BLOG: Adaptive Gardening—Part 2

The first Square Foot Gardening class I helped teach was at Damascus United Methodist Church in Damascus, MD. After the class a woman approached me with tears in her eyes. She told me that her husband had recently been confined to a wheel chair and one of the things that made him saddest about the situation was that he could no longer garden.

When she saw how easily adaptable SFG was, she was so excited that her husband would once again be able to get out into the fresh air and garden. 

The occupational therapist at my mom’s assisted living facility and I have been talking about a table top garden (6” deep raised bed on legs which we discussed last week) or a salad table (4” deep raised bed specifically for very shallow rooted veggies like lettuces, radishes, ball carrots, greens, etc.) that would help the residents in their therapy.

Colorado State University, College of Applied Human Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy recommends gardening as a form of therapy. They suggest a “compact layout that supports mobility and reduces energy demands; sunny and shady areas that accommodate those that enjoy or are sensitive to the sun. A ‘sensory garden’ that features plants with a multitude of textures, smells and colors; Garden beds and work areas of different heights that accommodate people sitting in wheelchairs or standing; and Paths made of different materials including crushed gravel, flagstone, smooth and textured concrete that allow users to explore moving on different surfaces and to differentiate between garden areas when vision is limited.”

One only needs to look up terms like “horticultural therapy," “healing garden” and “gardening therapy” to find a host of university studies, journal articles and blogs about the benefits.

Lest you think horticultural therapy is a new form of therapy, according to the American Horticultural Therapy Association: “In the 19^th century, Dr. Benjamin Rush (1746-1813), a signer of the Declaration of Independence ... reported that garden settings held curative effects for people with mental illness.” Rush is considered the “Father of American Psychiatry” and a pioneer of occupational therapy. 

Of course gardening is great “therapy” for those who have a lot of stress in their lives and has been shown to reduce levels of cortisol (the stress hormone). 

Of course getting out in the fresh air and sunshine has its benefits. When I lived in Berlin, Germany for three years I didn’t realize that they didn’t supplement their milk with Vitamin D. Because my skin is so light, I’ve been warned to make sure I always use sunscreen. These two factors led me to get a SEVERE Vitamin D deficiency. I had many of the symptoms: bone pain, muscle pain, chronic fatigue, depression and weakness. 

Square Foot Gardening is the perfect fit for those who want to improve their health and well-being. If you would like to see a class on adaptive gardening (or even an introductory or continuing Square Foot Gardening) taught at your church, service organization or social club, let me know. I will help you set one up.