Earthways: Opportunity, Community and Meaning in the Personal Garden

Abstract

The hybrid space of the personal garden offers valuable opportunities for individuals to express themselves personally in an outdoor setting, to develop meaningful relationships with green spaces, and to connect with the greater natural environment and urban community, as demonstrated in the works of contemporary gardener-authors Marjorie Harris, Sara Stein, and Leon Whiteson. These opportunities are particularly significant in urban environments where access to nature and green space is limited, and where gardening activities can contribute to the health of the natural environment, the wellbeing of people involved in the space, and the vitality of the community at large.

Influences on the Implementation of Community Urban Agriculture: Insights from Agricultural Professionals

“…Many pro-environmental behaviors take place if the infrastructural supports are provided [20]. Some of these infrastructural supports that might influence UA participation include access to land, water, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, tools, gardening supply stores [15,36], urban planning regulations and building codes [37], land tenure laws [38], as well as the presence of a local market which stocks agricultural products [39]. In the United States, Inkoom [40] found a positive link between subsidies and the level of organic adoption among farmers during the transitioning phase in the United States.…”

Quantifying, Predicting and Promoting Edible Gardening in Eastbourne, Aotearoa, New Zealand

“…Other reports and research publications have identified factors that influence participation in urban edible gardening on a more theoretical basis, making claims without citing quantitative empirical evidence (Drescher, 1999;Nugent, 2000;Sander-Regier, 2008). For example, Drescher (1999) (Drescher, 1999).…”