Make your garden accessible with these adaptive tools

It’s that time of year again when the sun is out, the flowers are blooming, and everyone is ready to get back to work making their gardens grow. From pots on windowsills to expansive yards, every garden comes with its own challenges. However, when you add in the extra physical limitations of disabilities and aging in place, gardening can begin to feel more like an obstacle than a relaxing way to pass time.

Gardening provides many benefits to all who partake, but especially to the disabled and elderly. It offers gentle exercise, mood-boosting activities, and a good dose of vitamin D. It’s a great way to reduce stress, raise self-esteem, increase socializing, and even decrease your risk for developing dementia.

When gardening with physical limitations, it’s important to set yourself up for success. A little work up front to create a more accessible space can do wonders for your health all year round. Whether you’re a total beginner or an expert in the field, these tips and tools can help make gardening easier as you care for your plants and crops.

Move plants higher with an indoor/outdoor plant stand

Container gardens are popular for small spaces like patios, porches, and balconies. They provide a great deal of flexibility and make it easier to move plants to new spaces if the first planting area doesn’t suit their needs. By utilizing plant stands, you can raise them up to lessen kneeling and bending, or attach wheels and slide them around with ease.

Using a plant stand, such as this stand from Uneedem, is a great way to create beautiful visual variety in your plant placement while also keeping each pot where you can care for it best. The middle space for hanging plants lets you add some extra aesthetic interest, and it’s also adaptable for extra-tall plants that sit in pots.

Because this plant shelf is totally flat in front, it’s easy to pull up a chair or stool directly to each plant, and it doesn’t add any needless tripping hazards. The stand’s height also lets you display many different plants without taking up extra space.

$41 at Amazon

For something a little simpler and more adaptable to extremely small spaces, these Ailibre Metal Plant Stands are a great alternative. These provide draining beneath, offer sturdy support, and can bring plants a little bit higher to make them easier to reach.

When choosing pots, consider adding colors, shapes, and patterns that can show off your personality. For those who are worried about dropping or knocking off heavy (and breakable) ceramic pots, consider choosing plastic pots that can do the job without adding extra weight or stress.

Make a vertical garden to avoid bending over

Vertical gardens are one of the best ways to conserve space and give your back and knees a break. Whether you’re hoping to create your own living wall or want to try something a little simpler, vertical gardens are a great way to make your space more accessible.

For those who are looking for low maintenance, something as simple as a shoe organizer provides a great way to grow plants in their own designated pockets. This eliminates the need for most weeding and means you can use only the pockets at the height that works best for you. It’s also small enough that another person can bring the box over to you to plant at a table, then hang it up for the rest of the season.

Though the shoe organizer method is ideal for smaller plants like herbs, the slightly larger Meiwo Hanging Planters offer more flexibility on the types of plants you use. This hanging planter provides enough space for the roots to spread out while still offering the ease of other vertical gardening solutions.

$17 at Amazon

Hanging baskets are another vertical solution that can work well. For those who have overhangs that they can drill into, many hanging pots can be bought already ready to go and only require occasional watering. For a more personalized experience, you might also consider something like this ShopLaLa Wall Planter, which provides a customizable experience to hang your plants at the heights that are best for you.

Use a raised garden bed for easy access

Another way to bring your garden closer is by using a raised bed. While these can be as simple as creating a wooden box in your yard, another option is using a tabletop garden such as this Best Choice Raised Garden Bed.

$90 at Amazon

One of the advantages to this type of garden over the typical raised bed is that it is easier to use a wheelchair or stationary chair, because there is ample space for your legs while still providing a low enough surface to see and work. For those who like to stand while gardening, this type of structure also involves a lot less leaning to reach each of your plants.

Try the Flexzilla garden hose

Wrangling the hose can be one of the most difficult parts of gardening. It’s far too easy to get a hose tangled or kinked, and tripping is a huge hazard for anyone who uses the yard. Add in the sheer weight of most garden hoses (even before the water is turned on) and it’s no wonder why maneuvering can be such a hassle.

One of the best solutions for these common issues is the Flexzilla Lightweight Garden Hose. At a glance, it looks like just another garden hose, but its functionality is impressive. It’s highly resistant to kinking and weighs far less than a standard plastic garden hose. As a bonus, it comes in a vibrant green color that is nigh impossible to miss when walking, ensuring everyone in your house is less likely to trip when it’s left in the yard.

Automate watering with a watering timer

Watering is another common hurdle to taking care of a garden when you’re disabled or aging in place. Getting to the spigot to turn the water off and on can mean wading through uneven ground and muddy, slick surfaces. Especially in warmer weather, this can become an unpleasant daily routine.

One great solution to this problem is the Orbit Hose Watering Timer. This relatively simple device has a powerful ability to water whenever you need it to. Just set it up on a schedule, and let it do the work for you. When paired with a sprinkler head, soaker hose, or other larger water source, the watering process can be fully automated.

$39 at Amazon

As a bonus, this timer has the option to be told to skip days (such as when it’s already rained) without disrupting its schedule, ensuring your plants won’t ever inadvertently drown.

Save your knees and back with a garden kneeler

One of the first things I noticed when gardening was how hard it was on my knees and back to lean over for long periods of time. To solve this, I bought a bench very similar to the Luckyermore Garden Kneeler and Seat and can personally say that it’s been a dream come true. Along with providing a space to sit and kneel, the bench also has fabric pockets to keep tools and supplies together.

This bench flips upside down to become a kneeler (and vice versa) and features enough padding for comfort while providing the stability and thickness necessary to kneel on it safely. When in its kneeling state, you can lightly lean on its elevated feet to assist in standing back up. Just make sure the bench is always on flat ground and that you’re not relying on it entirely for balance.

When not in use, this handy seat also folds down for easy storage, meaning it won’t cause clutter in your garage or closet.

Stay low with this garden cart

If the transition between standing and sitting is one of your biggest gardening challenges, this Sunnydaze Garden Cart Rolling Scooter has you covered. Its wheels let the scooter easily roll along your garden walkway, and its 360-degree-swivel seat makes it easier to reach all of your plants. The seat height can also be adjusted so that it is best optimized for knee strain and comfort level.

$159 at Amazon

One of the best parts of this scooter is its adjustable handle, which lets you pull it around the garden whenever you aren’t actively using it. It also includes a basket on the back to hold plants, and a space underneath to hold tools, making it a great combination of a cart and seat in a single product.

Try adaptive gardening tools with ergonomic handles

Finding a good set of ergonomically designed hand tools can mean the difference between being able to garden for a few minutes or a few hours. When choosing your tools, consider how tight your grip has to be to use them, how comfortable they feel in your hands, and whether they’re ergonomically designed for wrist movement. In addition, consider tools with long handles that are brightly colored so they don’t get lost in the garden or become tripping hazards later on.

The UKOKE Garden Tool Set is a great fit for meeting these needs, with its vibrant padded handles and ergonomic design. This apron set has everything that you need to get going with the average garden, and after a little use, your hands and wrists are sure to thank you.

Stay standing with this clever weed remover tool

One of the least enjoyable, and most physically demanding, parts of gardening is weeding. If you’ve found yourself on your hands and knees before cursing at a particularly stubborn invader, the Grampa’s Weeder Stand Up Weed Puller might be just what you need.

$40 at Amazon

With more than 36,000 reviews, this simple tool is widely popular among gardeners for good reason. It lets you stay standing while easily removing most types of weeds, saving your knees and back from undue stress. Though it doesn’t work on every soil type, for most, this weeder is a must-have purchase for anyone trying to avoid leaning, kneeling, and bending.

Get a reacher grabber for heavy lifting

Many people with disabilities or who are aging in place will likely be familiar with grabber tools. They’re handy for a huge number of things around the house and can prevent many falls and injuries. When working outside, these tools can be especially handy.

The ZAYAD Grabber Assist Tool is an especially popular version that can pick up items weighing up to 2 pounds. Though there are heavier-duty varieties on the market, this one can handle most people’s gardening-grabbing needs.

A bucket hat can help block the sun

Regardless of your age or physical ability level, protecting yourself from the sun should be a priority for all gardeners. While a little sunshine can be good for you, prolonged exposure can lead to everything from sunburns to skin cancer.

Sun hats help you stay cool while also preventing direct sunlight from shining down on your face and neck. The EINSKEY Wide Brim Bucket Hat is an especially good choice, as it provides a wide brim, is waterproof for wear in any weather, and comes in several colors. Though it may seem simple, this small hat can have a big impact on your health.

$17 at Amazon

How to make your garden more accessible

Just like some flowers need sun and others shade, when starting a garden and designing its layout, it’s important to prioritize your own ability and comfort levels to make sure you’re just as cared for as the things you grow.

First, consider whether you will be working in the garden while sitting, standing, kneeling, or using specialized equipment such as a wheelchair. Any garden beds should be optimized to be at a level that allows you to reach your soil and plants without straining. Think about how much you can safely bend over, and consider ways to get your tools and daily tasks to a comfortable height that respects your level of balance.

Next, think about the types of walkways that may be needed to safely work in and admire your garden. For some, a totally flat surface like a patio or stone walkway might be required, while for others it might be as simple as making sure the walkways are wide enough to navigate. For everyone, it’s important to make sure your work area stays clear of tools, pots, and other tripping hazards.

From there you’re ready to choose some plants or adapt to the ones you already have. As you lay out your various vegetation, consider how much water and upkeep they will need. Plan for how you will take care of these needs in all weather, considering if mud or fallen leaves will pose an extra challenge to navigating your space safely.

By combining these tips with the tools above, you’re sure to create a garden space that is beautiful, relaxing, and safe for everyone in your life to enjoy.