Social sustainability in private gardens – a scoping review

Private gardens constitute a substantial share of urban green space, yet their contributions to sustainability remain insufficiently synthesised. While ecological functions of gardens have been extensively studied, the economic and social dimensions have received limited systematic attention. Focusing on social aspects, this scoping review examines how social sustainability is framed and discussed in relation to private gardens. Our study aims to map the existing field while providing conceptual clarity for future research. In a scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) of literature retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science (July 2024) 29 studies were identified, covering publications from 2007–2024 and spanning five world regions. The extracted text material was analysed using an inductive qualitative content analysis to identify recurring patterns in how social sustainability is conceptualised in relation to private gardens. Our results indicate that social sustainability in private gardens is addressed through six main categories, ranging from health and social ties to food, knowledge, nature relations, and identity. While health-related aspects dominate, other categories such as identity and human–nature relations remain underexplored. Geographically, research is strongly concentrated in Europe and North America, with limited evidence from other regions. Overall, this scoping review demonstrates both the multifunctionality and the fragmented conceptualisation of social sustainability in private gardens. It calls for broader geographical coverage, clearer conceptual frameworks, and attention to underrepresented themes to advance cumulative knowledge and inform urban sustainability policies.