Gardening is for everyone. And if you’re on the search for accessible gardening ideas for yourself or to help a loved one, you’ve come to the right place.

Gardens are such a blessing. We can enjoy the beauty of nature just beyond our door. We can grow the flowers and shrubs we love the most, enjoying their scents and colours, and we can spend time watching the wildlife our gardens attract. Gardening is a wonderful way to de-stress and relax.

But is this the case for everyone? What about those people – possibly members of our own family – who are struggling with their health and mobility? Can they delight in gardening too? With accessible gardening adaptations.

Here at Forest Garden, we want gardening to be something everyone can enjoy. We believe that with enough planning, careful design and the correct tools, none of our loved ones should be left out. That’s why we support Thrive, a charity that promotes accessible gardening as therapy.

In partnership with Thrive, we developed products to make gardening easier. Our Accessible Gardening range includes raised beds, table planters and troughs for those who find bending and kneeling difficult or for those who need to use a wheelchair in the garden.

You can read more about our work with Thrive here: https://www.forestgarden.co.uk/about-us/charitable-partners/

How to garden with a disability

The key is to think creatively! Take time to ponder the design of your garden and carefully assess if it can be accessed by someone with a disability, poor health or mobility issues. You may wish to consider:

🌱 Including a paved area in your garden for easy access.

🌱 Removing awkward steps and creating a gentle slope instead.

🌱 Making sure beds and plants are within easy reach.

🌱Removing obstacles like plant pots, which might be tripped over or bumped into.

🌱Selecting long-handled gardening tools for those who find it hard to bend, stretch, kneel or crouch down (some gardening tools are ergonomically designed to be easier to grip).

🌱And remember that taking breaks is really important!

Can people in wheelchairs garden?

Of course they can! Gardening can be a real joy for everyone. But you’ll need a garden that’s designed appropriately with paved areas and firm, wide paths. Raised garden beds at the correct height and orientation are also essential. Again, long-handled tools (e.g., for pruning) are a must.

Why not have a look at Forest Garden’s raised planters and troughs, designed for accessible gardening? These include a Deep Root Planter, a Toulouse Planter with an attractive trellis for climbers, a pretty Kitchen Garden Trough, and a Large Kitchen Garden Planter. All of these planters and troughs have been designed to be easily accessible, and to take the strain out of gardening. You can see these products, and much more, here: https://www.forestgarden.co.uk/product-category/planting-growing/accessible-gardening-planters/

Remember that if you’re trying to weed a bed from a seated position, then bending and twisting are involved, which can sometimes be a strain. To prevent injury, always warm up with a few gentle exercises like arm stretches and shoulder rolls, and wear warm clothing. Don’t forget to pace yourself and take regular breaks.

How can I make gardening easier for the elderly?

The previously mentioned tips are highly relevant to elderly gardeners too, whose vision and mobility may be impaired. You’ll want to include raised beds and planters, a well-designed garden that’s easy to access (without tripping hazards) and tools that are light and easy to grip.
Here are a few more tips:

🌱Planters that are closer to waist height might be more appropriate for the elderly, to save bending, e.g., Forest Garden’s Deep Root Planter and Kitchen Garden Planter.

🌱Installing handrails beside steps is always advisable.

🌱Having a rest area in the garden with a sturdy seat is a good idea – preferably in a sheltered spot to avoid sun, wind and rain. Our Harvington Bench or Kuba Chair are strong and hard-wearing.

🌱Don’t forget to reuse old furniture in the garden; old tables and chairs can be used to display plant pots, so they’re raised off the ground.

🌱A drip watering system for borders and pots might remove some of the hard work. Otherwise, choose hardy plants that can tolerate drought conditions, if watering is becoming burdensome.

What is the best garden for the elderly?

A low-maintenance garden is the most practical kind of outdoor space as we get older. As well as the accessible gardening points we’ve already covered, you may like to bear in mind:

🌱The size of your garden/plot – keep it small! If it’s a larger garden zone off an area for wildlife and focus on a small easy-to-manage area.

🌱Including plenty of greenery and groundcover, so that weeding is minimised.

🌱Choosing hardy plants that are easy to grow.

🌱Using flowering shrubs which involve less work than some flowers.

🌱A small herb garden at a raised level is ideal as you can enjoy eating your produce too.

🌱And don’t forget to include that rest area for when you feel tired!

The charity Thrive can offer advice to stroke survivors, those who are visually impaired, people suffering with dementia and the elderly on the best way to tackle particular gardening jobs. Thrive’s equipment and tool finder can even locate specific products that are ideally suited to a person’s needs.

You can order various publications from Thrive, and they provide information on gardening with a disability on their website: https://www.thrive.org.uk/get-gardening

We’re delighted to be working with this wonderful charity, and we hope that you and your loved ones will benefit from this partnership and will be able to enjoy accessible gardening long into the future.