For perestrain-friendly cities, many studies have tried to show the positive outcomes with different quantitative and qualitative analyses worldwide. However, there are almost no studies that focus on citizens’ points of view and how they experience these positive outcomes. Our study aims to fill this gap. We show that designing walkable cities can change people’s perception of space and have positive effects.

Our findings highlight how different features including sounds of flowing water, open seating areas, far-reaching views, and a variety of planting (colour, height, texture, scents, attracting wildlife) within a garden influence emotional reactions and perceived restoration. These findings help build a wider picture of the lived experiences of garden users and how their wellbeing may be influenced by specific garden features. We intend our findings to support design guidelines of public greenspaces concerning human wellbeing.