A Different Way to Stay in Touch with ‘Urban Nature’: The Perceived Restorative Qualities of Botanical Gardens

This study investigated the perceived restorative qualities of botanical gardens and their relationship with visitors’ well-being. The research involved 127 participants across four Italian cities who visited botanical gardens. Participants completed questionnaires assessing perceived restorativeness, psychological and physical benefits experienced, and subjective well-being.

The study found that the perceived restorativeness of botanical gardens significantly predicted visitors’ subjective well-being, both directly and indirectly through perceived physical and psychological benefits. The relationship between restorativeness and well-being varied based on socio-demographic characteristics, being stronger for single individuals compared to couples. These findings highlight the potential of botanical gardens as restorative environments that promote well-being and offer insights for promoting more frequent visits and fostering a more balanced view of human-nature relations.

Carrus, G., Scopelliti, M., Panno, A. et al. (2017). A different way to stay in touch with “Urban Nature”: The perceived restorative qualities of botanical gardens. Front. Psychol., 8, 914.