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Raised Bed Gardens
Returning the Joy of Gardening
to Elders and Friends with Handicaps!
In the Summer of 2002, the Fair Haven Community Seniors obtained a grant from the Southwest Agency on Aging to fund an Inter-Generational Raised Bed Garden Project. We began by researching raised bed gardens on the internet, and in person with our friend Mary Sauter (below) who had created raised bed gardens previously.
Mary Sauter, Marty & Scott Colty, and Cele Phillips at the gardens
These were some of our goals:
We proposed to build a raised bed garden to enable elder and handicapped people of the community, in conjunction with children and younger adults, to plant, weed, watch, and harvest small gardens. We created three raised-bed gardens. The first two raised beds each were 8 feet long by 4 feet wide. One was 24 inches high, the other 30 inches. The three beds were arranged in a U configuration in an area between two trees and bounded by the driveway of the Congregational Church.
Around the perimeter of the area and around an adjacent bench we planted a small butterfly and hummingbird garden at ground level.
Our first two gardeners at the Raised Bed Gardens
We anticipate that senior or handicapped gardeners would be able to approach the container gardens from the asphalt driveway and either standing or sitting be able to plant, maintain and harvest the plants contained within the gardens.
The third raised container garden ended up different from the original plans, constructed in a T-shape to make it possible for a person whose back was broken to approach the garden directly in their chair. Turning in their chair is not possible, so the overhanging edge allowed their feet to go under the front edge.
Seating among these gardens is provided by an existing bench, the sides of the planters, and nearby picnic tables. Seniors using walkers or wheelchairs can access the area easily by the asphalt driveway. (See below.)
A fourth area proposed would consist of a raised water garden featuring aquatic plants and fish. At the foot of this garden drifts of Siberian Iris, primroses, and comfrey will lead garden participants and visitors to nearby picnic tables.
Pastor Marsh Hudson-Knapp and lead gardener Cele Phillips
enjoying the spring poppies during the spring 2004 garden tours.
The senior group undertook this project in cooperation with the Biblical Gardens in Fair Haven, where senior citizen Cele Phillips has served as the lead gardener since 1983. The gardens are accessible to people from wheel chairs, or using a walker, or for those who cannot bend down to the ground.
We involved children in the Boy Scouts along with the seniors and handicapped persons in gardening and in sharing experiences.
Fair Haven Boy Scouts helping with the gardens.
We also held workshops with elders and children to facilitate sharing by the elders about medicinal and edible uses of plants grown in this garden and in the gardens of their past.
We also hope to transcribe some of these stories and photos of the events to this web site for the Biblical Gardens in Fair Haven.
Joe Beavin constructed our first two raised beds from pressure treated 6x6s on the bottom level, and rough cut hemlock for the higher layers. We lined each bed with 4 mil clear plastic to keep the moisture in the earth from rotting out the inside of the bed. The North bed is 5 layers (30") high because the driveway next to it rises up about 6" in the back. The South bed is 4 layers (24") high.
Two different families plus two other seniors ended up growing the first two beds. We planted biblical herbs and flowers in the center and they selected flowers and vegetables to grow on the outside.
We partially filled the beds with fill, and then added about 12 inches of compost from our local transfer station. The rich soil made the plants grow into giants (see above)!
Unfortunately, one of our potential gardeners (JoJo Clark) could not access this flat sided garden (see above) so before we constructed out third bed we looked at a T-shaped garden at Eden Park Nursing Home in Rutland, Vt. With the wise help of carpenter Ron Adams, and JoJo's coaching, we created out own raised bed, the ledge just high enough to clear the legs of our gardener in her wheelchair while keeping the top low enough to easily access while seated.
Then JoJo went to work creating not only place for plants, but an inspirational sight.
Through out the winter our friend sought out quotations that give her courage and made small plaques or signs that would turn in the breeze.
"Seeds of faith are always with us," one of the signs declares, "Sometimes it takes a crisis to nourish and encourage their growth."
Visitors find themselves encouraged by the spirit and courage of JoJo's garden, and she too has been blessed. She writes, "I don't think anyone has any idea of just what the raised bed means to me. In winter I am, for the most part, house bound. I look forward to the rased bed all winter long. I anticipate the seed catalogs coming. I already (March 2005) have seeds started in a small, apartment sized green-house, and I have found some crafts that I can do that go along with gardening."
In the fall of 2003, Mary Sauter led a large contingent of children in exploring teas made of "weeds." Other volunteer gardeners, including children, adults and seniors, gave guided tours of portions of the Biblical Gardens.
Josh C. and Verlene Belden led some of the tours.
If you area a senior or a person with a handicap for whom a raised bed would be an encouragement, contact Cele Phillips, 265-3411 to see if you could be one of our gardeners for 2005!
