COMMUNITY GARDENING: PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS ROOFTOP GARDENS

Abstract

Community gardening in Singapore has been one of the continuous greening movements that has spearheaded through the ‘Community in Bloom’ initiative by the National Parks Board throughout the years. In line with the 2030 Singapore Green Plan vision, more skyrise greenery would be integrated within buildings as a means for the public to be closer to nature. One such method of skyrise greenery is through the intensive rooftop gardens. As the interest in gardening increases within the local community, the demand for more gardening areas has been an ongoing issue for most residents, especially those residing in public housing estates. One such solution is the integration of community gardening with rooftop gardens. Since it is still a new concept, there is a need to understand the public perception and effectiveness of rooftop community gardens.

The study aims to find out the public receptiveness of such rooftop community gardens through a qualitative and a quantitative approach. A total of 133 respondents completed the set of 33 survey questions. Around 13 volunteer gardeners were interviewed for a focus group discussion from Jurong Central Zone 4 Sky Garden and Kim Tian West Giving Garden. The result of the study showed an overall positive feedback of rooftop community gardens based on the perceived benefits and challenges. Suggestions related to innovative technology integration for community gardens were also briefly covered.