Interview Data

Population ageing elevates the importance of everyday community green spaces for mobility, sociability, and well-being, yet existing policies seldom translate into implementable design. This study advances a practice-ready, three-tier modular strategy for ageing-friendly landscapes, organised as Basic, Standardised, and Advanced packages. The framework links four behaviour-oriented modules, resting and socialising, physical exercise, intergenerational activities, and walking with a layered planting system that combines framework, structural, and complementary species. Applying the strategy in real-world communities and refining it with resident feedback shows that planting is a flexible lever for measurable gains in use quality. Shade, visual permeability, mosquito control, and seasonal–sensory cues such as fragrance and long flowering periods increased willingness to stay, while simple water features with clear safety edges and frequent resting points supported comfort and extended dwell time. Preferences vary by age and gender, enabling targeted configuration of module level and planting mix across sites. The output is a resident-informed catalogue of adjustment items and tiered templates that planners can phase to budget and maintenance capacity. By bridging policy intent and on-the-ground delivery, the study provides a scalable pathway for equitable ageing in place in China and comparable urban contexts.