Understanding community garden volunteers’ well-being transformation : an exploratory study from a liminality perspective

Abstract

Urban gardens offer a shared environment where volunteers engage in collective cultivation, bringing both physical and psychological benefits. This study explores the well-being transformations experienced by volunteers in a community garden in Southern England through the conceptual lens of liminality. Drawing on qualitative data from sixteen semi-structured interviews, the research investigates how temporary detachment from daily roles and immersion in a shared physical and social space contributes to transformative well-being. The findings reveal that community gardens function as liminal spaces where volunteers experience both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. The study contributes to the theory by advancing the application of liminality in urban leisure contexts and bridging it with well-being research. It offers a novel conceptual model that illustrates the cyclical nature of well-being development in liminal spaces. These insights extend current understanding in leisure studies, liminal experiences and environmental psychology while providing practical implications for community planning, volunteer management, and mental health promotion. The research underscores the transformative potential of community gardens and the importance of bringing sustainability that fosters both individual and collective flourishing.