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Community gardens have moved from marginal neighbourhood projects to fixtures of urban planning policy in many cities. Councils now frequently allocate vacant lots to resident-run growing schemes, citing benefits beyond food production. Studies of participants report increased face-to-face contact among neighbours who previously had little reason to interact, particularly in high-density housing areas where communal outdoor space is otherwise scarce. Proponents also note modest reductions in household grocery spending, though this effect varies widely depending on plot size and growing season. Critics caution that gardens can be short-lived if volunteer coordinators move away or lose interest, leaving plots untended within a year or two. Even so, planners increasingly treat community gardens as a low-cost tool for strengthening social ties in areas where public gathering spaces are limited.