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

TLDR

The study investigates how a Port Melbourne community garden enhances health, wellbeing, and nature contact for urban residents. The authors conducted semi‑structured interviews with ten garden members to explore perceived health and wellbeing benefits. Members reported that the garden provides a sanctuary, social support, a sense of worth, and spiritual, fitness, and nutritional benefits, indicating broad health and wellbeing advantages that should inform policy and practice. Keywords: health, wellbeing, urban, community garden; acknowledgements to Rebecca Marsh and the ‘Dig In’ garden members.

Abstract

Abstract This paper reports on a research project undertaken with members of a community garden in Port Melbourne, Australia, to investigate the ways in which such a facility contributes to the enhancement of health, wellbeing and contact with nature for urban dwellers. Ten members from an urban community garden were interviewed using qualitative semi‐structured questions exploring perceptions of health and wellbeing benefits associated with membership. The garden was felt by members to be a sanctuary where people could come together and escape daily pressures, a source of advice and social support, and a place which gave them a sense of worth and involvement. Members also identified spiritual, fitness and nutritional benefits arising from participation in the community garden. It is evident even from this small qualitative study that community gardening offers many health and wellbeing benefits to members. This study provides a basis for the benefits of community gardens in Australia to be taken into account by policy‐makers and practitioners to enhance urban community health and wellbeing. Keywords: healthwellbeingurban and community garden Acknowledgements The authors thank Rebecca Marsh for her contribution to the research on which this article is based. The authors would also like to thank the ‘Dig In’ community garden members for participating in this project.