Participation in community gardening: Sowing the seeds of well-being

• Published in: Canadian journal of occupational therapy (1939) p. 8417421994385
• Main Authors: Suto, Melinda J, Smith, Shelagh, Damiano, Natasha, Channe, Shurli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.06.2021
• Subjects: Community-based participatory research; Qualitative research; recherche participative communautaire; Belonging; Mental health; hortithérapie; santé mentale; Horticultural therapy; appartenance recherche qualitative
• ISSN: 1911-9828
• DOI: 10.1177/0008417421994385

Sustaining well-being challenges people with serious mental health issues. Community gardening is an occupation used to promote clients' well-being, yet there is limited evidence to support this intervention. This paper examines how facilitated community gardening programs changed the subjective well-being and social connectedness of people living with mental health issues. A community-based participatory research approach and qualitative methods were used with 23 adults living in supported housing and participating in supported community gardening programs. A constructivist approach guided inductive data analysis. Participation in community gardening programs enhanced well-being through welcoming places, a sense of belonging, and developing positive feelings through doing. The connection to living things and responsibility for plants grounded participants in the present and offered a unique venue for learning about gardening and themselves. Practitioners and service-users should collaborate to develop leadership, programs, places, and processes within community gardens to enhance well-being.