Category: garden

Inclusive Gardening 101: Designing a Sensory Garden for All Abilities

Creating a wheelchair-accessible sensory garden is a wonderful way to provide an inclusive and engaging outdoor space for people of all abilities. By incorporating a variety of plants, textures, scents, and sounds, a sensory garden can stimulate the senses and promote relaxation, mindfulness, and well-being.

A sensory garden with a variety of plants, seating area, brick paved, and several raised beds.
Sensory Garden by peter robinson is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.0

To ensure that the garden is accessible to wheelchair users, it is important to consider the layout, pathways, and surfaces. Wide, smooth paths with gentle slopes and non-slip surfaces can make it easy for people to navigate the garden independently. Raised garden beds and containers can also be used to provide opportunities for wheelchair users to participate in gardening activities.

In addition to being a beautiful and therapeutic space, a wheelchair-accessible sensory garden can also serve as an educational tool for children and adults alike. By learning about the different plants and their sensory properties, visitors can gain a deeper appreciation for the natural world and the benefits it provides.

Overall, creating a wheelchair-accessible sensory garden is a meaningful and rewarding project that can bring joy and enrichment to many people’s lives.

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“Safe Plants for a Sensory Garden”

A sensory garden is a wonderful way to engage all of your senses and create a peaceful and relaxing environment. However, it is important to choose plants that are safe for everyone, especially children and pets. Here are some suggestions for safe plants that you can use in your sensory garden:

  1. Lavender – This fragrant herb is known for its calming properties and is safe for both humans and pets.
  2. Sunflowers – These bright and cheerful flowers are safe for everyone and can add a pop of color to your garden.
  3. Mint – This refreshing herb is safe for humans and pets and can be used to make tea or added to recipes.
  4. Marigolds – These colorful flowers are safe for everyone and can help repel pests from your garden.
  5. Lemon balm – This citrus-scented herb is safe for humans and pets and can be used to make tea or added to recipes.

By incorporating these safe plants into your sensory garden, you can create a beautiful and enjoyable space for everyone to enjoy.

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A flowery tale.

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Once upon a time, in a far-off land, there was a giant talking pansy. Yes, you heard that right, a pansy that was as big as a house and could speak like a human. The pansy lived in a beautiful garden, surrounded by other flowers and plants, but it was the most unique and special of them all.

People from all over the kingdom came to see the giant talking pansy, and they were amazed by its wit and intelligence. The pansy loved to tell stories and jokes, and it could make anyone laugh with its clever remarks. It was the life of the garden, and everyone loved it.

One day, a wicked witch came to the garden and cast a spell on the giant talking pansy. The spell made the pansy lose its voice, and it could no longer speak. The other flowers and plants were devastated, and they tried everything they could to break the spell, but nothing worked.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, and the giant talking pansy remained silent. But one day, a little girl came to the garden and saw the pansy. She felt sorry for it and decided to talk to it. To her surprise, the pansy responded, and they had a long conversation.

2 purple and yellow pansies.
Photo by Rodwell Harinangoni on Pexels.com

The little girl realized that the pansy could still communicate, but in a different way. She told everyone in the kingdom, and soon, people came from far and wide to talk to the giant talking pansy. The pansy was happy once again, and it continued to tell stories and jokes, bringing joy to everyone who visited the garden.

And so, the giant talking pansy became even more famous than before, not just for its wit and intelligence, but also for its resilience and ability to overcome adversity. It was a true inspiration to all who knew it, and it remained a beloved figure in the garden for many years to come.

I can’t promise one of these will be able to talk, but they’d still look lovely in a garden. Simply Garden Pansy Swiss Giant Mixed Seeds Grow Your Own Plants https://amzn.to/3FyeotN

This post contains an amazon affilliate link. If you choose to purchase, then I may earn a small amount.

The Wizard & His Eggs.

Garden Time

What activities do you lose yourself in?

I love to lose myself in gardening. When I am working in the garden, every worry and stress just melts away, as I get lost in the task at hand. The smell of fresh soil and plants is therapeutic for me, and seeing my hard work pay off with blooming flowers or a bountiful harvest is so rewarding.

I love how this activity allows me to connect with nature and also gives me a sense of responsibility for taking care of something living. There is just something so satisfying about getting my hands dirty and watching something grow from what was once just a seed or a small plant.

Gardening helps me slow down and appreciate the little things in life while providing some much-needed exercise and fresh air!

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March, In The Garden

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In March, there’s lots to be done in the garden. As spring begins to take hold, it’s time to start preparing your soil for planting by turning it over and adding organic material like compost or manure. Prune any shrubs or trees that need shaping or have dead wood from the winter, but don’t prune anything that blooms in the spring as this will remove the buds. Remove any leftover leaves and debris from autumn to help reduce fungal disease and pest issues. If you’re planning on sowing seeds directly into your garden beds, make sure they are weed-free and clear of rocks so that conditions are favorable for growth. Additionally, consider starting some seedlings indoors if you haven’t already done so, making sure they receive plenty of sunlight and water. And finally, don’t forget about fertilizing your lawn to give it a healthy boost before summer arrives!

Two people holding trays of seedlings. Photo by Greta Hoffman on Pexels.com

Thrilling choices.

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Ah, nothing quite beats the thrill of wandering around a garden centre and playing God with the greenery. The feeling of selecting which plant to take home, debating the pros and cons of each one like you’re some wise sage deliberating over life’s biggest decisions – it’s all just too exhilarating for words. And let’s not forget the pure joy that comes from getting lost amongst rows upon rows of thriving flora; it’s like stepping into your very own secret garden (minus Colin Firth, unfortunately). So whether you’re an aspiring botanist or simply someone who appreciates pretty things, there’s no doubt that a garden centre is a sanctuary worth exploring. Just be warned: once you’ve started down this path, there’s no going back. Soon enough your house will look like the Amazon rainforest, but hey – at least it’ll smell great!

Spring is on it’s way.

Letters spelling out the words -Spring is in the air. Photo by Polina Kovaleva on Pexels.com

Spring is on the way! After a long and dreary winter, the signs of spring are finally starting to show. Flowers are blooming and birds are chirping, signaling that warmer temperatures and longer days are just around the corner. With spring comes a renewed sense of energy and a desire to spend more time outdoors. In this article, we’ll explore some of the signs of spring, gardening tips for the season, and how to make the most of the warmer weather.

Signs of Spring: Blooming Flowers and Chirping Birds

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

One of the most obvious signs that spring has arrived is the sight of blooming flowers. After months of cold weather, it’s a welcome relief to see colorful blooms popping up all around us. From daffodils to tulips to cherry blossoms, there’s no shortage of beautiful flowers to admire during this time of year. Another sign that spring has arrived is the sound of chirping birds. As they return from their winter migration or awaken from hibernation, they fill the air with sweet melodies. Their songs are not only pleasant to listen to but also serve as a reminder that nature is waking up from its long slumber.

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Gardening Tips for Spring

With warmer temperatures and more daylight hours, spring is an excellent time to get outside and start gardening. Here are some tips to help you make the most out of your garden this season:

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Clean Up Your Garden Beds

Before planting anything new in your garden beds, make sure you clean them up first. Remove any dead leaves or plants from last season, prune back any overgrown shrubs or trees, and weed thoroughly.

Start Seeds Indoors

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For some plants like tomatoes or peppers that require a longer growing season than what your climate provides naturally, starting seeds indoors can be helpful. This allows you to get a head start on growing these plants before transplanting them outside when it’s warm enough.

Add Compost or Fertilizer

Spring is also an excellent time to add compost or fertilizer to your soil. This will give your plants an extra boost as they begin their growth cycle for the year.

Warmer Temperatures and Longer Days

As spring progresses into summer, we can expect warmer temperatures and longer days. These changes have several benefits for our physical and mental health:

Get More Vitamin D

With more sunlight comes more Vitamin D production in our bodies which promotes healthy bone development.

Increase Energy Levels

As we experience more sunlight daily than during winter months which can lead us feeling more energized throughout our day-to-day activities

Boost Mood

Sunlight exposure also boosts levels serotonin in our brains which leads us feeling happier overall In addition, with increased daylight hours come more opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking or going on picnics with family or friends. In conclusion, spring brings about many positive changes that we look forward too each year including flowers blooming as well as warmer weather allowing us ample opportunity for outdoor activities . By following these simple gardening tips , you can make sure that your garden thrives during this time period . So go ahead soak up some sun while enjoying all nature has offer during these lovely months

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Seeds of hope.

Growing seeds is our way of showing hope and faith that the better weather will come soon.

One lone seed has grown here Photo by Gelgas Airlangga on Pexels.com

Look what I found today, I’ll be planting them as soon as the weather improves just a little more. They should hopefully add a bit of colour to the world outside and help create a little haven for butterflies as well.

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Cautious Gardener.

So far I have been keeping strong and resisting the urge to get out into the garden and start on the winter tidy up.

I’m so glad that I have done this, I did so because I thought we’d likely have more frost in the next week or so, but now the forecasts are threatening us with the possibility of snow this coming week.

Very soon, I will however, start my seeds indoors for the tomatoes I hope to grow those year. Last year I did reasonably well, but have definitely learnt I need to feed then more often. I’m kinda a casual relaxed gardener, so don’t always stick to a solid routine with feeding and suchlike.

This year I aim to be more organised on the feeding side of things, and hopefully it will show with the amount of tomatoes and strawberries that grow as a result of this.

What are you growing this year?

Physical activities

What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

Being a full-time wheelchair user my options of physical activities or exercise are somewhat limited, however, what I really do enjoy is spending time in the garden.

I enjoy starting off new seeds, and then planted them up in pots outside. All this requires some physical effort but it’s also great fun to watch as they grow and become flowers and or food to eat.

Flowers in a container.

Being outside doing this this is good physical activity, is good for mental health, and also helps me too top up with vitamin D. What more could I ask?!