The contribution of co-cultivation of Mediterranean aromatic and medicinal plants to sustainable urban development

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have been known worldwide since antiquity, gradually gaining the interest of scientists, traders and consumers. Various cultures, thousands of years ago, studied their beneficial properties in medicine, nutrition and landscape architecture. Even today, the list of the roles of aromatic and medicinal plants is enriched by approaching all the sciences. One of the key roles is their contribution to the sustainable development of a city. Their utilization and use are not limited to their traditional organic cultivation, but innovative ways are being explored to deal with the modern problems people face every day. The co-cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants with each other and vegetables find application in urban horticulture, in the regeneration of parks, in the vertical and horizontal coverage of buildings, in the boundary of crops with vegetables, etc. It contributes substantially to the quality-of-life city. The present work uses SWOT-PESTLE analysis as a methodological tool to bridge the phases between the analysis of the current situation and the proposals for the emergence of co-cultivation, aromatic and medicinal plants, as an essential method of urban cultivation with a critical role in sustainable urban planning. The data used are derived from the literature review and field research in areas of Greece and Cyprus. The results highlight the different values of urban horticulture, in the Mediterranean countries. The research identifies the critical points of difference between the two countries. It proposes planning to encourage residents to cultivate certain Mediterranean food materials on balconies in front of their apartment buildings, in yards, etc. In this way, urban horticulture is strengthened to increase the quality of life and sustainable urban development.