Gardening is something that many of us enjoy – it’s a great way to chill out and relax, and helps you to keep your home looking as pleasant as possible at all times. What you may not have ever considered, however, is how a disability could impact your ability to properly tend to a garden space. Accessibility should be available to all regardless of condition, and this includes when it comes to looking after your home and keeping your garden looking in top condition, so here are our top tips for improving the accessibility of your outdoor spaces.

Pathways and Surfaces

First of all, you’ll need to make sure that you’ve got suitable surfaces – this is a fundamental feature in terms of accessibility, allowing people with difficulty with movement and those who require a wheelchair to easily navigate their outdoor spaces. Whilst you might think that it’s difficult to find a way to do this, the reality is that it’s quite easy and enjoyable if you have the right planning in place!

Flat paved paths and patios are ideal for creating a stable walking surface – you can use non-slip paving from Brett Landscaping to ensure that these are as safe as possible, with their materials reducing the slipperiness of the surface to ensure that you can walk around with the stability you need. These paths will also need to be level, but that should be a given provided that you’ve opted for a reputable landscaping partner.

Plants and Flowers

This may seem like an obscure one, but it makes a lot of sense – considering how, where, and which plants you place around your garden can have a huge impact on accessibility! Flowerbeds at ground level can often be a pain to access for those who have mobility issues, so raised beds, or adjustable beds, are a fantastic way to ensure that everyone can tend to their plants when they need to. Whether this is on a pull cord system that adjusts the height, or perhaps planting flowers in obscure items such as a wheelbarrow or barrel, there are lots of creative ways to ensure that your garden plants can be attended to by everyone.

It’s also worth considering which plants you choose to pot – some require far more attention than others, so you could look for low-maintenance plants if you want to keep the tedious work to a minimum. Investing in a staggered plant waterer can also be a huge help, as this will automatically give the right amount of water to the plants that need it.

Gardening doesn’t have to be an activity that leaves people left out in the cold because of their disabilities and, with a little bit of effort, can be an inclusive and enjoyable activity for groups to do together. Children and adults alike love to get into the nitty-gritty of planting in the flowerbeds and tending to the foliage that surrounds the garden, so it’s a great way to spend a little bit of quality time together through the summer.