Planning a garden for disabled users
Gardens can be designed from scratch, but frequently they are re-created from an established garden. Often a few simple changes are all you need to bring new life and much pleasure to an existing garden.
Whether you are adapting an existing garden or designing one to make it more inviting and easier to work, involves making decisions. Who will use the garden? During what times of the day & year? What is the level of their disability?
There are many ways to change an established ground level garden to make it more user-friendly, to suit your physical abilities, needs & aesthetic preferences. The new garden can designed around, and incorporate, existing ground level garden beds, paths, fences, decks, patios, overhead structures (eaves, pergolas, arches).
A helpful starting point is to sketch a scale drawing of the site. Cut out pieces of paper to represent new elements (e.g. raised garden beds, containers, seating) and move them around until you find a pleasing arrangement, one that provides ready access to indoors, tool sheds, water, paths etc.
Assess the garden’s aspect i.e. the degree of warmth & shelter. Can the garden layout & plantings be improved to make gardening more comfortable? This is especially important for gardeners sensitive to temperature & light.
Once the garden areas & paths are suitably surfaced, gardening spaces can be incorporated or added using raised beds, planter boxes, pots & containers and vertical garden structures (pergolas, trellises, hanging baskets).
Decide on outdoor garden planting type: ground level, raised beds (of one or more heights), pots & containers (small to very large), raised planter boxes, vertical elements, window boxes.
Some important factors to consider:
Access from house to garden
Ease in getting around in the garden is an essential factor.
Design the garden so that all parts are easily accessed by a water supply.
Minimise your watering needs. Good strategies are to
Consider different tools & techniques to make gardening easier, so you can spend more time enjoying the efforts of your labour.
For example
Whether you are adapting an existing garden or designing one to make it more inviting and easier to work, involves making decisions. Who will use the garden? During what times of the day & year? What is the level of their disability?
There are many ways to change an established ground level garden to make it more user-friendly, to suit your physical abilities, needs & aesthetic preferences. The new garden can designed around, and incorporate, existing ground level garden beds, paths, fences, decks, patios, overhead structures (eaves, pergolas, arches).
A helpful starting point is to sketch a scale drawing of the site. Cut out pieces of paper to represent new elements (e.g. raised garden beds, containers, seating) and move them around until you find a pleasing arrangement, one that provides ready access to indoors, tool sheds, water, paths etc.
Assess the garden’s aspect i.e. the degree of warmth & shelter. Can the garden layout & plantings be improved to make gardening more comfortable? This is especially important for gardeners sensitive to temperature & light.
Once the garden areas & paths are suitably surfaced, gardening spaces can be incorporated or added using raised beds, planter boxes, pots & containers and vertical garden structures (pergolas, trellises, hanging baskets).
Decide on outdoor garden planting type: ground level, raised beds (of one or more heights), pots & containers (small to very large), raised planter boxes, vertical elements, window boxes.
Some important factors to consider:
Access from house to garden
Ease in getting around in the garden is an essential factor.
- Anyone who uses assistive equipment (crutches, walkers, wheelchairs) or who has compromised balance & coordination, will need firm paving to get around the garden.
- Grass, loose gravel & woodchips are unsuitable surfaces for paths & working areas.
- Provide adequate night lighting.
- Paths & ground surfaces that are smooth, firm, non-slip, non-reflective, and that provide good traction and minimal trip hazards are desirable.
- Ground surfaces should be level (maximum slope 1/20) and preferably well-drained and low maintenance. Such surfaces also provide a stable base for garden structures (containers, planter boxes etc). Examples are properly installed concrete, pavers, bricks, stone flagging & setts).
- Timber decking may be an option but it can be slippery when wet. Crushed gravel is an option if well compacted & drained.
- Paths should be wide enough to accommodate passage & turning, and sharp turns should be avoided.
- The slope of paths should be no steeper than 1:20; avoid steps.
- Areas such as patios that perform several functions (like outdoor dining, as well as gardening) should be large enough to allow access to all garden elements (e.g. seating, raised beds) allowing free movement for all who use the space.
- Incorporate hand rails & seating where appropriate.
- Consider making changes in the garden layout to enhance the ease with which you can move through the garden & access all elements.
- Add raised beds, planter boxes, & containers to the garden, bringing the soil level & plants up to a comfortable working height. Make sure they are set at a height that gives maximum arm comfort & flexibility.
- Minimise digging by making your garden a no-dig garden.
- Incorporate vertical structures to train plants against (pergolas, trellises, tee-pees, stakes) or espalier plants against a wall: to grow plants upwards, for easy tending.
- Hanging baskets suspended from overheard structures (such as pergolas or house eaves) can bring plants to a comfortable working level.
Design the garden so that all parts are easily accessed by a water supply.
Minimise your watering needs. Good strategies are to
- Improve soil structure (add compost, use an organic mulch such as leaf litter)
- Mulch the soil to reduce evaporation
- Grow drought tolerant plants
- Use large containers & raised beds as they dry out less rapidly than small ones
- add water crystals to the soil mix.
- Use a hose in preference to a watering can
- Use a lightweight watering can
- Have a hose reel on wheels which makes it easier to reach all parts of the garden.
Consider different tools & techniques to make gardening easier, so you can spend more time enjoying the efforts of your labour.
For example
- Try multipurpose tools such as those with interchangeable fittings.
- Long-handled secateurs that are controlled by the arm & hand may be easier to use than hand-controlled secateurs.
- Lightweight tools & light lawnmowers are available for mowing small areas of grass.
- Choose plants that are not fussy & tolerate occasional neglect.
- Choose a mixture of low maintenance plants and fussy ones.
- Visit your local nursery on a non-busy day & get advice about appropriate plants that grow well in your locality.
- Keep trees & shrubs near paths pruned, to prevent trip hazards & injury.
- Avoid growing prickly plants near paths.
- Consider a lawn alternative (convert the lawn to garden beds, use ground covers, or pave to use as a sitting area).
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