Our RESEARCH
MidCoast Growers Network undertakes applied social research on topics within the broad scope of our mission and aims, and makes the research findings available to growers and to the wider public
Growers
(Photo: Marnie Johnson)
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Reviewing the literature and and making the findings of published material available to our growers
Gardeners think about success for their gardens over the long term. This means preparing for, and dealing with, challenges as they arise, and finding ways to adapt, innovate, and improve. Many publications on home and community gardens are made accessible to gardeners and community groups to help them in this quest. These publications provide growers with insights, ideas and resources, as well as contributing to a sense of community. Many articles are based on personal and shared experiences. They provide practical advice based on learning-by-doing. There is also material that is published as part of the scientific (including social science) literature. |
Many growers are avid readers of the gardening literature, and we all have our favourite magazines, books, blogs and websites from which we get gardening inspiration, information and examples to draw on. In addition, of course, we learn a lot by sharing and discussing things with fellow growers.
We aim to supplement these sources of knowledge by making material from especially the published knowledge base more accessible to MidCoast communities. In the 'Our research' section of our website we review published articles and present useful and applicable findings in narrative form.
In all of our reviews of the literature, the articles that are drawn on are referenced in-text an listed alphabetically at the end. The first of these reviews addresses the question: What are the demonstrated benefits of gardens and gardening?
We aim to supplement these sources of knowledge by making material from especially the published knowledge base more accessible to MidCoast communities. In the 'Our research' section of our website we review published articles and present useful and applicable findings in narrative form.
In all of our reviews of the literature, the articles that are drawn on are referenced in-text an listed alphabetically at the end. The first of these reviews addresses the question: What are the demonstrated benefits of gardens and gardening?
Benefits of Gardening: What does the literature say?
Our review of recent literature gives us the confidence to conclude that gardening indeed has many benefits. It contributes to local food production, provides spaces where birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife can flourish, promotes community building, adds to each gardener’s health and wellbeing, and much more. In this, the first of our research reports, Ron Woods explores what the literature says about the demonstrable benefits of gardening.
First, some definitions
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Drawing on the literature, home gardens can be described as ‘complex, multi-layer systems of trees, shrubs, and crops around homesteads’ (Clarke 2014: 1). Home gardens refer most commonly to backyards or front yards attached to a private house that are ‘partially or completely cultivated by an individual or family’ (Aerts, Dewaelheyns and Achten 2016). In urban areas, you can also find rooftop vegetable farms, vegetables grown in containers on windowsills or balconies, pavement gardens, and others.
Here's a definition that you could use in perhaps a more formal setting and which already hints at the benefits of gardening: |
Greens by Daintry Gerrand
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'Homegarden systems are production models that combine natural ecological functions with the socioeconomic wellbeing of the families that maintain them.' (Mattson et al 2018: 1470)
Gloucester Community Garden (photo: Pat Burrows)
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Community gardens are plots of land cultivated collectively by a group of people (Aerts et al 2016). For these gardens to succeed, local residents need to volunteer their time to contribute to the community-based, collaborative efforts to grow food.
For community gardens to be successful over the long term, leadership and active participation is essential (Okvat and Zautra 2011). When plots of land are subdivided into smaller parcels that are assigned to individuals or families, they can also be called ‘allotment gardens’. |
Home and community gardens are examples of local food production, which is characterised by ‘a short supply chain between the production of raw food product and the consumers within a geographical area’ (Buchan, Clutier, Friedman and Ostry 2015: 5). This geographical area is generally understood by the consumers to be their local community.
The shorter supply chains, and the localised nature of production means that home and community gardens can improve household and community food security by 'making diverse and nutritious foods readily accessible to household residents and community members' (Taylor and Lovell 2014: 289).
The shorter supply chains, and the localised nature of production means that home and community gardens can improve household and community food security by 'making diverse and nutritious foods readily accessible to household residents and community members' (Taylor and Lovell 2014: 289).
Benefits of gardens and gardening
Many writers (Taylor and Lovell 2014; Colman 2017; Buchan et al. 2015; Sago et al 2017) base their conclusions on research evidence when they refer to the benefits of gardens and gardening:
Many writers (Taylor and Lovell 2014; Colman 2017; Buchan et al. 2015; Sago et al 2017) base their conclusions on research evidence when they refer to the benefits of gardens and gardening:
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Gardens foster in people a love and appreciation of nature.
Gardens promote food security in various ways, for example, by providing access to healthy food for low-income families who cannot easily access or afford fresh produce. Gardeners help to protect and promote local biodiversity. |
Enriching the soil with as much organic matter as possible (photo: Marnie Johnson)
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Collectively, home gardens contribute positively to the carbon cycle through the carbon sequestration that occurs when they enrich their soils with organic material.
Gardens provide opportunities for social engagement within communities, and also between communities. They provide linkages between urban and rural households. |
Focusing in particular on health benefits, an analysis of the medical evidence (Soga and colleagues 2017) found that gardening's positive impacts range from reductions in depression, anxiety and Body Mass Index (BMI), to increases in quality of life and sense of community. Actively working in the garden helps to reduce stress, and promotes heart health and brain function. Psychologists have found that gardening is 'healing in the aftermath of trauma' (Phillips 2021). There is evidence that, following property destruction after a bushfire, 'creating a garden can be an important part of the process of recovery and reconnecting' (Cranney 2020).
Magnificent maize (photo: Marnie Johnson)
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Community gardens give neighbourhood residents greater control over the food system, enhancing local food sovereignty, food security, and community self-reliance.
Community gardens can be used as spaces to educate young people about growing healthy and sustainable produce. This can contribute to them developing lifelong healthy habits. It has been measured, for example, that community gardeners on average consume more servings of fresh fruit and vegetables each day than non-gardeners (Colman 2017). |
Gardens provide services
Research and debates on gardening draw on insights relating to ecology. At its most basic level, there is the recognition that people are reliant on natural processes to provide the essentials of life. These benefits have been termed 'ecosystem services' - what nature provides just by doing what it does. In terms of the benefits of natural processes, ecosystem services can be clustered into four kinds (Clarke 2014):
Research and debates on gardening draw on insights relating to ecology. At its most basic level, there is the recognition that people are reliant on natural processes to provide the essentials of life. These benefits have been termed 'ecosystem services' - what nature provides just by doing what it does. In terms of the benefits of natural processes, ecosystem services can be clustered into four kinds (Clarke 2014):
- Provisioning - essentials such as food, water and timber
- Supporting - photosynthesis occurs, enabling life to capture the energy from the sun; nutrients are constantly recycled; based on interactions between plants and animals, pollination occurs
- Regulating - natural processes and cycles, all of which have an impact on us
- Resonating - we appreciate nature - recreationally, aaesthetically, spiritually, culturally
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Although they are cultivated spaces, gardens also contribute 'ecosystem services' such as those described above.
In their own small ways, all gardens contribute to the cycling of nutrients, help to regulate flows of water, and attract pollinators. Taken as a whole, the cultivated gardens of urban areas in particular play a key role in regulating the flows of organics in built up areas, and preventing kitchen and garden waste from entering landfill (see Projects). |
Attracting pollinators (photo: Daintry Gerrand)
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As is the case with so many aspects of the interaction between ourselves and our natural environments, gardens can also create problems. Ecosystem disservices arise when specific environments turn out to be harmful to human health and wellbeing (Clarke 2014: 3). Potential ecosystem disservices that can be linked to gardening practices include:
To ensure that the benefits of gardens (the ecosystem services they provide) outweigh the harms (the ecosystem disservices they provide), the key is to find ways to accentuate the positive benefits of gardens, while taking consistent steps to minimise the negative. For example, many growers are keenly focused on not planting species that may become ‘garden escapees’ and which may contribute down the track to the country’s ongoing problems with weeds. Many growers include plants in their garden that are particularly attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
- The introduction of invasive weeds.
- Bringing about conditions that lead to an increase in arthropod pests.
- Increased exposure to trace metals, due especially to historical contamination of urban soils.
To ensure that the benefits of gardens (the ecosystem services they provide) outweigh the harms (the ecosystem disservices they provide), the key is to find ways to accentuate the positive benefits of gardens, while taking consistent steps to minimise the negative. For example, many growers are keenly focused on not planting species that may become ‘garden escapees’ and which may contribute down the track to the country’s ongoing problems with weeds. Many growers include plants in their garden that are particularly attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
What are some of the ways you've tried to maximise the 'ecosystem services' your garden provides, and to minimise its potential 'ecosystem disservices'?
Local food production
If you are using your garden to produce food, there is some evidence that local food production has distinct benefits as well (Buchan et al. 2015; Halweil 2003). The yields from more intensive horticultural and agricultural methods are estimated to be up to 13 times more than what is typically achieved on rural farms. More intensive horticulture of this nature may lead to slower expansion of the land that is used for farming, thus conserving more of the open spaces for natural systems.
If you are using your garden to produce food, there is some evidence that local food production has distinct benefits as well (Buchan et al. 2015; Halweil 2003). The yields from more intensive horticultural and agricultural methods are estimated to be up to 13 times more than what is typically achieved on rural farms. More intensive horticulture of this nature may lead to slower expansion of the land that is used for farming, thus conserving more of the open spaces for natural systems.
Local food (photo: Marnie Johnson)
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Due to shorter distances between producers and consumers, a reduction occurs in the use of fossil fuels and their associated greenhouse gas emissions. Associated with this is a reduction in the generation of waste going to landfill, particularly food packaging.
All of this contributes to stronger local economies, and to a healthier population resulting from greater consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, and reduced consumption of fat- and sugar-rich processed foods (Buchan et al. 2015). |
References
Aerts, R., Dewaelheyns, V.and and Achten, W., 2016, Potential ecosystem services of urban agriculture: A review, PeerJ Preprints, https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2286v1.
Buchan, R., Clutier, D., Friedman, A. and Ostry, A., 2015, Local food system planning: The problem, conceptual issues and policy tools for local government planners. Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 24(1): 1-23.
Clarke, L.W., 2014, The biodiversity and direct ecosystem services and disservices of urban gardens (PhD dissertation). ProQuesst LLC, Ann Arbor MI.
Colman, A., 2017, Community and home gardening develop lifelong health habits. Parks and Recreation, August 2017, pp. 34-35.
Cranney, K., 2020, Five tips for replanting your garden after bushfires, CSIROscope, 31
January 2020.
Halweil, B., 2003, The argument for local food. WorldWatch, May/June 2003, pp. 20-27.
Mattson, E., Ostwald, M. and Nissanka S.P., 2018, What is good about Sri Lankan homegardens with regards to food security? A synthesis of the current scientific knowledge of a multifunctional land-use system, Agroforest Systems, 92: 1469-1484.
Okvat, H.A. and Zautra, A.J., 2011, Community gardening: A parsimonious path to individual, community and environmental resilience. American Journal of Community Psychology, 47: 374-387.
Phillips, S., 2021, 5 reasons gardening can help heal trauma, Psychology Today, https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/speaking-about-trauma/202103/5-reasons-gardening-can-help-heal-trauma
Soga, M., Gaston, K.J. and Yamaurac, Y., 2017, Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis, Preventive Medicine Reports, 5: 92–99, doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007
Taylor, J.R. and Lovell, S.T., 2014, Urban home food gardens in the Global North: Research traditions and future directions. Agriculture and Human Values, 31: 285-305.
Thomson, R., 2018, Gardening for health: a regular dose of gardening, Clinical Medicine (Royal College of Physicians London), 18(3): 201–205, doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.18-3-201.
Aerts, R., Dewaelheyns, V.and and Achten, W., 2016, Potential ecosystem services of urban agriculture: A review, PeerJ Preprints, https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2286v1.
Buchan, R., Clutier, D., Friedman, A. and Ostry, A., 2015, Local food system planning: The problem, conceptual issues and policy tools for local government planners. Canadian Journal of Urban Research, 24(1): 1-23.
Clarke, L.W., 2014, The biodiversity and direct ecosystem services and disservices of urban gardens (PhD dissertation). ProQuesst LLC, Ann Arbor MI.
Colman, A., 2017, Community and home gardening develop lifelong health habits. Parks and Recreation, August 2017, pp. 34-35.
Cranney, K., 2020, Five tips for replanting your garden after bushfires, CSIROscope, 31
January 2020.
Halweil, B., 2003, The argument for local food. WorldWatch, May/June 2003, pp. 20-27.
Mattson, E., Ostwald, M. and Nissanka S.P., 2018, What is good about Sri Lankan homegardens with regards to food security? A synthesis of the current scientific knowledge of a multifunctional land-use system, Agroforest Systems, 92: 1469-1484.
Okvat, H.A. and Zautra, A.J., 2011, Community gardening: A parsimonious path to individual, community and environmental resilience. American Journal of Community Psychology, 47: 374-387.
Phillips, S., 2021, 5 reasons gardening can help heal trauma, Psychology Today, https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/speaking-about-trauma/202103/5-reasons-gardening-can-help-heal-trauma
Soga, M., Gaston, K.J. and Yamaurac, Y., 2017, Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis, Preventive Medicine Reports, 5: 92–99, doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007
Taylor, J.R. and Lovell, S.T., 2014, Urban home food gardens in the Global North: Research traditions and future directions. Agriculture and Human Values, 31: 285-305.
Thomson, R., 2018, Gardening for health: a regular dose of gardening, Clinical Medicine (Royal College of Physicians London), 18(3): 201–205, doi: 10.7861/clinmedicine.18-3-201.
