Gardening with Allen: Ways to make gardening easier

My mother has become physically handicapped in her senior years but she still wants to be an avid gardener. Could you give us some things we can do to make gardening easier for her?

I commend you for encouraging your mother to continue her gardening activities in spite of age and disabilities. Gardening is a very fulfilling hobby for many seniors and others with disabilities. There are different ways to help depending upon her limitations.

Those with limited disabilities may only need adaptive tools to ease effort. Several garden tool makers offer hand tools with extended handles. Extended handles can be added to regular garden tools using plastic pipe.

I have used a kneeling bench to garden at ground level. It has a plastic covered metal kneeling platform a few inches above the ground with raised handles that make it easy to push yourself up. When upside-down, it becomes a seat.

Raised benches are the best way for those who are more limited such as wheelchairs. The best height for raised benches is 28 to 30 inches (table height) for easy reaching from a sitting position. This is also a comfortable height from a standing position. Long benches can be divided into several smaller areas to accommodate several small gardening spaces. Raised benches should be 6 to 8 inches deep to allow for roots.

The area around benches should be a firm surface such as compacted gravel or concrete.

You and your mother should work together in providing what she needs to be successful.

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