Cultivating health and wellbeing: members’ perceptions of the health benefits of a Port Melbourne community garden.

“This may be due to the increase in urbanisation being associated with a decline in contact with nature (Frumkin, 2002; Uzzell, Pol, & Badenas, 2002).”

“…research ‘is very often seen as having a more fluid and exploratory character’ (J. Mason, 1996, p. 9) allowing an ‘emphasis [on] discovering novel or unanticipated findings and the possibility of altering research plans in response to such serendipitous occurrences’ (Bryman, 1984, pp. 77–78).”

“This corroborates early research by Ulrich (1986) who noted that exposure to vegetation and gardening had positive effects on individuals, such as increased affection and elation.”

“Armstrong (2000) found that community gardens were perceived to be a place for socialising and encouraging people of local communities to join leisure activities.”

“This is of great importance as with the increase in urbanisation individuals have less contact with nature (Frumkin, 2002; Uzzell et al., 2002) and feel less safe, less satisfied and less socially involved with their neighbourhood (Zaff & Devlin, 1998).”

“The first official community garden in Melbourne was established in 1977 in Nunawading (Hering, 1995 ) and currently there are 46 community gardens spread around Melbourne (Kingsley & Townsend, 2006 ).”

“…with increased fitness, community cohesion, education, job satisfaction, increased leadership skills, improving socioeconomic status and access to fresh foods (Armstrong, 2000; Brown & Jameton, 2000; Doyle & Krasny, 2003; Glover, 2003; Relf, 1992; Shinew, Glover, & Parry, 2004; Twiss et al., 2003).”

“…with increased fitness, community cohesion, education, job satisfaction, increased leadership skills, improving socioeconomic status and access to fresh foods (Armstrong, 2000; Brown & Jameton, 2000; Doyle & Krasny, 2003; Glover, 2003; Relf, 1992; Shinew, Glover, & Parry, 2004; Twiss et al., 2003).”

“Wilson and others (e.g. Gullone, 2000; Kellert, 1997) have suggested that, despite modern humans’ urbanised lifestyle, the intrinsic connectedness to nature remains.”

“Wilson and others (e.g. Gullone, 2000; Kellert, 1997) have suggested that, despite modern humans’ urbanised lifestyle, the intrinsic connectedness to nature remains.”

“Arai and Pedlar (2003) maintain that the increased pace of life and urbanisation, due to globalisation, is changing population health, the way people live and people’s perception of the environment around them.”

“…positive aesthetic changes and providing safety for a neighbourhood (Glover, 2003); (2) the love of gardening and nature (Armstrong, 2000; Shinew et al., 2004); (3) ethical motives such as environmental sustainability (Irvine et al., 1999); (4) building relationships with other members…”

“For this project, qualitative methodology was used to collect data because it offers opportunity for greater insight into individuals' understanding and lived experiences (Altschuler, Somkin, & Adler, 2004 ; Denzin & Lincoln, 1998 ).”

“…2003); (2) the love of gardening and nature (Armstrong, 2000; Shinew et al., 2004); (3) ethical motives such as environmental sustainability (Irvine et al., 1999); (4) building relationships with other members of the community (Armstrong, 2000); (5) learning about plants, seeds, roots and…”

“…by Trewin and by Furnass, a substantial body of research has focused on the psychological and physiological benefits of contact with nature (e.g. Frumkin, 2002; Kaplan & Talbot, 1988; Maller, Townsend, Brown, & St. Leger, 2002; Maller, Townsend, Pryor, Brown, & St. Leger, 2006; Ulrich, 1986).”

“Domestic gardens have been identified as a rich environment for the satisfaction of human needs by enhancing feelings such as subsistence, protection, affection, identity, self-expression, self-enhancement, pleasure and freedom (Hitchings, 2006; Lawrence, 1997; Lee, 2000).”

“To date, most health research on community gardens is from the USA and England where membership is associated with increased fitness, community cohesion, education, job satisfaction, increased leadership skills, improving socioeconomic status and access to fresh foods (Armstrong, 2000; Brown & Jameton, 2000; Doyle & K…”

“…with increased fitness, community cohesion, education, job satisfaction, increased leadership skills, improving socioeconomic status and access to fresh foods (Armstrong, 2000; Brown & Jameton, 2000; Doyle & Krasny, 2003; Glover, 2003; Relf, 1992; Shinew, Glover, & Parry, 2004; Twiss et al., 2003).”

“For example, community gardening creates opportunity for culturally diverse groups and people of different ages to come together and develop a sense of community and belonging (Crouch, 2003; Rhode & Kendle, 1997; Shinew et al., 2004).”

“Involvement with gardens has been shown to ‘help overcome social isolation among people with disabilities through embracement’ (Burls & Caan, 2005 , p.”

“This in itself is likely to have health benefits, with ‘active transport’ such as walking and cycling protecting individuals from a range of health risks such as cardiovascular disease (C. Mason, 2000).”

“Domestic gardens have been identified as a rich environment for the satisfaction of human needs by enhancing feelings such as subsistence, protection, affection, identity, self-expression, self-enhancement, pleasure and freedom (Hitchings, 2006; Lawrence, 1997; Lee, 2000).”

“…with increased fitness, community cohesion, education, job satisfaction, increased leadership skills, improving socioeconomic status and access to fresh foods (Armstrong, 2000; Brown & Jameton, 2000; Doyle & Krasny, 2003; Glover, 2003; Relf, 1992; Shinew, Glover, & Parry, 2004; Twiss et al., 2003).”

“…the most to cope with the lockdown situation, in line with previous studies reporting on the important role played by private gardens for wellbeing and for promoting physical activity (de Bell et al., 2020), or as spaces offering a path to escape from daily pressures (Kingsley et al., 2009).”

“Generally the term ‘community garden’ refers to ‘open spaces which are managed and operated by members of the local community in which food or flowers are cultivated’ (Holland, 2004; Pudup, 2008; Kingsley et al., 2009).”

“…to date on the therapeutic role of community gardening, the gardening-related benefits in reducing psychological disorders e.g. against dementia (Simons et al. 2006), enabling stress recovery (Kingsley et al. 2009), or fostering cardiac rehabilitation (Wichrowski et al. 2005) are well known.”