Promoting pro-environmental gardening practices: Field experimental evidence for the effectiveness of biospheric appeals

Pro-environmental gardening practices can help to address climate change and biodiversity loss. However, little is known about how urban garden owners can be motivated to engage in such practices. In the present study, we tested the effectiveness of behavior change techniques for the promotion of pollinator-friendly garden flowers in a field experiment. Over a period of three weeks, we observed purchases of a pollinator-friendly seed mixture positioned in the checkout area of a Belgian wholesale store (total number of purchases = 162). Customers were exposed to posters that highlighted either the environmental benefits (e.g., conserving insect biodiversity) or the personal benefits (e.g., having a beautiful garden) of planting the seeds. In comparison to a control condition, seed purchases increased by 82% when environmental benefits were highlighted. The effect of stressing personal benefits was not significant. Our results indicate that pro-environmental gardening practices can be promoted by highlighting their environmental benefits at a point of decision.     

色彩搭配在中国古典园林建筑中的应用探究

中国古典园林艺术博大精深，其中建筑最具地域性、人文性，而建筑色彩可以传递重要的信息。通过孟塞尔色彩体系分析法探究色彩在古典园林建筑中常用的搭配比例与现状，发现中国古典园林建筑的色彩多以红黄两种色系为主，结合现代园林设计，将红黄两色作为主要色系，并适当降低其明度，可继承与发展中国古典园林建筑色彩风格，为现代园林建筑色彩的应用提供新思路。     

从甘熙故居藏书楼谈我国古代藏书楼环境意象

文章从追溯我国古代藏书楼历史入手,以南京甘熙故居藏书楼的环境为视角,依照景序空间—理景形态—视觉评价—文献参照的古典园林品评模式品赏该园园景。对其景观空间的总体格局、构景方式、造园要素、整体氛围进行了阐述,并由此折射出我国古代民间私园中以藏书楼为主体的环境意象的审美特质,旨在以此引起社会对我国藏书楼园林环境历史价值的重视。     

苏州古典园林花木景观审美要素分析

花木是是苏州古典园林中魅力和特色的重要载体，是重要的审美对象。园林花木以其优美的姿态、缤纷的色彩、诱人的芳香、绚丽的变化、隽永的意境及人文内涵而充满诗情画意，让人产生深刻的审美体验，应在现代园林造景中加以借鉴。     

桂花在古典园林中的应用及现代启示——以可园为例

桂花Osmanthus fragrans作为主要造景植物广泛应用于明清时期的私家园林。东莞可园的可轩以桂花为主要元素营建，既展示独特的传统桂花文化，又显示园主人洁身自好的人格自信和高贵品格，以及对美好意愿和高品质生活期盼与追求。桂花的现代应用前景广阔，可以从古典园林中吸收精华，不断挖掘其文化内涵，丰富园林应用品种群及应用方式，发挥营造优美景观、改善生态环境、康养等多重价值；还可以华南国家植物园建设为契机，通过园林造景，营建具有科普价值和中国传统桂花文化内涵的专类或专题公园。     

What motivations drive foreign gardeners to cultivate? Findings from urban gardening initiatives in Lombard municipalities

This paper examines the motivations that drive foreign gardeners to cultivate a garden in Lombard municipalities.Motivations underlying urban gardening are inspired by social, health, environmental and food-related benefits. Several studies document these benefits with reference to the entire population of gardeners, while ignoring the specific perspective of each social subgroup, mainly because of a lack of data. This scarce knowledge is particularly evident for the subset of foreign gardeners, i.e., migrants moving to Italy for work and/or family reasons who decide to cultivate an urban garden in the municipality of their residence. In turn, this prevents municipalities from adopting urban gardening projects that are consistent with the specific requirements of this group.As the regional government has legally recognized the importance of urban gardens and financed their realization, the Lombard municipalities have promoted many of these practices in their territories over recent years. However, neither the region nor the municipalities have created a database of these practices or collected information on the motivations that lead people in general – and foreign citizens in particular – to cultivate locally.This paper aims to fill that gap by presenting some results gained from the elaboration of two questionnaires sent to both the municipalities and the gardeners themselves.Findings indicate that about 21 % of the responding municipalities promote urban gardening initiatives. Of these municipalities, less than one in five have at least one foreign gardener. Foreign gardeners come mainly from North Africa and Eastern Europe, most of them are over 40 years old, and have usually lived with their families in Lombard municipalities for more than five years. Their motivations consist of a growing interest in participation in local communities, breaching multiple relationships and enforcing participation. Conversely, they attribute little importance to sharing values and strengthening personal and social identities, or to preserving the social ecological memory of ancient practices. Finally, they frequently highlight the contribution of garden cultivation in reducing pollution and in reconnection with food practices, making access to good food a priority.     

Enhancing urban nature and place-making in social housing through community gardening

There is a growing body of literature examining the multifaceted benefits of community gardens for environmental and social wellbeing. While there are studies examining the increase of grassroots urban gardening initiatives in low income and vulnerable communities, there remains a need for research that explores the lived experiences of individuals in social housing communities with urban nature and community gardens. Individuals living in urban social housing may experience inequalities in access to green infrastructure both within their housing estates as well as the surrounding community. For the past two decades, the Community Greening program at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Australia, has implemented outreach initiatives to support the development and maintenance of community gardens in social housing communities in New South Wales. This article presents the findings from a study conducted with participants at six new community gardens built in social housing communities, focusing specifically on focus group interviews with residents and staff questionnaires to examine the perceived impact of the Community Greening program. The participants’ narratives highlight program outcomes across the key themes of community gardens as sites for knowledge generation and connection to nature, sense of community, and improving residents' sense of pride and public perceptions of public housing. The findings suggest that community gardens enhance green infrastructure in social housing estates and their broader urban locales by improving access to green space and promoting place-making in social housing contexts. We conclude with a discussion of the recommendations and lessons learned that may help to inform future policies and practices when setting priorities that promote social and environmental sustainability in social housing.     

中国山水画与园林自然审美价值关系初探

从中国古代有名的山水画入手,分析传统山水画中人与自然的关系,包括敬畏山水自然、人与山水自然亲近以及山水自然与人亲近三个层次,共同表示中国人心中理想的景观模式。在进一步探讨中国古代山水画与中国园林的关系的基础上,对中国现代人居环境建设提出指导建议。     

澳大利亚生态环境保护的经验与启迪

从政策法规、环境管理、生物多样性保护等方面,介绍了澳大利亚的环境保护与生态建设经验,提出应借鉴澳大利亚的做法,指导我国的生态建设和环境保护实践。