximum value of 5.3 times. The risk assessment showed that the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks associated with potato and tomato consumption were low. However, these risks are higher in urban areas than in rural areas.

Synchronised monitoring of plant and insect diversity: a case study using automated Malaise traps and DNA-based methods.

The occurrence and distribution of insects and their possible associations with plant species are largely unknown in Germany and baseline data to monitor future trends are urgently needed. Using newly-designed automated Malaise trap multi-samplers, the occurrence of insect species and their potential associations with plants was monitored synchronously at two contrasting field sites in Germany: an urban botanical garden and a forest research station. Taxa were identified by metabarcoding of the insects and the plant traces present in the preservative ethanol of the Malaise trap samples. For comparison, a botanical survey was conducted in the vicinity of the traps. Across both sites, we identified a total of 1290 exact sequence variants (ESVs) assigned to Insecta, of which 205 are known to be pollinators. In the botanical garden, we detected the occurrence of 128 plant taxa, of which 41 also had one of their known insect pollinator species detected. Insect species richness was highest in May, mainly attributed to an increase in Diptera. These results present a case study of the applicability of automated sampling and DNA-based methods to monitor the timings of flowering and corresponding activity of plant-visiting insects.

Impact of zinc on arbuscular mycorrhizal-mediated nutrient acquisition in urban horticulture

A major barrier to sustainably improving food security for a growing global population is the availability of suitable space for growing crops. Urban areas offer a potential solution to increase availability of land, however, horticultural soils often accumulate zinc. These increased levels may affect the interactions between crops and soil microbes with potential implications for crop health and nutrition. Using radio-isotope tracing, we investigated the effect of urban environmentally relevant concentrations of zinc in soils on the nutrient exchange between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and pea plants. At higher concentrations of zinc, transfer of phosphorus from fungi to plants and the movement of carbon from plants to fungi was dramatically decreased. Our results suggest that while urban horticulture holds promise for sustainably enhancing local food production and addressing global food security, the unchecked presence of contaminants in these soils may pose a critical hurdle to realizing the potential of urban soils.

Exploring the Tourist Experience of the Majorelle Garden Using VADER-Based Sentiment Analysis and the Latent Dirichlet Allocation Algorithm: The Case of TripAdvisor Reviews

The allure of urban green spaces has captured the attention of researchers, especially in regions abundant in botanical wonders worldwide. Surprisingly, the case of Morocco, a country with a strong botanical tradition, has received little attention from researchers. Here, we explore the unique case of the emblematic “Majorelle Garden” in Marrakech, southern Morocco, through the reviews of its many visitors posted on the TripAdvisor platform. This article looks at the question “to what extent can a garden—such as the Majorelle—be a major attraction in a cultural tourist destination?”. Methodologically, we adopted a quantitative approach, examining visitors’ sentiments using the VADER tool from 2006 to 2023, and classifying them into three categories: negative, neutral, and positive. Furthermore, by utilizing LDA (latent dirichlet allocation), we uncover key topics running through visitors’ experiences. Our findings show that positive sentiments prevail, given the culturo-historical and symbolic quality of the garden as a crucible and vector of creativity, with the emergence of sub-corpuses that highlight certain divergences and convergences around the “Majorelle” case. This insight supports sustainability efforts by empowering the managers of the garden studied and industry professionals to develop and implement relevant strategies for managing and marketing the garden tourism attraction experience. In addition, this case study shows how a private urban garden reveals its key role in preserving cultural and botanical heritage, essential for future generations. It shows the garden’s positive impact on sustainable tourism through its ability to attract cultural visitors who appreciate and respect the local environment.

Rewriting the Erased History of Blacks in New Orleans Urban Gardening and Farming

Urban agriculture has gained prominence over the last decade in New Orleans, but the majority of the new gardens and farms that have emerged in the city since 2010 are neither culturally nor socially connected to the vibrant history of local food provisioning in the city’s Black communities. The history is tied closely to the region’s economic boom and bust, systemic oppression and segregation, and the cultural co-optation and devaluation of Black folk foodways in the city. By relying on the oral history to complement where the official or academic documentation has failed to capture the rich history of urban gardening by Black New Orleanians, this article demonstrates that the residents of Black communities in New Orleans once grew their own food, both as a form of collective efficacy and as a way of passing on horticultural knowledge and skills.

A Participatory Evaluation of an Urban Garden Project in Ecuador: Exploring Factors That Impact the Recovery of People With Severe Mental Health Problems.

For the past years, Ecuador has been transitioning away from a hospital-based model of mental healthcare to one that is community-centred. However, challenges associated with hospital-based models endure, notably financial burden faced by those with severe mental health problems (SMHPs) due to labour market discrimination. Employment access for this group is often disregarded in policy planning, despite evidence of its benefits on mental health. Huertomanías, an urban garden initiative in Ecuador founded in 2015, works with individuals with SMHPs, providing work, income, and social inclusion. A case study using a participatory approach was carried out to explore factors that impact the recovery of people with SMHPs. Twelve participants engaged in diverse stages of the research, where several participatory activities were conducted including cognitive mapping, a photovoice project, and interviews. The analysis employed a thematic approach leading to four categories of impact within the urban garden: autonomy (financial and personal), interpersonal relations and relation with the environment, mental health, and family dynamics. A final category of impact was established encompassing external factors (family support and public policy and healthcare services) that influence recovery. Findings suggest that the urban garden promotes autonomy and active participation within society, improves mental health, and transforms family dynamics. Further, this study highlights the importance of community-based mental healthcare (CBMHC), emphasising the need of public policies and healthcare in promoting autonomy through employment and community-centred services. Lastly, the study contributes insights into recovery experiences and CBMHC benefits, informing programme development and similar initiatives in Latin America.

Community garden management for resilient cities: A case study in suburban Tokyo during the COVID-19 pandemic

Numerous studies underscore the role of community gardens in sustaining food security, physical and mental health, and social networks during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to community resilience in different contexts of each country. Despite the rich history of urban gardening, Japan remains a geographical gap. This study conducted a mixed-method case study in suburban Tokyo and addresses the unique response of community gardeners to the pandemic within the Japanese context. The survey revealed that gardeners proactively established rules to navigate the crisis quickly through discussion and sustained their gardening activities. The findings also showed that their continuing activities helped the gardeners maintaining physical and mental health, and notably keeping their ikigai, sense of purpose in life in the unusual days. Thus, this study provided new evidence that community gardens may contribute to urban resilience, which indicates the significance of incorporating them into urban green space planning as a preparatory measure for future social crises.

Unveiling quiet activism: Urban community gardens as agents of food sovereignty

AbstractUrban community gardening is emerging as a form of quiet activism challenging the corporate food system. In urban community gardening, quiet activism subtly challenges the dominant corporate food system. However, research tends to overlook its presence and impact in global South cities, where issues of food insecurity and corporatisation are acute. There is a gap in research on urban community gardening activism, with a focus mainly on global North cities. Global South cities and populations face unique challenges in the corporate food system that require attention and exploration in scholarly literature. We draw on qualitative research conducted with urban community gardeners in Cape Town, South Africa. Through interviews and observations, the study investigates how these gardeners engage in quiet activism to challenge the corporate food system. We find that community gardens are subtle but potent platforms for bolstering local food movements and fostering healthier dietary practices by cultivating and sharing produce. Quiet activism through community gardening offers a nuanced approach to challenging the corporate food system. The study highlights the need to recognise and understand varying levels of activism intensity and their implications for reshaping urban food systems. We underscore the need to discern the distinct embodiments necessitated by different modes of activism. Understanding these different modes of activism is crucial for comprehending their varying impacts on challenging and reshaping the corporate food system. This nuanced approach reveals the transformative potential inherent in community gardening practices. Community gardening in Cape Town exemplifies the transformative potential of understated acts in food activism.

Aspects of the demography of two Podarcis muralis populations in anthropogenic modified habitats in western France, based on a non-invasive sampling method

Urbanisation impacts on both abiotic and biotic characteristics of the environment and is likely to bring new selective pressures on animal species living within these areas. The common European wall lizard Podarcis muralis adapts well to urbanisation and indeed may be described as the archetypical urban lizard. In this paper we investigated some aspects of the demography of two populations of P. muralis from western France, one living in a hedgerow system situated in an agricultural area on the edge of a village and a second in an urban garden. The active year in both populations was from February–March until October–December, the latter in the urban garden where temperatures were higher. Numbers decreased from around June then increased again during September but this varied annually and between populations. Diversity and equality indexes for both populations were high, especially in females, indicating a range of individuals and their frequency of presence. Both populations were therefore stable despite only limited numbers of lizards being present for more than one year. Male lizards with high presence were more frequently seen in the company of females than males that were seen less frequently. Hatchling lizards were seen from June after the spring mating period with a second period of hatchlings appearing during autumn. This supports the notion that females annually deposit two clutches of eggs in the area. Keywords: lizards, Podarcis muralis, demography, western France, non-invasive sampling

Compost amendment in urban gardens: elemental and isotopic analysis of soils and vegetable tissues

Urban horticulture poses a sustainable form of food production, fosters community engagement and mitigates the impacts of climate change on cities. Yet, it can also be tied to health challenges related to soil contamination. This work builds on a previous study conducted on eleven urban gardens in the city of Vienna, Austria. Following the findings of elevated Pb levels in some soil and plant samples within that project, the present study investigates the elemental composition of soil and plants from two affected gardens 1 year after compost amendment. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis of skin, pulp and seeds of tomato fruits revealed minor variations in elemental composition which are unlikely to have an impact on food safety. In turn, a tendency of contaminant accumulation in root tips and leaves of radishes was found. Washing of lettuce led to a significant reduction in the contents of potentially toxic elements such as Be, Al, V, Ni, Ga and Tl, underscoring the significance of washing garden products before consumption. Furthermore, compost amendments led to promising results, with reduced Zn, Cd and Pb levels in radish bulbs. Pb isotope ratios in soil and spinach leaf samples taken in the previous study were assessed by multi-collector (MC-) ICP-MS to trace Pb uptake from soils into food. A direct linkage between the Pb isotopic signatures in soil and those in spinach leaves was observed, underscoring their effectiveness as tracers of Pb sources in the environment.Graphical

Stormwater quality and microbial ecology in an urban rain garden system

Rain gardens are an alternative to traditional drainage, able to lower flood risk and reduce environmental contamination from stormwater. Removal of contaminants by rain gardens is driven by both physical processes (such as filtration and sedimentation) and biological metabolic processes by soil microorganisms. To better understand rain garden performance, this study explored the impact of rain gardens on pollution removal and microbial composition and function using rain gardens fed real stormwater from a busy road. Each rain garden had different grain size and hydraulic conductivities as these parameters have been argued to impact pollution removal. All four rain gardens were able to reduce the contaminant load in the stormwaters, reducing the concentration of dissolved metals, suspended solids and chemical oxygen demand. Significantly, road salting in the winter did not cause dissolved metals to be released from the rain gardens, suggesting that rain gardens can continue to reduce contaminant loads during winter salting regimes. Some variation in pollutant removal was seen between the soils tested, but overall no clear trend could be identified based on grain size and hydraulic conductivity with all rain gardens performing broadly similarly. The rain garden soil altered the microbial community in the stormwater, resulting in greater taxonomic evenness and functional richness in the effluent water compared to the influent. Functional richness of the soils was also higher than that of the input waters, indicating that the microbes in the rain gardens were able to perform a wider range of functions than those of the influent. Effluent and soil microbiology was more impacted by sampling date than soil grain size, which may be a result of the soil communities maturing and changing over time. As greater numbers of rain gardens are installed to tackle flooding from climate change, it is important to ensure the environment is protected from urban contaminants in the stormwater. The results in this study further highlight the ability of rain gardens to undertake this important task.

Conference on Sustainable Health and Nutrition During the Life Cycle: Poster Presentations

The 1st International Conference on Sustainable Health and Nutrition during the Life Cycle, hosted by Rio de Janeiro State University in March 2024, convened diverse attendees from various disciplines. The conference aimed to democratize knowledge on sustainable health and nutrition while fostering networking opportunities. Abstract submissions came from students, healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers, leading to a rigorous selection process for oral and poster presentations. Embracing sustainability, the conference adopted a paperless approach with digital poster presentations. Keynote sessions addressed pressing issues like childhood obesity prevention and the intricate links between agroecology and nutrition. Discussions highlighted community action initiatives, including Afro-ancestral perspectives on healthy eating and the promotion of urban gardens. The launch of a book on non-conventional edible plants underscored the importance of food sovereignty and security. Engaging coffee breaks showcased products from family farming, featuring nutritional and gastronomic education activities. The conference's success paves the way for future events, signaling a strong likelihood of future editions. Overall, it provided a vital platform for dialogue, community building, and inclusivity in sustainable health and nutrition, setting a high standard for future endeavors. diverse attendees from various disciplines, the conference aimed to democratize knowledge on sustainable health and nutrition while fostering networking opportunities. Abstract submissions came from students, healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers, leading to a rigorous selection process for oral and poster presentations. Embracing sustainability, the conference adopted a paperless approach with digital poster presentations. Keynote sessions addressed pressing issues like childhood obesity prevention and the intricate links between agroecology and nutrition. Discussions highlighted community action initiatives, including Afro-ancestral perspectives on healthy eating and the promotion of urban gardens. The launch of a book on non-conventional edible plants underscored the importance of food sovereignty and security. Engaging coffee breaks showcased products from family farming, featuring nutritional and gastronomic education activities. The conference's success paves the way for future events, signalling a strong likelihood of future editions. Overall, it provided a vital platform for dialogue, community building, and inclusivity in sustainable health and nutrition, setting a high standard for future endeavours.

Conference on Sustainable Health and Nutrition During the Life Cycle: Keynote Sessions and Oral Presentations

The 1st International Conference on Sustainable Health and Nutrition during the Life Cycle, hosted by Rio de Janeiro State University, convened diverse attendees from various disciplines in March 2024. The conference aimed to democratise knowledge on sustainable health and nutrition while fostering networking opportunities. Abstract submissions came from students, healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers, leading to a rigorous selection process for oral and poster presentations. Embracing sustainability, the conference adopted a paperless approach with digital poster presentations. Keynote sessions addressed pressing issues like childhood obesity prevention and the intricate links between agroecology and nutrition. Discussions highlighted community action initiatives, including Afro-ancestral perspectives on healthy eating and the promotion of urban gardens. The launch of a book on non-conventional edible plants underscored the importance of food sovereignty and security. Engaging coffee breaks showcased products from family farming, featuring nutritional and gastronomic education activities. The conference's success paves the way for future events, signalling a strong likelihood of future editions. Overall, it provided a vital platform for dialogue, community building, and inclusivity in sustainable health and nutrition, setting a high standard for future endeavours.

Foliar Application of Chitosan (CTS), γ-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), or Sodium Chloride (NaCl) Mitigates Summer Bentgrass Decline in the Subtropical Zone.

Creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera) is an excellent cool-season turfgrass that is widely used in urban gardening, landscaping, and golf turf. Triennial field experiments from 2017 to 2019 were conducted to investigate effects of the foliar application of chitosan (CTS), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), or sodium chloride (NaCl) on mitigating summer bentgrass decline (SBD) and exploring the CTS, GABA, or NaCl regulatory mechanism of tolerance to summer heat stress associated with changes in chlorophyll (Chl) loss and photosynthetic capacity, osmotic adjustment (OA), oxidative damage, and cell membrane stability. The findings demonstrated that persistent ambient high temperatures above 30 °C during the summer months of 2017, 2018, and 2019 significantly reduced the turf quality (TQ), Chl content, photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm and PIABS), leaf relative water content, and osmotic potential (OP) but significantly increased electrolyte leakage (EL) and the accumulations of free proline, water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and malondialdehyde (MDA). The foliar application of CTS, GABA, or NaCl could significantly alleviate SBD, as reflected by improved TQ and delayed Chl loss during hot summer months. Heat-induced declines in Fv/Fm, PIABS, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), the transpiration rate (Tr), and water use efficiency (WUE) could be significantly mitigated by the exogenous application of CTS, GABA, or NaCl. In addition, the foliar application of CTS, GABA, or NaCl also significantly improved the accumulations of free proline and WSC but reduced the EL, OP, and H2O2 content and the MDA content in leaves of creeping bentgrass in favor of water and redox homeostasis in summer. Based on the comprehensive evaluation of the subordinate function value analysis (SFVA), the CTS had the best effect on the mitigation of SBD, followed by GABA and NaCl in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The current study indicates that the foliar application of an appropriate dose of GABA, CTS, or NaCl provides a cost-effective strategy for mitigating SBD.

Sorption of Iodine on Biochar Derived from the Processing of Urban Sludge and Garden Waste at Different Pyrolysis Temperatures.

The United Nations proposed the Sustainable Development Goals with the aim to make human settlements in cities resilient and sustainable. The excessive discharge of urban waste including sludge and garden waste can pollute groundwater and lead to the emission of greenhouse gases (e.g., CH4). The proper recycling of urban waste is essential for responsible consumption and production, reducing environmental pollution and addressing climate change issues. This study aimed to prepare biochar with high adsorption amounts of iodine using urban sludge and peach wood from garden waste. The study was conducted to examine the variations in the mass ratio between urban sludge and peach wood (2/1, 1/1, and 1/2) as well as pyrolysis temperatures (300 °C, 500 °C, and 700 °C) on the carbon yield and adsorption capacities of biochar. Scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, powder X-ray diffraction, and elemental analysis were used to characterize the biochar produced at different pyrolysis temperatures and mass ratios. The results indicate that the carbon yield of biochar was found to be the highest (>60%) at a pyrolysis temperature of 300 °C across different pyrolysis temperatures. The absorbed amounts of iodine in the aqueous solution ranged from 86 to 223 mg g-1 at a mass ratio of 1:1 between urban sludge and peach wood, which were comparably higher than those observed in other mass ratios. This study advances water treatment by offering a cost-effective method by using biochar derived from the processing of urban sludge and garden waste.

Flower richness is key to pollinator abundance: The role of garden features in cities

Urban areas can be both detrimental for pollinators or function as suitable habitats, depending on the land-use type, the urban context and the pollinator group in focus. Urban green spaces, including gardens, parks or cemeteries can provide essential resources for a wide range of pollinator groups, like wild bees, hoverflies and beetles. Urban community gardens can be particularly structurally complex and harbour a diverse range of nesting and food resources for pollinators. However, we know little about how garden features may vary with the urban context of gardens and which specific garden features can increase the abundance of pollinators in general and of different pollinator groups.Over two summer seasons, we recorded garden features and pollinators using flower observations in 33 urban community gardens in Munich and Berlin, Germany. We examined how garden features differ amongst urban community gardens from three urbanisation categories, and analysed the effects of garden features such as floral and nesting resources and landscape imperviousness (as indicator of urbanisation) on pollinator abundance, richness and diversity.In more urbanised gardens, flower richness and bare substrate were less prevalent. Flower richness was positively correlated with overall pollinator abundance, richness and diversity as well as with the abundances of all pollinator taxa excluding beetles. Landscape imperviousness was negatively correlated with hoverfly and beetle abundances. Hoverflies also decreased with increasing bare substrate and wasp abundance decreased with increasing deadwood availability. Our findings highlight the important role of flower richness for insect conservation in urban management and show that pollinator taxa react differently to garden features and urbanisation. To support pollinating insects, gardeners can increase flower richness, especially in highly urbanised areas.

Larger cities host richer bee faunas, but are no refuge for species with concerning conservation status: Empirical evidence from Western Europe

In the context of worldwide biodiversity and wild bee decline, it is increasingly important to better understand the effect of land-use changes on wild bee communities at a global scale. To do so, we studied the effect of city area and urban green spaces layout on wild bee species richness and community composition, as well as on wild bee species with an unfavorable UICN conservation status. This study was based on a large European dataset encompassing 20 cities from France, Belgium and Switzerland. We found a mean wild bee species richness in cities of 96 ± 48 (SD), showing that this species richness was highly variable among cities. The main factor positively influencing wild bee species richness in cities was the area of the city. Conversely, species richness was not significantly related to the total area of urban green spaces in a given city, measured as the spatial extent of urban parks, wastelands and other semi-natural habitats, excluding urban private gardens. Species with conservation status were quite scarce in urban environments, especially when compared to the European Red List of Bees, and we could not link their presence to either city or urban green space area. Dissimilarities in wild bee species community compositions were not associated with any of the studied characteristics of cities. We found that the dissimilarity of wild bee community composition among cities was mainly driven by the rarest species, as the most common ones were found in a majority of the cities sampled. Overall, these results emphasize that larger cities host more wild bee species, but are no refuge for the ones with concerning conservation status. Thus, stakeholders are encouraged to design their cities in favor of biodiversity to better support wild bee communities, and perhaps mitigate the established effect of the urban ecological filter.

On the irrelevance of (peat-free) substrates - Qualitative insights into the social practices of hobby gardeners in Germany

Reducing peat consumption in hobby gardening offers considerable potential for reducing CO2 emissions, since peatlands are one of the most important natural carbon sinks. While existing research focuses on the products and their diffusion, we focus on people and their practices of gardening. So we conducted 44 interviews with hobby gardeners in Germany from three different contexts: gardening at home, in an allotment garden, and in an urban gardening initiative. Our findings show that substrates are not a major part of gardeners' social interactions. Purchasing substrates is a utility-driven process with, compared to gardening itself, mostly passive information behavior. Although (basic) knowledge about peat is widespread among hobby gardeners, price is the dominant purchase criterion for substrates; sustainability does not play an important role. Our results suggest that communication campaigns by governments and companies should convey substrate-related messages in those places where gardeners go to seek information, e.g. gardening-related publications. Communication should focus on the functional value of peat-free substrates and not just explain environmental benefits. Lastly, campaigns should target home gardeners rather than urban gardeners and allotment gardeners who rarely buy any substrates but rely on their own production.

Exploring the Role of Urban Community Gardens in Promoting Food Security and Social Cohesion in Danao City

Exploring the Role of Urban Community Gardens in Promoting Food Security and Social Cohesion in Danao City

The Impact of Urban Allotment Gardens on Physical and Mental Health in Norway.

In Norway, many communities offer low-rent plots of land on which city dwellers can build summer cottages and grow crops. These allotment gardens serve as recreational escapes from urban life. However, little is known about the impact these gardens have on their members. This study attempts to shed light on today's impact of allotment gardens in a public health setting in Norway. The study was based on 17 semi-structured interviews and 2 in-depth interviews with allotment house owners. Informants were mainly recruited by "snowball sampling". Our data show that maintaining an allotment promotes exercise and provides a positive impact on self-perceived well-being and physical health through outdoor activities. Spending time in the garden contributes to new knowledge and experiences. Owning an allotment garden has provided new knowledge, new skills, new hobbies, and thereby an improvement in lifestyle. The allotment garden has a strong impact on perceived health, well-being, and sense of coherence (SOC) for the individuals. It promotes outdoor activities along with social interaction and can prevent feelings of loneliness and isolation.