School gardens and student engagement: A systematic review exploring benefits, barriers and strategies

School gardens must overcome a range of challenges to be successful but are often lauded for fostering hands-on education and real-world learning. This thematic literature review synthesises 22 journal articles and two book chapters, extending on previous reviews by amassing their themes into one singular reference point for scholars, while simultaneously exploring ways to overcome the challenges associated with school gardens. Findings highlight that academic enhancement, environmental connection, and enhanced wellbeing (both physical and emotional) are the main benefits of school gardens, while the main barriers are time, funding, maintenance, and curriculum integration. Strategies for overcoming the challenges of garden spaces in educational contexts are identified which will be valuable to scholars and others seeking to establish and maintain gardens in schools.