How are vegetable gardens used, managed and resourced in Australian primary schools? A mixed-methods study

Background: School gardens are an effective strategy to increase food literacy and to promote healthy eating and environmental health. However, barriers such as inadequate funding, time and training mean that many schools are not able to implement or properly utilize a school garden program. The aim of this study was to examine how school gardens are used, managed, and resourced in Australian primary schools. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used, with 111 Australian primary school staff completing an online survey and 13 Victorian primary school teachers participating in a one-on-one interview. Results: Ninety per cent of survey participants worked at schools with a food garden, but how they were used and how effectively utilized they were varied. Healthy eating and environmental sustainability were key focus areas of most garden programs, however, most teachers reported that the garden was not well-integrated into the curriculum. Ongoing costs of garden programs were reported to be low, however, lack of time and funding were the biggest barriers to effective garden programs. Reported benefits included positive impacts on general health and wellbeing, learning opportunities for important life and social skills and connecting children to nature. Conclusions: The findings indicate that targeted teacher training, leadership support, and sustainable practices could help to maximise the effectiveness of school garden programs. Future research should focus on exploring how the school system can be supported to develop policies and frameworks that enable schools to maintain and expand garden initiatives, as well as determining how different policies, climates and cultural contexts influence school gardens.