My soon to be three-year-old grandson has cerebral palsy and gardening will be good therapy. My son wants him to learn to appreciate nature and my son carries him in a backpack to hike long distance through state parks in Indiana.
Since Owen uses a walker or his wheelchair for mobility, I want his first garden to be above ground for him to reach. It will be on a platform with plenty of room for his walker or wheelchair to allow him to touch the earth and the plants.
This wooden box will be 48" long and 24" wide. I need your opinion on the depth of the box.

Hi, Gerry.

The deeper the box, the less critical it will be to carefully monitor moisture levels. Will Owen's wheelchair need to roll beneath it so that he can reach comfortably?

I would build one 10-12 inches myself - deep enough for the daylilies to send out nice roots but not so deep that things become unwieldy.

Here's Fred's (spunky1) info about building boxes.
http://garden.org/ideas/view/s...

Here's one we originally built for seasonal displays. It worked out so well that mums are perennial in it, so we don't have to replace everything each season. It's about 32" high, and is set directly on the ground. It rarely needs supplemental watering, but on the other hand, its drainage is excellent.

Chelle,

Owen has very limited use of his hands, but he loves to touch whatever he sees. I do want him to feel the earth, to caress the leaves, to indicate which flower he likes, and eventually point out which two flowers we should cross.

I envision that Owen's chair will tuck under the box. I have not as yet worked out all the logistics about that detail. There will be a nice walkway for him to use to approach his flower box.

James,

Your suggestion seems very logical. If I use thick wooden boards, 12 inches should be just enough depth for daylilies. Thank you.

Gerry, maybe Owen can be your guide on how deep it should be. If 12 inches means that he has to bend over too far, you could always raise it to where he can easily reach, without being too uncomfortable. If it's a bit too deep to fill with dirt, you can always fill the bottom with other items, like large rocks, broken cement, or whatever. And, by adding boards to the sides as he grows, you can always keep it high enough for him. That means, of course, that you'll have to dig up and replant everything every few years, but sometimes, I think the extra work is worth it. This is one of those times. Owen is lucky to have a grandparent that is so caring!

After visiting a home this summer I was amazed at the wonderful raised-flower-beds that lined the garden walkways. Mobility-challenged residents assisted with selecting and directing the arrangement of fresh and dried/gelled floral bouquets, and and kept a watchful eye on needed upkeep to the beds. Their chairs did not fit under the beds, but easily came along-side. Since the beds were fairly narrow the plants were easy to reach from the side of the chair.

The beds were made to rest on top of low cabinets, with the soil-line at about chair-arm or slightly higher height. One cabinet was simply an empty recessed-box to camouflage potted flowers kept within, while others were regular soil-bed, and simple hinged doors in the cabinets kept an assortment of tools handy for those assisting with the garden.

I love the idea that he will be able to orchestrate the hybridization

Natalie, thank you.



Tina,

I can visualize what you described. Also, I will add your information to my plans for Owen's garden.

Thank you,

Gerry