Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples

The Hofgarten is a green area in the old town of Augsburg. It is part of the former prince-bishop's residence rebuilt in the 18th century and was built between 1739 and 1744 by Johann Caspar Bagnato (Ref. 1). The park was reconstructed in 2006 providing a barrier-free access to the park for disabled people (Ref. 2).

The community garden "Les Hauts Sèment" is located in Rouen in the district of Lombardy, being the first community garden of Rouen animated by the city in 2011. It is "an educational garden which has been created and is maintained by the gardener in association with users wishing to invest in the association. It is supported by different animations" (Ref. 1 and 2, page 12).

The project was developed as an integration garden for the visually impaired managed by the "La Lumière" ABSL (not-for-profit organization) and for the children hospitalized in the Citadel Hospital and for people hospitalized in psychiatry (Ref. 1). On their large terrace, they installed several bins in height to accommodate the vegetables. This garden is used for hospitalized children but also for adults admitted to psychiatry who find activity and serenity there. Since March 2008, the patio adjoining the garden has been designed to allow visually impaired and blind people to garden, and even a small corner is designed specifically for them in the kitchen garden (Ref. 2).

The Parc Agrari del Baix Llobregat is located in the floodplains of the delta and lower valley of the river Llobregat, in the Catalan county of Baix Llobregat, in a central position within the metropolitan area of Barcelona. The territory of the park (nearly 3500 hectares), includes a rich traditional agricultural activity and comprises fourteen municipalities totaling about 818,000 residents. It is protected by a specific planning instrument and managed by the Barcelona Provincial Council (Diputació de Barcelona) (Ref. 1 and 9). The park acts as a green lung for the metropolitan area of Barcelona and at the same time as a pantry for Mercabarna, the large wholesale market that provides food and drink to the inhabitants of Barcelona and surrounding towns, although there is also production that is exported (Ref. 10). The Agrarian Park is the only one in the world so close to a large city and it promotes specific programs to preserve the productive values of the agricultural space and promotes quality local products and local consumption. (Ref. 10)

The educational project of a roof-top garden was integrated in the public primary school “Ferran Sunyer”, in the neighborhood of Sant Antoni, Barcelona. The project has motivated pupils to enter the world of urban horticulture, creating synergies with other lectures and has been well received by teachers and parents. This initiative aims to recover nature-appreciation values in children through the maintenance of a rooftop garden and orchard (Ref. 1). The rooftop school orchard has been featured in many videos in international media (Ref. 5).

The Hort de la Masia de l'Antic Jardí Botànic is located within the city’s largest inner-city park Montjuic. It has been founded in 2008 by an association of volunteers and is supported by public and private entities. The garden is co-management by members of the association and a professional gardener. Its major objective is the maintenance and reproduction of traditional landraces (Ref. 2). The task of the Citizen's Commission of Support of the Botanical Garden, presided by Pere Duran, was supported by the promotion work from the Botanical Institute. It was therefore a necessity generated by a local group of people (citizens) that developed into an implementation plan (Ref 1).

This is a co-management initiative fostered by the City Council of Barcelona that aims to involve civil society in defining, installing and managing unused spaces across all districts of the city. The city council provides temporary use for public entities or non-profit associations to develop temporary uses and activities (from one year to three renewable years) in order to promote social activism and cohesion in the neighborhood. Most part of activities are social urban gardens (Ref 1). The initiative had 2 editions, with 12 projects in the first one (2013) and 5 projects in the second one (2015) (Ref. 12). One of the most popular projects is the community gardens such as ConnectHort, in Poblenou, dedicated to permaculture, which has allowed the restoration of an abandoned area through sustainable urban agriculture practices (Ref. 12). Another project, the Illa dels Tres Horts project in the Font de la Guatlla neighborhood, is an orchard where work is done with vulnerable groups and allow the recovery of vulnerable species (Ref. 12)

The scheme of the single storey extension building ‘the Irene Kennedy Centre’ (Wirral Churches’ Ark Project, known as, Wirral Ark; a registered charity) includes a sedum roof which provides a more pleasant outlook from the existing upper floor bedrooms, whilst also maximizing environmental potential. (Ref. 1)

As part of their school curriculum, engineering students from the engineering school "ESIGELEC" (École supérieure d'ingénieurs en génie électrique, in english Graduate School of Electrical Engineering) had to carry out a Project of Initiative and Creativity. They have chosen to build an indoor garden with an intergenerational component in the Lamauve retirement residence in Rouen in collaboration with Saint-Léon primary school (Ref. 1).

Green space created behind Rock Ferry library on unused land. The plot of unused land, owned by the Wirral Council, signed a lease with the 'Grow Sow Well' project to run a volunteering scheme and sessions for the community (particularly aiming to help people with mental health issues). Grow Sow Well worked with residents, schools and community groups, bringing people together to celebrate their area and increase awareness of healthy eating and food production. (Ref. 1, 2) This lease has was transferred to the organisation called the Utopia Project (works with young people and includes horticulture). (Ref. 8)