Savage Gardens
Balancing Maintenance, Aesthetics, and Ecosystem Services in the Biodiversity Crisis Era
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13113241 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alessio Russo (0000-0002-0073-7243, Queensland University of Technology, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 170-170 |
| Publication date | 2024-10-11 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Urban Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2413-8851 • E-ISSN: 2413-8851 |
| Publisher | MDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT) |
| DOI | 10.3390/urbansci8040170 |
| OpenAlex | W4403334658 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 72 |
The escalating biodiversity crisis, coupled with the increasing frequency of droughts and anticipated water shortages due to climate change, necessitates a shift towards biodiversity-led landscape architecture, including domestic gardens. Traditionally viewed as high-maintenance spaces emphasising tidiness, domestic gardens can significantly impact urban green infrastructure and species richness. This paper explores the concept of ‘savage gardens’—untamed and natural spaces representing a fourth nature approach, incorporating wild gardens and neglected areas. Despite potential challenges in public appreciation, it is argued that savage gardens offer substantial benefits, such as reduced maintenance, increased biodiversity, and enhanced resilience to climate change. By reframing the perception of ‘savage’ from biophobic to a reconnection with nature, savage gardens are proposed as a viable solution for balancing aesthetics, maintenance, ecosystem services, and biodiversity in domestic landscapes, promoting a more sustainable future in the face of the biodiversity emergency
Aesthetics · Art · Biodiversity · Biology · Economics · Ecosystem · Ecosystem services · Environmental ethics · Environmental resource management · Natural resource economics · Environmental Science · Philosophy · Rangeland and Wildlife Management · Urban Agriculture and Sustainability · Urban Green Space and Health · Ecology
Plant awareness disparity
Messy Ecosystems, Orderly Frames
What will the neighbors think? Cultural norms and ecological design
The domestic garden – Its contribution to urban green infrastructure
Urbanization as a major cause of biotic homogenization
Global impacts of future urban expansion on terrestrial vertebrate diversity
Biodiversity impacts and conservation implications of urban land expansion projected to 2050
The Biodiversity Crisis – Planning for Nature Recovery
Environmental attitudes predict native plant abundance in residential yards
Cues to care
Tackling the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies by making peace with nature 50 years after the Stockholm Conference
The dark side of nature experience
Biophobia
Research gaps in knowledge of the impact of urban growth on biodiversity
Urban conservation gardening in the decade of restoration
Reading private green space
Landscape Aesthetics and Maintenance Perceptions
Why garden? – Attitudes and the perceived health benefits of home gardening
From savage to citizen
Domestic Residential Garden Food Production in Melbourne, Australia
Death Anxiety, Religiosity and Culture
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |