Recommendations for policy and practice to improve the ecosystem services derived from domestic gardens
Domestic gardens (yards) are common in many cities, particularly in more affluent suburban areas. They can constitute a significant proportion (22–36 %) of the entire urban area (Cameron et al. 2012) and for example, within Europe 56 % (Spain) to 90 % (UK, Netherlands) of residential properties include outside space (Coisnon et al. 2019). Originally, gardens (public and private) were linked with religious faiths and associated with spiritual experiences, being seen as places of contemplation, healing and fostering ‘a oneness with nature’. But this raises an interesting question; how are today’s private, domestic gardens viewed? Do they reflect this ‘oneness’ with nature and provide a capacity for spiritual uplift?
Read more from Ross Cameron in the Journal of Urban Forestery & Urban Greening here.
