Journal
LOCAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 14, Issue 9, Pages 797-807Publisher
ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
DOI: 10.1080/13549830903166438
Keywords
community gardens; qualitative; physical activity; psychosocial well-being
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Funding
- Sarah Spencer Foundation for Social Sciences through the University of Victoria
- Saanich Volunteer Services Society
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Backyard garden sharing projects can be viewed as a small-scale alternative to traditional community gardens. These shared spaces are able to overcome some of the pressures on community gardens such as competing demands for housing and other services and amenities while still providing many of the health-promoting benefits community gardens are noted for. This study is a small-scale participatory qualitative project that explores three backyard garden sharing partnerships. The aim of this study is to explore the benefits and challenges of these shared spaces and to discuss the overall feasibility of shared backyard gardens. Partnerships comprised an older adult homeowner (i.e., greater than age 65) and a non-senior gardener. At an individual level, the results suggest that backyard garden sharing can promote physical activity, psychosocial well-being, and social connectedness for both older adult homeowners and volunteer garden partners. To be successful, partners benefit from an established agreement about what to grow and how to share the garden's produce. In addition, a dedicated project coordinator and a limited amount of community resources can ensure the viability of these small-scale projects.
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