How green spaces can build neighbourhood pride | Tenant news

Gardens and green spaces do more than brighten up a neighbourhood — they bring people together, support health and wellbeing, and help create places where people feel proud to live.

Even without a large garden, you can make a difference by adding colourful pots, maintaining a front garden, or helping care for shared outdoor spaces to create a more welcoming neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood pride

The way our neighbourhood looks can have a real impact on how we feel about living there. Colourful flowers, tidy communal areas and well-maintained gardens create a welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike.

Looking after the area around your home can also encourage others to do the same. Whether it's watering a planter, keeping shared paths clear or helping to maintain a communal garden, small actions can make a big difference and help create neighbourhoods that everyone can enjoy.

Even if you don't have your own garden, you can still play a part by helping to care for shared outdoor spaces and treating them with respect.

Health and wellbeing

Spending time outdoors has been shown to benefit both physical and mental wellbeing. Gardening is a great way to stay active, while being around plants and green spaces can help reduce stress and improve your mood.

If you don't have your own garden, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy nature. A walk around your neighbourhood, a visit to a local park or simply sitting outside and enjoying the fresh air can all help you feel more connected to the outdoors.

Many community gardens also welcome volunteers, offering the chance to meet new people, learn gardening skills and help care for shared green spaces.

You can find a community gardening group near you using the RHS Find a Group map or search for volunteering opportunities on the Good to Grow community garden map.

Building community

Gardens and shared green spaces often bring neighbours together. They can become places to stop for a chat, admire someone's flowers or swap gardening tips. These everyday conversations help people get to know one another and create a stronger sense of community.

Looking after shared spaces together can also build a sense of ownership and pride, making neighbourhoods more enjoyable places to live for everyone.

The benefits of green spaces are perhaps best summed up by Joe, a tenant at our Bramston Close scheme, who has lovingly created and maintained a beautiful garden at his home. Speaking about what his garden means to him, he said: "My garden is my space to sit and feel good about life and appreciate the green grass and all the nature that surrounds me. It's nice to have a room outside."

Summer competition

If you're proud of the flowers and plants around your home, why not take part in Habinteg's 2026 Flowers in Bloom Photography Competition?

Whether it's a colourful garden display, a favourite flower or wildflowers growing around your scheme, we'd love to see your photographs. You can use a camera or mobile phone to capture your favourite outdoor spaces and share what makes your neighbourhood special.

Children aged 12 and under can also get creative by entering our rock painting competition, with the chance to win a cinema voucher.

You'll find full details on how to enter, the prizes and the competition rules in your Summer Update magazine. Good luck!

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