Sensory Gardens in Urban Open Spaces as Tools for Inclusion, Multifunctionality, and Environmental Quality

A Bibliometric Overview of Scientific Production

Abstract

Objective – To map and analyze, through a bibliometric approach, national and international scientific production on sensory gardens, focusing on contributions to discussions about accessibility, multifunctionality, and environmental quality in urban open spaces.

Methodology – This is a quantitative research study, using a bibliometric approach based on data extracted from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The RStudio® software, along with its Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny tools, was used for data processing, analysis, and visualization, resulting in 61 studies selected after a refinement process.

Originality/Relevance – The study addresses a gap in the literature by proposing an integrated view of sensory gardens linked to sustainable and inclusive urban planning, articulating dimensions that are commonly analyzed in isolation, such as accessibility, therapeutic functions, and environmental quality.

Results – The data show a growth in scientific production on the topic, especially after 2016, with a predominance of studies focused on well-being and therapies. A concentration of occasional authors, thematic dispersion, and the absence of systematized urban approaches were also identified.

Theoretical/Methodological Contributions—The research contributes to consolidating the field by systematizing the main trends, terms, and authors that make up the current scientific production. Methodologically, it reinforces the use of bibliometrics as an effective tool in interdisciplinary studies.

Social and Environmental Contributions – The findings reinforce the potential of sensory gardens as instruments of social inclusion and promotion of urban health, highlighting their applicability in projects aimed at expanded accessibility, sustainability, and well-being in contemporary urban environments.