Some photos & ideas from some of my previous gardens.

Check out my my new gardening website "Accessible Gardens".

It's in the works and will deal with accessible gardening techniques and information for the physically challenged individual, interested in continued gardening or starting a new garden. You'll find home gardening ideas, photos and some day soon this site will also have a list of accessible Public Gardens in and around the Pacific Northwest & in western British Columbia, Canada.

A simple planting box for shallow root herbs, lettuces, beets and leafy vegetables can be constructed using  2 - 8' x 1" x 12" 's and 2 - 3-4' x 1" X 12"' form the sides. Screw together and reinforce with corner "L" brackets.  For a longer lasting box use galvanized screws to prevent rust. The base is a piece of plywood with holes drilled in the bottom for drainage. You can line the box with plastic or treat with a NON TOXIC sealer. This box was placed on saw horses for an easy reach. A 4 X 8 piece of framed lattice was attached to the box for upward growing plants, such as snow peas.  Light potting soil was then added. 

    Click on picture to enlarge.

Beans, tomatoes, squash and cucumbers to name a few plants, can be grown in large plastic "muck" buckets available at most hardware and home stores for less than $12. Drill holes in the bottom for drainage, fill with "light" potting soil. It is best to raise them up a few inches from the ground using bricks or boards.  Stakes, tomato cages or strings can be attached to support upward growing vines. Most flowers, vegetables and herbs can be grown in pots of any size, ranging from rows of 3" clay pots to plastic garbage cans for potatoes.

For easy reach, A PVC pipe extension with turn-off valve can be added from the original faucet and can be mounted higher up on the house or to the side of a gardening station. At a garage sale I found an old cabinet with drawers for storing my hand tools, pots and bagged soil. Light weight hoses with easy turn-on nozzles and storage rack make watering possible. A high directors chair provides a resting place.