RE: question/Wheelchair

H* A*

The first thing you need for folks with wheelchairs are garden paths which
are level and preferable paved ( we at the Clinton Community Garden laid
brick paths - see Clintoncommunitygarden .org) 
Get some seniors with bad arthritis and some folks in  wheelchairs to the
site who want to garden. Talk to people at your local veterans hospital  in
rehabilitation ( they know from wheelchairs, spinal chord injuries). Before
you build consult with these folks. It's always better not to re-invent the
wheel. 

Our wheelchair gardening bed is about 30" tall and is crescent shaped, but
is only about 24" deep. We never had a wheelchair gardener, but we have a
very happy senior who loves the spot,

Good luck, 
Adam 

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	dmfarris@netcommander.com [SMTP:dmfarris@netcommander.com]
> Sent:	Sunday, October 24, 1999 6:33 PM
> To:	community_garden@mallorn.com
> Subject:	[cg] question
> 
> We are building a community garden in Westlake, Louisiana and included in
> our plans are several raised beds that are wheelchair accessible.
> However,
> I have not had luck finding information on the best way to build such
> beds.
> My problem is that I'm not sure how best to design the bed to make
> gardening
> comfortable for the gardener in a wheelchair.
> 
> The best idea I've come up with is a horse shoe shaped raised bed, about
> 22" - 24" tall (soil level) and 2 feet wide.  There is a 5 foot cement
> path
> on the outside of the horse shoe and pleanty of room inside the horse
> shoe.
> With this design, the gardener has pleanty of room but must place the
> wheelchair sideways and work from the side.  This can't be very
> comfortable.
> Does anyone know of a better solution?
> 
> Thanks,
> Monique Farris
> Westlake Community Garden
> Project Coordinator
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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