About the Project

This study aims to explore the potential for home growing in increasing participants connection with food and connection with nature. The study will also explore the impact of partaking in home growing exercises on participants health and wellbeing as there is increasing evidence that exposure to plants and time spent gardening is beneficial to health and wellbeing ​(Thompson, 2018)​. Through these connections, the study will also investigate the role of home growing in fostering participants pro-environmental behaviour change.

The proposed study uses Kim, (2017)’s Foodprint reduction model (Figure 1), which proposes a cyclical process of promoting low-carbon food behaviours through community growing. Kim (2017)’s empirical research found that participants increase their environmental awareness, food self-sufficiency, shopping habits, dietary choices and waste management through involvement in community growing. We aim to extend this research by further including the impact this intervention has on the individual’s health and well-being.

The proposed research aims to invite staff within the NHS Scotland to grow edible plants at home and track their relationships with food, nature, health, wellbeing and the environment over the growing timeframe. We propose the growing to occur within people’s homes, for example of a windowsill, to ensure we are inclusive and extend growing edible plants to those who may not have access to a private outdoor space, such as a garden. We recognise a strength in community garden model is the opportunity to socialise, therefore, we propose growing the ingredients for herbal teas and inviting participants to come together to share their experiences over a cup of home-made tea at the end of the project. (potential to also open up a communication space for participants to discuss their growing as they go- e.g., through a WhatsApp group).