An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of a Year’s Allotment Gardening for People Living in Low-Income Areas of Nottingham, UK

The wellbeing benefits of nature are well documented. However, access to nature within the UK is not equitable, with those in low-income areas generally having lower access to public and private greenspace than those in affluent areas. This research addresses this disparity by using ethnography, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and photo-elicitation to investigate the lived experiences of allotment gardeners living in low-income areas. This paper provides a follow up with seven allotment gardeners living in low-income areas, a year after they started allotment gardening. Three Group Experiential Themes were developed from the analysis. “Commonness amongst all the other people”: Connection with allotment culture explores the connection the participants formed with the culture at St Ann’s allotments. “This one’s mine”: Empowerment through Ownership outlines the meaning participants gained from having control over a physical space and their own decisions. Finally, “You just lose yourself”: Tuning into nature highlights the deepening relationship participants gained with nature through a sense of presence and emotional connection with it. The findings demonstrate the value of allotment gardening over time within low-income areas and have implications for government policy by exemplifying the importance of allotments as spaces for community, empowerment and connection with nature.