The Significance of Hobby Gardens in Urban Agriculture: A Bibliometric Mapping of Thematic Structures and Future Potentials

Increased urbanization in recent years has weakened individuals' connection with nature and distanced city dwellers from food production processes. Rapid urbanization, extended agricultural systems, and long supply chains have both caused environmental problems and brought additional costs. Urban agriculture stands out as an approach that offers solutions to these problems and facilitates city dwellers' access to food and agricultural products; it aims to meet the city's food needs within and around urban areas, using urban resources. Within the scope of the sustainability of urban agriculture, hobby gardens play an important role by increasing city dwellers' interest in agriculture and creating agricultural awareness. This study aims to reveal the intellectual structure, main themes, and research trajectories of the academic literature on hobby gardens using bibliometric analysis and scientific mapping methods. Analyses conducted using articles obtained from the Scopus database covering the years 1989–2025 show that the unifying element of the field of hobby gardening is based on the concepts of “gardening” and “human.” However, it was determined that the main driving force of the field is social and human dynamics such as “leisure time” and gender. This finding proves that hobby gardening research focuses on its role in human well-being, social life, and community interaction rather than a technical or agricultural focus. Nevertheless, technical topics such as “composting” and ‘peat’ were found to constitute a niche theme. Topics such as “urban planning” and “urban environment” were understood to represent a new research frontier for the field's future potential. This comprehensive map provides policymakers and academics with an evidence-based and strategic framework. The findings underscore the need for policies that support hobby gardens not only for their ecological benefits but also as vital centers for urban well-being and social resilience. The results of the study highlight the multidisciplinary role of hobby gardens in building sustainable cities.