GARDENS


themselves to nature scenes than urban scenes lacking natural elements.8


This


evidence has been taken as the basis for the formation of a new political consciousness in countries of the global north, where urban gardens are also used as agents for counter-neoliberal transformation in cities such as Rome, Dublin, Glasgow, New York City, or Toronto.9


Healing gardens Urban green spaces also have other benefits, such as: providing pleasant views for all people regardless of their ethnic status, age or economic capacity; promote access to renewable elements such as natural light and fresh air; create spaces for movement, entertainment and fun, which stimulate the five senses; encourage social interaction; link spaces in the city and promote collective identity. According to the World Health


Organization, spending time in nature improves mood, mental health and mindset. It has also been proven that exposure to green spaces can mitigate the psychological impact of climate change, promote physical activity, and offer opportunities for social interaction.10 Other research has presented evidence


showing the importance of creating efficient spaces focused on user needs because in this way it is possible to reduce the stress load. Urban green spaces create relaxing


and restorative environments, which are often seen as pleasant ‘escapes’ from high levels of stress, and facilitate rest for workers. We live in a world with high work, personal, and family demands, and with a fast-paced lifestyle that favours the appearance of stress. Research has shown that more green space in deprived urban neighborhoods in Scotland is linked to lower levels of perceived stress and improved physiological stress, as measured by diurnal patterns of cortisol


Figure 2. Maggie Center in Leeds/Heatherwick Studio. secretion11 ; this is important, because


increased cortisol is associated with stress and its excess alters the expression of numerous genes, affects the immune system, and has effects on numerous physiological processes. For this reason, alternatives such as


urban gardening are becoming increasingly established in cities: a strategy that provides opportunities for physical activity, contributes to improving the environment and encourages the consumption of homegrown fruits and vegetables.12 Another very useful option for stress


reduction is the use of healing gardens. Various human groups have historically used closeness to nature for physical and spiritual healing. Its integration into


Physical factors


Ecosystem health Soil quality


Ecosystem Functions and services


hospitals has a long tradition that dates back to the end of the 17th century, although its antecedents go back to Ancient Greece, with the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus. Between 1950 and 1990, open spaces in hospitals in many Western countries practically disappeared, but Roger Ulrich’s discoveries in the 1980s initiated a process of revaluation of green areas that grows day by day, with new research and findings. The inclusion of gardens in hospitals can bring benefits such as: reducing stress and pain by helping the body find its own balance; reducing depression, especially if movement is encouraged; improving the quality of life; helping the user to evoke their own healing resources; creating an


Management


Green infrastructure Allotments


Contextual framework


Conceptual framework


Governance Lifestyle


Physical activity Healthy food


Physical health


Psychological health Stress


The experience of urban gardening Contact with the soil


Community health Violence


Social cohesion


Socio-economic health


Valuation Figure 3. Associations between soil ecosystem services, ecosystem health and human health in urban gardening.12 92 IFHE DIGEST 2025


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