Foreword -- Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: The emergence of shared gardens and self-built structures in European cities -- Chapter 3: The emergence of shared gardens and self-built structures in North American cities -- Chapter 4: The emergence of community gardens in New York City with focus on the South Bronx -- Chapter 5: The impact of stakeholders on the development of community gardens in the South Bronx -- Chapter 6: Organizing, planning and governing community gardens -- Chapter 7: Community gardens and self-built structures as a form of cultural expression -- Chapter 8: Participatory design of community gardens and self-built structures: Lessons from field experiences -- Chapter 9: Conclusion -- List of Figures.

The book investigates the development of community gardens with self-built structures, which have existed as a shared public open space land use form in New York City's low-come neighborhoods like the South Bronx since the 1970s. These gardens have continued to be part of the urban landscape until today, despite conflicting land use interests, changing residents groups and contradictory city planning. Both community gardens and self-built structures are created in a participatory design and self-built effort by urban residents and are an expression of the individual gardeners' preferences, their cultural background and the decisions made by the managing residents' group in regards to the needs of their neighborhood. Ultimately community gardens with self-built structures are an expression of the people's will to commonly use this land for open and enclosed structures next to their homes in the city and need to be included in future urban planning.