Gardening transcends generations. It doesn’t matter your age, because you can still find nature accessible to enjoy the magic. However, there are times when you may need to make adaptations to make gardening a more comfortable experience.
Raise it up
One of the most valuable additions to a garden in my opinion is raised beds. They have so much to offer and many benefits in the garden to improve accessibility. Whether you have limited space, or the wrong soil type, raised beds are perfect for planting with perfect growing conditions.
Fill the raised beds with peat-free ericaceous compost to suit acid-loving plants like blueberries. Also, it’s worth bearing in mind that most ericaceous plants are shallow-rooted, so they are prone to drying out. Therefore, it’s vital to be vigilant during the sunnier months to ensure the plants have access to necessary moisture. Add a thick layer of well-rotted organic matter like garden compost to moist soil to avoid roots drying out.
A huge benefit of having these structures in your garden is that they improve access if you have restricted mobility. They allow gardening to be more accessible because they reduce the need for bending lower. By installing raised beds, they can be made to suit the gardener’s needs. You can adjust plans to suit whether they are gardening from a stool, wheelchair, or kneeler.
Not only that, but they can help improve drainage due to the soil being raised above ground level. This can reduce the risk of waterlogging. However, it’s important to keep an eye on them in prolonged periods of drought as they may need more water.
The height will also deter rabbits from your crops. This means you will be able to enjoy your harvest of herbs, fruit, and vegetables easily.
Hanging higher
Hanging baskets can simply add beauty to the exterior of homes or fences and walls in the garden. But their practicality is often overlooked. Due to their height, hanging baskets are a great way to grow in containers with easier accessibility. Planting hanging baskets with ornamentals provides beautiful flowers and fragrance at head height, welcoming you home.
However, they are also great for growing crops like strawberries and tomatoes too. Potted strawberries can be planted at any time. Whereas bare root runners can be planted in early autumn or spring to give them time to establish and grow.
Out of cordon and bush tomatoes, the latter are most suitable for growing in hanging baskets. The foliage and fruit can cascade and tumble over the edge of the container. Tomatoes are hungry and thirsty plants so need feeding every 1 or 2 weeks during the growing season. Use a liquid fertiliser that’s high in potassium.
Water them regularly to keep the compost consistently moist. To make this easier on your posture, fill your watering can to a level that you can lift. This is particularly important when watering hanging baskets because you have to reach up and stretch to pour the water.
Practical pathways
When opting for the shape and materials used to create a garden path, there are some important considerations to consider. It’s crucial to remember the practicality of the path. Consider if your path leads to the shed or a greenhouse that you need to access often. Also, whether you will be carrying or transporting heavier materials. To make it accessible, you may want to steer clear of creating an intricate or zig-zag design. Equally, if you want to create a path where there is poor drainage, bark or woodchips would not be suitable.
Think about the path’s usage, if it’s going to be busy, or just a small walkway to a hidden nook. Consider its width, such as should be suitable for two people to walk side by side? Or whether it needs to be accessible to wheelchair users.
Similarly, in large grow-your-own plots like allotments, getting around the space without treading on crops is important. When planning your growing calendar, take into consideration the space to leave spare for access, to do maintenance and harvesting. This may not be much of an issue if the plot is long and thin, and accessible from the perimeter. But with larger or more awkwardly shaped spaces, walkways like garden boards or tiles are a saviour.
The magic of gardening is that it is accessible to all ages and abilities. By utilising and adapting your garden to suit your needs, you can grow flourishing flowers and have a bustling grow-your-own area effortlessly.
Find out how to build a raised bed in your garden:
Or check out my Pinterest board for more ideas:
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
Leave A Comment