Enabling Garden

I work (volunteer) at the Enabling Garden of the Chicago Botanic Garden
and they put out a lot of good information on how to build an accessible
garden--or any part of it.  There specialize in tools to make life
easier, as well as construction approaches--raised beds and vertical
beds and kinds of surfaces.

To get more information contact Maria Gabaldo at the Chicago Botanic
Garden.  Her tel # is 847/835-8248 or (fax) 847/835-1635

I have appended a Text only version of their web page

                          Text-only version

                          The New Enabling Garden


                                                    The new Buehler
Enabling Garden
                                                    encourages gardening
for people of all
                                                    ages and abilities.
This beautiful
                                                    11,000-square-foot
garden demonstrates
                                                    the latest
strategies, including raised beds,
                                                    vertical gardens and
hanging baskets, for
                                                    easy lifelong
gardening. Many of these
                                                    same ideas can be
adapted in home
                                                    gardens to create
enabling gardens for a
                                                    lifetime of easy,
enjoyable gardening. The
                                                    Buehler Enabling
Garden is a garden
                                                    serving people of
all abilities and a major
                                                    learning center for
horticultural therapy
                                                    programs.

                          Unique Garden Features

                                                  Raised Beds

                                                Raised garden beds show
that by
                                                  elevating the soil
level, gardeners can
                                                  care for a garden more
easily with very
                                                  little bending,
stooping or reaching.




                          Hanging Baskets

                          Baskets in this garden can be
                          lowered to a gardener's
                          working height, then raised for
                          display.







                          Vertical Wall Gardens

                                                  These special wood
frames within easy
                                                  reach on garden walls
make a striking
                                                  display when filled
with colorful annuals
                                                  or vegetables.




                          Shallow Pans

                          Shallow beds built above the ground
                          allow legroom for gardeners who sit
                          while tending plants.





                          Water Features

                                                  Raised water gardens
bring plants
                                                  within easy reach. For
sensory
                                                  enjoyment, the garden
also has several
                                                  fountains and uniquely
designed water
                                                  walls, which create
5-foot-wide sheets
                                                  of water.




                          Paving for Accessibility

                                                  A level grade, firm
surface, good
                                                  drainage and color
contrasts for visual
                                                  discrimination
contribute to improved
                                                  mobility in the
garden.



                          Tactile Beds

                          Plants of many textures are
                          featured. A metal grid running
                          across this garden bed provides a
                          planting guide for people who
                          garden by touch.

                          Sensational Plants

                                                  The 3,100 plants in
the Enabling
                                                  Garden were chosen
largely for their
                                                  beauty and appeal to
multiple senses.
                                                  Discover plants with
bright colors,
                                                  pleasant fragrances
and interesting
                                                  textures.



                          Teaching Pavilion

                                                  Located at the north
end of the
                                                  Enabling Garden, a
canvas-covered
                                                  outdoor classroom is
the staging area
                                                  for horticultural
therapy workshops and
                                                  classes.

                          Discovery Carts

                          Visitors are encouraged to use all
                          their senses to experience plants
                          and to sample tools that ease the
                          practice of gardening. Trained
                          volunteers can answer questions.

                          Tool Shed

                                                   The Tool Shed
information center
                                                   offers resources and
tools that help
                                                   you try easy-does-it
gardening
                                                   techniques at home.

                                                   It is open daily 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. from
                                                   May to October.








                                                    | Frequently Asked
Questions | Update on New Enabling Garden |
                                                      | Horticultural
Therapy at the Garden | Calendar of Events |
                                                              | Symposia
|References |Order Form|




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                                         Copyright © 1997-2000 Chicago
Botanic Garden. Photographs © Arthur Lazar. All Rights Reserved.
                                                            1000 Lake
Cook Road, Glencoe, IL 60022

                                             The Chicago Botanic Garden
is owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County
                                                         and managed by
the Chicago Horticultural Society.
                                                                Last
revised on July 1, 2000

WEBSITEs are many and can be found by going through Google too
ChicagoBoanticGarden Enabling.  I don't know the exact web site address



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