Gardening for disabled. Interested? Amateur.

I'm new to disability but I have always loved gardening. Only got a small garden but would like to share with you tips and strategies and what I have been able to do. I realise each will have their own limitations health wise and budget wise and garden wise or not. Can still garden indoors to an extent. As winter approaches and Christmas think of gifts and Spring next year. I find it always shortens the winter and have always found it fascinating that life springs from old brown earth. Any one interested or got good tips or interested in submitting ideas and tips. Go to forum and share your ideas. Hope springs eternal -a play on words.

Will as you are the one who has shown any interrest have tagged it on to what looks like very old gardening site blog. For your delectation a few thoughts on gardening for the disabled - tongue in cheek and knowing this site in installments! Well where do we begin? A name : The Naked Gardener! Raises expectations for the garden next year and the neighbours. Do not have potted plants, spillinng over every surface. No juicy Jungles. You want to appear needy, very needy - you want help! A gasping died out cactus should suffice. The sort of person you want passing the portals is the type who bought their Christmas cards in January in the sales and then proceeded throughout the year to bargain hunt suitable presents. All beautifully wrapped tthat youu don't want, don't like and will probably recycle next year.Start waxing lyrical over sexy secateurs, triumphant trowels and splendid spades.That you are desperate to have, in fact your very life depends upon them.Got the Message.No don't ask for a heated greenhouse. This is pushing friendship too far and we are only just out of a recession!

I will look into it and see if I can find anything on disabled gardeners on the inter-web.

There are loads of sites for amateurs but not a lot for disabled. Encompasses too many! But at this time of the year think bulbs. Lots in the shops and nurserries and they will want to rid the shelves prior to Christmas - groan! Or Bonfire Night and Halloween! Groan! Daffodils, narcissi,grape hyacinth, snowdrops, crocus,- small ones- daffs -jonquil and tete a tete plus hyacinnth. The laterr can be grown indoors. I use pots and containers because they can moveed round the garden and house. Outside I used multi-purpose compost and cheap earth packs if you are starting from scratch. Or the normal garden provided it has been turned over if impacted from Summer planting. Depending on your budget you can mulch or mix any sort of enricher left. I use up anything left from Summer 'cos it tends to get damp in my shed. I havve to rely on a friend now for the main garden but it will depend on individuals and your individual abilities. Pots need drainage and small sones or grrit at the bottom. Mostt people can find some in their acttual garden.

Plant the bulbs in groups not touching the sides of the container. As a rule of thumb the bigger the bulb the deeper it needs to go. At least 2 to 3 times depth, usually narrow top up. Make sure the bulbs are firm and free from mould! Gently firm down soil and if it's dry water. Remember bulbs are poisonous to children and pets. In containers make sure the small bulbs are on the outside and in the garden, small ones are at front and tall to the back. In containers you can layer them up frrom the bottom - ttulips first, then daffs, narcissi, and then near the top tete a tete,jonquil, muscari, crocus and snowdrops - any combination provided large to small. Indoors I grow heat-treated hyacinth bulbs and small daffodils in pots. I do use bulb fibre for this and you can use just fine grit. Put grit or bulb fibre in the container two thirds up to the top. Water. Place the bulbs with bottom third into the compost or grit and firm round. Place in the dark - airing cupboard etc.

When the green leaves show above the surface about 2-3 inches bring them into the light. Remember if you have a warm house to keep damp and by Christmas you should have blooms. Obviously in the garden it will be longer and it will depend on the shelter in your garden or where you live but by early spring to spring you should see the frruits of your labours. Beautiful blooms from brown earth. It helps shorten the winter months!

Had a little mooch on the inter-web and come across this site that might be interesting for you.

www.carryongardening.org.uk/top-tips-for...abled-gardeners.aspx

hello my name is charlie. i live in ohio. and was an avid gardener before my stroke and still try to do what i can so i would love to hear from you

Hi I was also an acid gardener while I could still walk. I wrote and published an ebook titled "Food Gardening" it and the rest of my 40 ebooks are listed on Philduke.weebly.com. If you prefer I will send any ebook free.

Best regards,

Phillip Duke Ph.D.

there is alsoGardening with a Disability part of the rhs website. My first time on this thread and why the heck won't it let me put the quote first? why when I hover the mouse can i not see the cursor?

BUBBADOG14 wrote: Had a little mooch on the inter-web and come across this site that might be interesting for you.

www.carryongardening.org.uk/top-tips-for...abled-gardeners.aspx

Hello Charlie. I too am an avid gardener and also disabled. I tend to use lots of containers and in the main garden. evergreens, roses, clematis, iris, gladioli. hydranga, lillies, spring bulbs, honey suckle. I was lucky because I had established the garden prior to my disability and a lot remains. Strong pruning needed Autumn and Spring to keep under control. My garden is not big enough for vegetables but I am thinking of growing small fruit trees in large pots. Lavender is very forgiving and with the rest of the plants give a nice perfume. Adding herbs can also give intersting and varied scents. What sorrt of summer temperatures and Winter temps. do you have? Is the soil acid or alkali, stoney, clay, heavy or light? Which way does it face? What sort of rainfall do you get? If dry do you have an irrigation system or can you use a hose-pipe? What sort of garden do you want?What about a pergola for shade? Train a vine or trailing rose or clematis? How much can you do? Do you havve friends, family who can help you? Or local scout groups, volunteers who love gardening? Can you mow the lawn? I find the garden to be a haven, both in Summer and Winter. I encourage birds, by feeders, bird baths and stations and ornaments. Damp patches love Hostas, and ferns or grasses. Strategically placed rocks, stones and pebbles help to give texture and lessen the need for actual planting. It all depends on your mobility and what you want to achieve. And your budget. And time available. I use a lot of different size planters to move around to give colour, texture etc. according to the seasons. My mobility is poor but I can ask friends to shift things around the gaarden. I can plant up and dead head etc. even prune lower growing shrubs from a chair . A partly walled garden does help-not so much bending down. Have you thought of a wild flower garden for butterflies and insects. This needs little care and the insects, birds do the work and help pollinatee other plants in the garden. Plus giving the wildlife a habitat. I wish you well. Out of brown earth comes colour, perfume and new life.

Does your dog like wildlife and birds? How does he or she behave in the garden. Very important!