The Great Outdoors Part 2

Garden

When we think of the garden we generally see beds of shrubs and flowers. But when we consider accessible design for the garden we will deal with the hard scape. By hard scape we mean raised beds, water features, and walkways or paths. In dealing with the garden we must keep three basic things in mind: preventing falls, stability, and reach. Let's start with simplest of these which is reach. Reach involves primarily raised beds. We need to make sure that a raised bed is high enough to allow someone seated in a wheelchair to access the bed without leaning out too far. Now this rule would apply to any area one would need to reach into in order to maintain that area. Next, we need to address a way to prevent falls. To do this you have to avoid sudden changes in elevation that could cause tripping and sudden drop offs, which could be hazardous to wheelchair users. Last, but, not least, we come to the question of stability. For someone with an impaired ability to walk or who is in a wheelchair, a stable surface is very necessary. Areas covered with grass, sand or loose gravel do not provide the stable surface that people who are wheelchair bound would need in order to be mobile. Instead of using these unstable surfacing materials, consider using a hard-surfaced pathway or pathways made from compacted material, such as builder's sand, throughout the garden so that everyone, including the disabled, can enjoy the outdoors. And don’t forget to provide plenty of scattered seating for those who tire easily.