A GARDEN FOR EVERYONE!

This month Hannah Reid shares her experience of redesigning a garden for those with a range of disabilities and how it has benefited them

- Hannah Reid

Gardening makes you happy. I know very well the benefits that gardening and being outside in nature can have on your physical and mental health. While there are things that can impact on a person's ability to garden -like age, disabilities, health problems due to accidents and illness and mental health problems - it is usually always possible to enjoy the garden.

Designing a garden that is easy to work in and enjoy will encourage you and others to get out more often. Working in a space that is adapted to suit specific needs, for example wheelchair access, can give people the confidence to still carry out the activities that they love and enjoy. There are quick adaptations that you can make in your gardens to make it more accessible. You can add accessibility ramps, raised beds and handrails on steps.

I've seen first hand the benefits that gardening has on people. I started working for a charity in September last year which runs a day centre for adults with a variety of health problems, including mental health, acquired brain injuries and learning disabilities. My role is garden supervisor and I help the service users with both practical and classroom-based horticulture. We have an amazing garden on site and since I started eight months ago, we have made several changes to the garden which make it easier for people to access it: making the garden available for everyone.

RAISED BEDS

One big change was having a garden all on one level. This makes it easy for those in wheelchairs or with mobility issues to get around. Having steps or uneven surfaces makes it almost impossible to have a garden which everyone can use and enjoy. While adding handrails to steps or ramps can help those with reduced mobility, levelling a garden means everyone can enjoy all the garden.