Harnett County Center
HOW TO MAKE GARDENING ACCESSIBLE TO ALL, 09/11/98
Having a physical challenge or handicap should not prevent someone from participating in the joy of gardening. With some thought and planning, it is possible to design garden spaces that fulfill almost every need.
RAISED BEDS
For those who have difficulty working at ground level, raised beds are a wonderful alternative. Something as low as four to six inches above ground level may be a great help to someone who has trouble bending. But they can be built even higher for gardeners who need to work while sitting or from a wheelchair.
Beds can be constructed from a variety of materials, including landscape timbers, railroad ties, concrete blocks, or treated wood. Good soil preparation, as with all garden endeavors, is critical. The soil should be well tilled and easy to work.
CONTAINER GARDENING
Container gardening offers many possibilities. Almost everything that can be grown in the ground can be grown in the right sized container. This includes bedding plants, herbs, roses, vegetables, and small shrubs.
Choose containers and plants of a size that can be easily managed. A sunny deck, porch, or patio is the ideal location for container gardening. Consider "landscaping" your space with plants that have a variety of colors, textures, and sizes.
Almost any container that will hold soil can be used. Just be sure it has drainage holes, and use a good quality potting soil.
ACCESSIBLE BY DESIGN
Accessibility can also be incorporated into an overall landscape design. Build wide, level paths. Use paving or ground cover materials that won't interfere with a wheelchair, cane, or walker.
Although you may not currently have anyone in your circle of friends and family who uses a wheelchair or walker, consider future needs. It's probably easier to incorporate some of these ideas at the start than to retrofit later. Wheelchair ramps, for example, could be seamlessly and attractively incorporated into the design, instead of being "tacked on" later.
The common sense approach of putting the right plant in the right spot is also applicable. Find out the full grown size of the plant and consider how it might interfere with walks, paths, windows, or entrances.
TOOLS
Many garden tools can be large, heavy, and unwieldy. Finding the right size tools could be all it takes to bring back the joy of gardening. Hand tools, such as trowels and hand pruners are a good option. Also look for good quality children's tools.
LOW MAINTENANCE PLANTS
If you are looking for a "no maintenance" plant, consider plastic, silk, and astroturf. However, there are some plants which do well with a minimal amount of maintenance. Centipedegrass, for example, grows relatively slowly, requiring less mowing, and little fertilization. Groundcovers such as ajuga and ivy require zero mowing.
Daylilies would be a much better choice than roses, which require regular sprays to control insects and disease. Slow growing trees and shrubs need less pruning.
SCALE
I think one of the keys to accessible gardening is to use the appropriate scale. Maintaining four large flower beds may be beyond the physical limits for some folks, but caring for one small raised bed, or even a single potted rose, may offer equal pleasure.
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