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.
Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
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Denne historien er fra June 2024-utgaven av Kitchen Garden.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
SEPTEMBER SPECIALS
This month, with sweetcorn, figs and blackberries on the menu, Anna Cairns Pettigrew is not only serving up something sweet and something savoury, but all things scrumptious
FLAVOURSOME FRUIT AUTUMN RASPBERRIES
September - is it late summer or the start of autumn? David Patch ponders the question and says whatever the season, it's time to harvest autumn raspberries
SOW GREEN THIS AUTUMN
Covering the soil with a green manure in winter offers many benefits and this is a good time to sow hardy types, says KG editor Steve Ott
A HISTORICAL HAVEN OF FRUIT AND FLOWERS
KG's Martin Fish takes time out from his own plot to visit a walled garden in Lincolnshire which has been home to the same family for more than 400 years
RESTORING THE BALANCE
The phrase regenerative gardening is often heard in gardening circles, but what is it? Can it help you to grow better veg? Ecologist Becky Searle thinks so, and tells us why
WASTE NOT, WANT NOT
Garden Organic's Anton Rosenfeld shares his expertise on using compost made from green bin collections with handy tips on getting the right consistency and quality
Celebrating Organic September!
In this special section we bring you four great features aimed at improving your crops and allowing nature to thrive
SEEING RED
Do your tomatoes have a habit of remaining stubbornly green? Or perhaps you're lucky to enjoy lots of lovely fruits - just all at once. Either way, Benedict Vanheems is here with some top tips to ripen and process the nation's favourite summer staple
NEW KIDS ON THE BROCCOLI!
Rob Smith is talking broccoli this month with a review of the different types available and suggestions for some exciting new varieties to try
A NEW kitchen garden
Martin Fish is getting down to plenty of picking and planting on the garden veg plot, while Jill is rustling up something pepper-licking good!
