Trees play a vital role in urban environments, and understanding people’s perceptions can help develop homegardens that enhance ecosystem services for urban well-being. This study explores homegardens as supplementary urban green infrastructure. We assessed tree structures and diversity in residential areas of Depok, West Java. Additionally, we surveyed people’s views on the functions and benefits of trees. Surveys were conducted in three Depok subdistricts—homegardens, green spaces, and roadsides—between August and September 2021. Prior to this, we distributed questionnaires across the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (JMA), including Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi, in September 2020. Our findings on trees (n = 235) revealed that there were 40 species of trees from 22 families. The roadsides had higher species richness, while homegardens contained more edible fruiting trees. The questionnaire results (n = 472) indicated that urbanization impacts plant diversity, with Bogor having the most diverse homegardens and Jakarta having the highest number of homegardens without trees. Most respondents recognized the importance of trees, though no significant correlation was found between their perceptions and tree benefits. However, respondents without homegardens valued trees for air purification, while those planting fruit trees did so primarily for harvest. This suggests land ownership fosters a stronger connection to plants and their functions. The diverse plant compositions in homegardens highlight their potential as supplementary urban green infrastructure, contributing to functional ecosystem services in urban areas. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025.