18
Wednesday, September 11, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
And the seasons turn...
Create gardens accessible to all
By Kym Pokorny
Oregon State University Extension Service
CORVALLIS 4 Garden-
ing is one of the more thera-
peutic things a person can do
4 emotionally, mentally and
physically 4 but for some it
seems out of reach.
Good design and practices
can make gardening acces-
sible for everyone.
<We all have challenges
if we live long enough,= said
Corinne Thomas-Kersting,
a retired speech-language
pathologist and five-year Ore-
gon State University Exten-
sion Service Master Gardener.
<We have different challenges.
Even when you9re young and
healthy there are things to do
to prevent future disabilities.=
Thomas-Kersting advo-
cates <universal= garden
design 4 planning the land-
scape so that anyone can
access and enjoy it.
<It is my deeply held belief
that we don9t need to label
people as having a disability
versus being 8normal,9= she
said. <Using universal design
benefits us all.=
There is no one formula
for designing a universal gar-
den. Being aware of ADA
measurements for pathways,
using raised beds and appro-
priate tools are good starting
points, but Thomas-Kersting
said there are many ways to
invite anyone into the garden
and protect the gardener from
injury or future problems.
For instance, a garden
can be designed for a person
with a visual impairment with
water features, fragrant plants,
ornamental grasses that make
a gentle sound as they blow in
the wind and bright, contrast-
ing colors.
<For me, I really love to
touch things,= she said. <I9m
gently touching things when
I9m in another garden. Think
about texture 3 smooth, fuzzy,
lacy, sharp. Variety and diver-
sity in the garden and mind-
fulness in how it9s designed
opens up the opportunity for
more people to enjoy it. And
you enjoy it, as well.=
In her own garden,
Thomas-Kersting redid some
steps into a ramp. Not only
does it allow people in wheel-
chairs to traverse the path, but
it makes it easier to move the
wheelbarrow from one area
of the garden to another. And,
she says, it looks better with
a sloping, continuous path
rather than the steps.
Stretching, resting and
using the correct tools top the
list of approaches to avoid
injuries and mitigate dis-
abilities of everything from
mobility limitations to medi-
cal challenges such as arthri-
tis. Have benches and chairs
sprinkled throughout the gar-
den as places to rest. Keep
water around to sip while you
sit. Stretch or walk a bit before
and after time in the garden.
Ergonomic tools are avail-
able in a variety of prices.
Look for curved handles
and indentations for fingers
on smaller tools or modify
yours by wrapping them with
water pipe insulation, bicycle
handles or tape used to wrap
golf clubs. Check that handles
on larger equipment are long
enough so you can keep your
back straight. Tools shouldn9t
be too heavy. Choose those
made from aluminum, which
is lighter than steel. Some-
times, lightweight children9s
tools will do the job.
There9s much more you
can do. Here are some tips to
increase the ease of gardening:
Buy a kneeler with han-
dles that will help you get up.
Some versions can be turned
over and used as a seat.
Sit on a bucket or seat
made for gardening.
Use major muscles and
keep your back straight.
Start small. Biting off more
than you can handle means
more work and more chance
of overdoing it.
Keep pruners and equip-
ment sharp and clean. With
pruners, use a sheath to protect
yourself from accidentally sit-
ting or kneeling on them.
Build raised beds or tables
out of wood, concrete blocks
or thick pavers. Make them 3
to 4 feet wide so you can easily
reach into the middle. Height
Double rainbow...
PHOTO BY TRISTAN COE
Thursday night’s storm laid a double rainbow over Sisters.
should be between 24 to 36
inches. Kits are available.
Provide benches in the gar-
den or next to it. Take breaks
to avoid fatigue and enjoy the
beauty.
Move the garden to you
by planting in containers or
window boxes. Containers are
easier to weed and water than
gardens in the ground. They
also take much less work to
fill with soil than adding com-
post to in-ground gardens.
Containers with wheels are
easy to move around.
Make beds narrow enough
so that you can get to the cen-
ter when sitting or kneeling.
Keep tools, hoses, wheel-
barrows and other equipment
put away so that there9s no
chance of tripping over them.
Use a light or expanding
hose.
Make paths easy to navi-
gate without having to show
people where to go.
Design wider paths with
places to turn around. This
works for wheelbarrows as
well as mobility devices.
Instead of steps use gradu-
ally sloping paths.
Keep tools and equipment
close to the garden. If possi-
ble, move or build sheds adja-
cent to the garden.
Garden with lower main-
tenance plants that don9t need
as much water, pruning, stak-
ing and deadheading. Look for
plants that are disease and pest
resistant.
Custom Design
& Repairs
549-9388
Fancy Colored Sapphires, 18k
PHOTO BY BRENDA JAROS
The Sisters peeked out from behind their shroud of clouds on
Tuesday morning to reveal a dusting of snow from last weekend’s
storms. Summer is gone and fall is here...
Dr. Thomas R. Rheuben
General, Cosmetic, Implant
and Family Dentistry
~ Your Dentist in Sisters Since 1993 ~
We are here to help you smile with confi dence!
541-549-0109
|
304 W. Adams Ave.
|
Sisters