Sensory gardens as a new form of urban green space in smart sustainable cities

Abstract

Sensory gardens have been known since antiquity, but they are becoming more and more important in terms of smart city development. The article presents a literature review on the diverse functions of sensory gardens, the concept of a smart and green city, and the sensory garden as a new form of urban green spaces (UGS). The aim of the research was to identify expectations regarding the development of modern gardens in urban spaces, in the context of a smart city. The primary data collection method was social surveys on the expectations regarding the development of parks and city gardens, carried out among the inhabitants of Poland and Russia. The studied sample had a total of 230 people. The research was conducted in January 2021 using an internet survey. The questions were both open and closed, and related to issues such as: (1) the most important features of gardens and city parks; (2) the definition of a sensory garden; (3) the main functions that gardens and city parks should fulfil in the future. The results of the conducted research confirmed the adopted hypothesis that sensory gardens as green enclaves with different functions constitute new, prospective forms of development of urban green spaces in smart sustainable cities. The social needs for urban green spaces are clear and reflect current environmental problems regarding the quality of atmospheric air and access to green spaces in the vicinity. The respondents agree that the most important features of gardens and parks include fresh air and the possibility of resting. Keywords: green city, sustainable city, smart city, urban areas, sensory gardens; smart green city, smart green integration, and smart gardens.