Urban gardening – an integrative approach

Abstract

This paper opens the following question: Is urban gardening a fashion trend, utopia or our future? The aim is to examine the literature and practice to find the answers to the above question respecting the integrative approach. The goal is to compare those three aspects of urban gardening searching for the dominant one. Methodology is based on The World Café Method with participants who are experts from the fields of biology, chemistry and geography. Research results show that the future aspect of urban gardening has a primary and dominant role, although the aspects of fashion and utopia deliver interesting impulses provided by interdisciplinary approach. The contribution of the paper is multidimensional. On the theoretical level, it provides an overview of urban agriculture and gardening. On the empirical level, it reflects complexity of urban gardening and its importance for the future. On both levels, this paper raises the awareness of sustainability.

Keywords

• urban agriculture
• sustainability
• world café method
• interdisciplinary approach