Uses, Functions, and Values of Home Gardens: a case study on the Greek island of Lesvos

Abstract

Gardens are crucial for numerous environmental, sociocultural, and individual reasons. Despite this, home gardens remain the least understood landscapes, especially on islands. With land use change and urbanisation impacting landscapes on small islands, home gardens hold the potential to mitigate these effects. This study aimed to understand the uses, functions, and values of home gardens using the Greek island of Lesvos as a case study. Drawing on an exploratory approach, twelve qualitative interviews were conducted with urban, suburban, and rural gardeners in and near Mytilene, Lesvos. An ethnobotanical framework guided the interviews, focusing on plant uses to understand garden functions. Thematic analysis revealed that home gardens serve multiple purposes, reflected in the functional diversity of cultivated plants. The presence of multifunctional plants highlighted the interconnected role of food production with symbolic and place-based values. Gardens had agricultural, ecological, recreational, and spiritual functions connected to gardeners’ personal and social values, creating unique garden landscapes. Home gardens, like islands, are unique in their spatiality and sociocultural dynamics, offering individual, social, and ecological value. In urban, suburban, and rural areas of Lesvos, home gardens provide havens for connecting to nature, culture, and identity.