No matter what your age or physical ability, gardening can be quite challenging. But it doesn't have to be a struggle. A perfect example of that is found in Chicago's Botanic Garden. This is a place where barriers are eliminated for people who thought they couldn't garden. Here, plants are positioned in a safe, barrier-free way. Raised beds and containers are used at different heights--from six inches to up to 18 inches. Some ledges are wide, while others are thin. Some are cut out at the bottom for your feet--there is a toe space that you can slide your feet into, getting right up against the wall and using it for support. It's not just design. The plant selection also plays a key role in stimulating the senses. A great effort is made to find plants with multi-season interest and/or sensory aspects such as fragrance, texture and color. Even ornamental grasses throughout the garden introduce movement and sound. Just touching these plants provides such a huge difference in texture from velvety to prickly. Bright, bold color contrasts are used, which are easier to see by folks with vision impairments, and the kids love it, too. For the taste buds, a wide variety of vegetables and salad greens are grown.

The soil is very important for healthy plants, and a light, easily worked mix is better for people with weakened hand grip (arthritis and so forth) to manipulate. The tools are a vital element in any enabling garden. The goal is to try to make every gardening chore easier. Whether someone needs a helping hand caring for the garden beds or with hanging baskets, there seems to be a tool for every need. So with good design and choosing plants and tools that match your abilities, there's no excuse. All can benefit from the beauty and spirit that enabling gardens offer. It's living therapy.




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