Urban horticulture
Urban horticulture is the cultivation and management of plants in cities, from food gardens to ornamental landscapes and green infrastructure.
Community gardening: Shared cultivation of plants by people who manage a garden collectively. Residents use shared plots to grow food, build local ties, and care for urban land.
Container gardening: Growing plants in pots or other confined vessels rather than directly in the ground. Containers let cultivation happen on balconies, paved yards, and other soil-free sites.
Horticulture: The science and practice of cultivating plants for food, ornament, and other uses. Urban horticulture is a place-specific branch of this broader practice.
Ecosystem services: Benefits that people obtain from ecosystems, including regulation, provisioning, and cultural benefits. Urban vegetation can provide shade, habitat, food, and other measurable benefits.
Vertical farming: Crop production in stacked layers within controlled indoor environments. It concentrates production indoors, unlike horticulture spread across urban open spaces.
Urban agriculture: Food production within or around cities, including crops, livestock, and related activities. It places urban horticulture within the wider system of city food production.
Raised-bed gardening: Growing plants in soil held above ground level within a bounded bed. Raised beds provide control over soil depth and composition where native ground is unsuitable.
Soil science: The study of soil formation, properties, classification, and ecological functions. Soil knowledge guides growing media choices and site remediation in cities.
Urban heat mitigation: Strategies that reduce excessive heat in urban areas through design and environmental measures. Trees and planted surfaces can lower heat exposure through shade and evapotranspiration.
Conventional agriculture: Large-scale crop and livestock production using established agricultural methods and supply chains. Its rural land base and distribution networks differ from city-based cultivation.