Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Apr 21:3:348-52.
doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.04.005. eCollection 2016 Jun.

The development of a model of community garden benefits to wellbeing

Affiliations
Review

The development of a model of community garden benefits to wellbeing

Victoria Egli et al. Prev Med Rep. .

Abstract

Community gardens contribute to community wellbeing by influencing the nutritional and social environment. The aim of this research was to develop a model that communicates the many benefits of community garden participation as described in the academic literature, to a diverse audience of laypersons. This model is an example of effective knowledge translation because the information is able to be more than simply understood but also practically applied. From April to August 2015, a model depicting the many benefits of community garden participation was prepared based on a global, critical literature review. The wellbeing benefits from community garden participation have been grouped into factors influencing the nutritional health environment and factors influencing the social environment. The graphic chosen to form the basis of the model is a fractal tree of life. In October 2015, to test the models comprehension and to obtain stakeholder feedback this model was presented to a diverse group of community members, leaders and workers from the Tāmaki region of Auckland, New Zealand. The model we present here effectively and clearly translates knowledge obtained from the academic literature on the benefits to wellbeing from community garden participation into a tool that can be used, adapted and developed by community groups, government agencies and health promoters.

Keywords: Community; Gardens; Health promotion; Knowledge translation; Wellbeing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Model of community gardens and wellbeing, black and white.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Model of community gardens and wellbeing, colour.

References

    1. Alaimo K., Packnett E., Miles R.A., Kruger D.J. Fruit and vegetable intake among urban community gardeners. J. Nutr. Educ. Behav. 2008;40(2):94–101. - PubMed
    1. Art McCabe J.D. Community gardens to fight urban youth crime and stabilize neighborhoods. Int. J. Child Health Hum. Dev. 2014;7(3):223.
    1. Berezowitz C.K., Bontrager Yoder A.B., Schoeller D.A. School gardens enhance academic performance and dietary outcomes in children. J. Sch. Health. 2015;85(8):508–518. - PubMed
    1. Buckingham S. Women (re) construct the plot: the regen (d) eration of urban food growing. Area. 2005;37(2):171–179.
    1. Ginn F. Dig for victory! New histories of wartime gardening in Britain. J. Hist. Geogr. 2012;38(3):294–305.

LinkOut - more resources