‘Garden’-What A Wonderful Word
Gardens! What a wonderful word! There is nothing like going out to that wonderful world of fresh, growing vegetables and plucking a ripe, red tomato! Add a green pepper from the pepper plant, pull an onion, a fresh small squash, a cutting of asparagus or two and a hot pepper and you’re set for the makings of an amazing salad!
I admit, I’m not the best gardener, but I do enjoy the journey. We have real sandy soil where I live, and some things just take extra care and expertise, if you will. My son, on the other hand who lives in another state has become the ‘garden guru’ of his community and extended family! He seems to be able to grow just about anything and has quite the extensive garden. So much, in fact, he says if he can’t obtain it from his garden, it won’t be included in his diet. (Excluding meat—-but he’s a hunter, as well!)
Many people garden. Some do for the sheer joy of being outdoors and ‘playing’ in the soil! Others garden out of the desire to reduce grocery expenses, and still others find a unique sense of peace and productivity when working there; whether it be pulling weeds, separating plants, watering or otherwise nurturing their gardening space.
From an outward appearance, we may think gardening is only for the non-disabled. We may not even consider someone who has any form of disability would be remotely interested in such a venture. But actually, gardening for the disability community not only happens, but is heartily encouraged!
So Many Benefits of Gardening
There are a good many reasons why those with disabilities should see gardening as a positive activity. Like all their non-disabled peers and friends, it’s a great reason to be outdoors. Fresh air and sunshine can improve mood and give us a feeling of connection with nature!
It helps us stay physically active. All people, regardless of ability need to be as active as possible! Raking, pulling weeds, and other activities demands a certain amount of dedicated ‘work’. Because of this, gardening enhances flexibility and requires use of muscles we sometimes forget we have until we’ve over used them, while at the same time giving us a purpose, being useful and productive.
Studies even show that gardening reduces stress and gives us a sense of responsibility. I remember years ago reading about an author who when she got stuck on a manuscript would find herself outdoors in the garden where pulling weeds was great therapy. In this ‘world’ she discovered her stress relieved and surprisingly would be able to solve the problem her story was giving her!
It’s true, the garden for a person with disabilities may ‘look’ a little different with raised garden boxes to accommodate a wheel chair, or even to eliminate bending or stooping, which even applies to an older person. (I love these kinds of boxes! I find them downright beautiful. They are neat and easier to keep weed free.) And there are likely other needs necessary to accommodate a disability garden, like specific tools, and containers on wheels, or tables at wheelchair height to accommodate planting and other activities, but they are totally maintainable, available or easily created.
Community Gardening
One different option to maintaining a garden alone, would be to become part of a ‘community garden,’ or sometimes known as a ‘P-Patch’ in my surrounding area, which provides a bonus of socialization. These are usually plots on city land or within organizations like 4-H or ‘Recreation and Parks’. But the space allows for volunteers to become caretakers of the garden which serves to provide vegetables for participants, with the added gift of making the area much more aesthetically pleasing!
Gardening! What a wonderful word and a beautiful picture! While it’s late in the season for planting, I encourage you to consider gardening, even if minimally. Buy a plant or three, sit them on your windowsill for sunshine, or outside on the deck, or even plant them in the ground. (Herbs are almost always available, as are many other plants.) Tend the plants by making sure sunshine reaches them, provide water and keep weeds away. Watch them grow and potentially produce a ‘bounty’ of something wonderfully tasty, and healthy!
Garden for the bounty it produces, time spent with friends while caring for it, exercise it enables, productivity and purpose it provides and just for the sheer joy of it! Happy Gardening!
#gardening #gardeningAndDisabilities #gardeningTherapy #GardenAWonderfulWord #GardensAreBeautiful #GardenBounty
#planting #communityGardening #GardenBoxes #exercise #productive #providingApurpose #minimalGardening
https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-community-garden-plot-image25278062