INTEGRATED EDIBLE LANDSCAPES: CELEBRATING MULTICULTURALISM AT BROOKSIDE GARDENS

Abstract

Cultural diversity is an integral part of twenty-first century societies. The planet is interconnected now more than ever. The effects of climate change are forcing people to leave their homes in search of better living conditions. When people immigrate to a new place, they take with them their experiences, their traditions, and their identities, including their preferred foods, but the raw ingredients that one is accustomed to may be difficult to access. One way in which public spaces can help individuals adapt to their new environment is by making a place feel familiar through integrated edible landscape designs. By growing culturally relevant edible plants in a public space, the feeling of being at home can be cultivated while at the same time increasing the availability of culturally relevant crops to foreign born persons dealing with food insecurity.