Landscape Design
10 Tips for Creating a Garden for Aging in Place
Enjoy the benefits of caring for your garden even if you face physical challenges
If you love to garden, you already know how it benefits both your physical and mental health. Finding ways to keep enjoying your time working outside as you age or if you have physical limitations can be a challenge, however. Fortunately, there are many ways you can make gardening easier on your body while still creating an outdoor space you love. These 10 tips will help you make sure you can garden now and in the future.
Table-height raised beds make it easy to garden from a sitting position, which can be helpful for those with mobility issues or who tire more easily. The ones seen here are tall enough to allow a wheelchair or a standard-height chair to fit alongside. You also can find models that are designed to allow a wheelchair to slot in underneath. Another approach, especially if the bed is deep, is to carve out a curved section, generally at the midpoint of the bed, that allows access to the back of the bed and room to maneuver a wheelchair or scooter.
If you’re looking for a lush, layered look with massed plants, you can try stepped raised beds, which allow you to create the illusion of depth while still giving you easier access to the plants. If your space is limited, you can create a similar effect by closely grouping containers of differing heights and filling them with a variety of plants.
Bonus: Staggering the heights of containers and layering plants adds visual interest to any garden, particularly as plants grow in and spill over the edges.
7 Tips to Ensure Success With Raised Bed Gardening
Bonus: Staggering the heights of containers and layering plants adds visual interest to any garden, particularly as plants grow in and spill over the edges.
7 Tips to Ensure Success With Raised Bed Gardening
2. Smooth Out Surfaces
Keep decks, patios and porches and the main pathways through your garden smooth, even and free of tripping hazards. If you need to repair or replace any patios or pathways, hire a local pro to help you. If you’re using dry-laid pavers, adjust any that have moved, settled or risen or are broken. Repair large cracks or uneven spots on other surfaces. If your pathways have open joints, make sure the gaps aren’t so large that they will be a hazard for you or anyone else with mobility issues.
For all-ages safety, use slip-resistant materials on all of these surfaces to help prevent accidents.
Keep decks, patios and porches and the main pathways through your garden smooth, even and free of tripping hazards. If you need to repair or replace any patios or pathways, hire a local pro to help you. If you’re using dry-laid pavers, adjust any that have moved, settled or risen or are broken. Repair large cracks or uneven spots on other surfaces. If your pathways have open joints, make sure the gaps aren’t so large that they will be a hazard for you or anyone else with mobility issues.
For all-ages safety, use slip-resistant materials on all of these surfaces to help prevent accidents.
Plan for current or future needs by incorporating mobility-friendly design features. Installing ramps rather than steps to navigate a slope will be a bonus for those using wheelchairs, scooters or other mobility aids. If you’re installing a new primary path, make it wide enough to accommodate those same devices. Also consider a gently curved path design rather than sharp angles, which are harder for wheelchair users to navigate.
Bonus: Meandering paths offer an invitation to everyone to explore the garden. A ramp that allows for navigating different levels also proves its worth when you’re moving gardening equipment such as wheelbarrows, carts and mowers.
Bonus: Meandering paths offer an invitation to everyone to explore the garden. A ramp that allows for navigating different levels also proves its worth when you’re moving gardening equipment such as wheelbarrows, carts and mowers.
3. Take a Seat
All gardeners appreciate having a spot where they can take a break while gardening. It may be as elaborate as a bench under an arbor with fragrant plants growing over it or as simple as a wide perch on the edge of a raised bed.
Place a chair where you will be encouraged to pause and take a break, such as in a comfortable corner or against a wall as a stopping point. Or position a chair under a deciduous tree to give yourself a place where you can cool off in the shade in summer and enjoy the sunshine in winter.
Bonus: Benches, chairs and other types of seating can entice everyone into the garden.
All gardeners appreciate having a spot where they can take a break while gardening. It may be as elaborate as a bench under an arbor with fragrant plants growing over it or as simple as a wide perch on the edge of a raised bed.
Place a chair where you will be encouraged to pause and take a break, such as in a comfortable corner or against a wall as a stopping point. Or position a chair under a deciduous tree to give yourself a place where you can cool off in the shade in summer and enjoy the sunshine in winter.
Bonus: Benches, chairs and other types of seating can entice everyone into the garden.
4. Provide Support Systems
Look at the stairs and steps in your landscape to determine if adding railings or supports are needed. Even a single step might need a small railing to provide support or prevent stumbles.
The edge of a patio or path might be just high enough off the ground that there’s a risk of a twisted ankle if someone steps down incorrectly. Adding a subtle railing or grab bar along one side of a step or two, or minimizing a drop-off, can go a long way toward preventing an accident.
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Look at the stairs and steps in your landscape to determine if adding railings or supports are needed. Even a single step might need a small railing to provide support or prevent stumbles.
The edge of a patio or path might be just high enough off the ground that there’s a risk of a twisted ankle if someone steps down incorrectly. Adding a subtle railing or grab bar along one side of a step or two, or minimizing a drop-off, can go a long way toward preventing an accident.
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
If your garden beds are deep, consider adding a decorative post or a similar feature that can double as a support to lean on when you’re harvesting edibles, pulling weeds or doing other ground-level tasks. Just make sure that it’s well-anchored.
Bonus: Railings and supports don’t need to be strictly utilitarian. You can select elements such as decorative ironwork, rustic posts or contemporary metal statement pieces that will blend in with your garden’s style while serving a utilitarian purpose.
Bonus: Railings and supports don’t need to be strictly utilitarian. You can select elements such as decorative ironwork, rustic posts or contemporary metal statement pieces that will blend in with your garden’s style while serving a utilitarian purpose.
5. Find the Right Tools
Today, you can find an amazing array of implements designed to make garden chores easier. Look for lightweight tools that also are ergonomically designed. Some are even designed to be used while sitting. Using the right tools will let you garden longer at any one time. Lightweight wheelbarrows and garden carts, for example, require less muscle to move than traditional ones.
If you suffer from arthritis in your hands, or simply no longer have as much grip strength as you used to, consider replacing knobs on your gates, hoses and doors with levers. These are readily available and easy to install.
When it’s time to get into the garden, add a kneeler that can be flipped over and used as a seat to your arsenal. It will give you a padded surface to kneel on and handles to help you get up again from a kneeling position.
If you have room, add a potting bench or workbench to your garden. It will allow you to take care of garden tasks with the items at a comfortable height.
Bonus: Using tools and devices that make gardening easier on the body is a good idea at any age.
Today, you can find an amazing array of implements designed to make garden chores easier. Look for lightweight tools that also are ergonomically designed. Some are even designed to be used while sitting. Using the right tools will let you garden longer at any one time. Lightweight wheelbarrows and garden carts, for example, require less muscle to move than traditional ones.
If you suffer from arthritis in your hands, or simply no longer have as much grip strength as you used to, consider replacing knobs on your gates, hoses and doors with levers. These are readily available and easy to install.
When it’s time to get into the garden, add a kneeler that can be flipped over and used as a seat to your arsenal. It will give you a padded surface to kneel on and handles to help you get up again from a kneeling position.
If you have room, add a potting bench or workbench to your garden. It will allow you to take care of garden tasks with the items at a comfortable height.
Bonus: Using tools and devices that make gardening easier on the body is a good idea at any age.
6. Make It Easy
Replace fussy or high-maintenance plants with ones that can take a little more neglect and still look good. Switch your planting scheme from large beds of high-maintenance annuals to perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses that don’t need regular pruning, clipping or replacing.
When adding new plants, choose those whose natural growth size and care requirements fit their location. Look for lawn substitutes that are low-growing and don’t need chemicals to stay healthy. You don’t need to eliminate all of your fussy plants, but put the ones you keep in a spot where they’re easy to get to, and group them if possible.
Bonus: A more relaxed garden provides more habitat for wildlife and often is more sustainable and resilient than a rigidly styled one .
10 Low-Maintenance Backyard Ideas
Replace fussy or high-maintenance plants with ones that can take a little more neglect and still look good. Switch your planting scheme from large beds of high-maintenance annuals to perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses that don’t need regular pruning, clipping or replacing.
When adding new plants, choose those whose natural growth size and care requirements fit their location. Look for lawn substitutes that are low-growing and don’t need chemicals to stay healthy. You don’t need to eliminate all of your fussy plants, but put the ones you keep in a spot where they’re easy to get to, and group them if possible.
Bonus: A more relaxed garden provides more habitat for wildlife and often is more sustainable and resilient than a rigidly styled one .
10 Low-Maintenance Backyard Ideas
If you love growing edibles, grow them in raised beds rather than directly in the ground. For fruit trees, choose dwarf varieties and prune them so the highest fruits can be reached without a ladder. If you are ambitious and appreciate a formal garden style, espalier the fruit trees along a fence or wall. They will require more care to keep the shape, but the fruit will always be within reach and you’ll have added a decorative element to an otherwise barren space.
How to Grow Vegetables in Containers
How to Grow Vegetables in Containers
7. Turn to Technology
Automate as many maintenance chores as you can. A good place to start is with your irrigation systems. You can add timers to in-ground systems, drip systems and soaker hoses. These systems allow for watering all parts of a garden without having to drag a hose from place to place. In-ground systems with a timer also reduce the possibility of tripping over a garden hose. You can set the timers for the times that are best for both you and your garden, such as during the night.
Take it a step further by adding other automated features, such as motion-activated lights that come on when you step out at night or lights that turn on and off on a regular schedule.
New smart and automated garden products and features are rapidly coming on the market as well. Look through gardening magazines and websites, and talk to the staff at nurseries and hardware stores about what automated features they would recommend.
Bonus: An automated watering system, particularly one with smart features, ensures that your garden will get the water it needs when it needs it, and often results in using less water.
Plus, automating both your irrigation and your lighting will allow you to go on vacation without scouring the neighborhood for someone to tend to your plants or, if it’s in a front yard, worrying that your home will look empty.
Automate as many maintenance chores as you can. A good place to start is with your irrigation systems. You can add timers to in-ground systems, drip systems and soaker hoses. These systems allow for watering all parts of a garden without having to drag a hose from place to place. In-ground systems with a timer also reduce the possibility of tripping over a garden hose. You can set the timers for the times that are best for both you and your garden, such as during the night.
Take it a step further by adding other automated features, such as motion-activated lights that come on when you step out at night or lights that turn on and off on a regular schedule.
New smart and automated garden products and features are rapidly coming on the market as well. Look through gardening magazines and websites, and talk to the staff at nurseries and hardware stores about what automated features they would recommend.
Bonus: An automated watering system, particularly one with smart features, ensures that your garden will get the water it needs when it needs it, and often results in using less water.
Plus, automating both your irrigation and your lighting will allow you to go on vacation without scouring the neighborhood for someone to tend to your plants or, if it’s in a front yard, worrying that your home will look empty.
8. Add the Right Lighting
Update your lighting for both ambiance and safety. A thoughtful lighting plan enhances any garden. You’ll want good light for entry points and along paths you’re likely to travel in the early evening and early morning. At the same time, you don’t want to have your garden completely lit up, especially all night long, to keep it friendly to wildlife. A good approach is to mix subtle ambient lighting with purpose-driven task lighting for walkways and stairs. For paths, you’ll want light that pools onto the surface. Lights set into the risers of stairs or garden steps will add illumination without being too bright.
Bonus: Pointing light sources toward the ground rather than skyward will prevent light pollution and give you a better look at the night sky.
3 Ways to Light the Garden With Less
Update your lighting for both ambiance and safety. A thoughtful lighting plan enhances any garden. You’ll want good light for entry points and along paths you’re likely to travel in the early evening and early morning. At the same time, you don’t want to have your garden completely lit up, especially all night long, to keep it friendly to wildlife. A good approach is to mix subtle ambient lighting with purpose-driven task lighting for walkways and stairs. For paths, you’ll want light that pools onto the surface. Lights set into the risers of stairs or garden steps will add illumination without being too bright.
Bonus: Pointing light sources toward the ground rather than skyward will prevent light pollution and give you a better look at the night sky.
3 Ways to Light the Garden With Less
Outdoor grills and kitchens need good task lighting, but you can ease off a bit for dining and conversation areas. Adding lighting to certain garden features, such as a tree or fountain, will provide a nighttime focal point that will stand out even more when the area surrounding it is darker.
Do not skimp on lighting around areas that can be hazardous at night, such as pools, other water features, high decks or stairs.
Do not skimp on lighting around areas that can be hazardous at night, such as pools, other water features, high decks or stairs.
9. Do What You Love
Make the things you love about gardening your priority. Instead of spending precious time on other areas, hire outside help for some of the more onerous or even just boring jobs. It needn’t be a weekly thing. Maybe you have someone come in every two weeks or once a month to do a general cleanup. Then you can do what you love, such as lavishing attention on seasonal pots or harvesting edibles to share with family and friends.
You also can hire someone on an hourly basis to help with your annual spring or fall cleanup, with transplanting seedlings or with handling plants that are are getting out of control. This will leave you time to do the things you love without having the other parts of your garden look neglected.
Bonus: Hiring help during spring and summer, when weeds seem to be multiplying overnight, or in the fall, when leaves are coming down faster than you can gather them up, is something to consider at any age.
Find a landscaper near you
Make the things you love about gardening your priority. Instead of spending precious time on other areas, hire outside help for some of the more onerous or even just boring jobs. It needn’t be a weekly thing. Maybe you have someone come in every two weeks or once a month to do a general cleanup. Then you can do what you love, such as lavishing attention on seasonal pots or harvesting edibles to share with family and friends.
You also can hire someone on an hourly basis to help with your annual spring or fall cleanup, with transplanting seedlings or with handling plants that are are getting out of control. This will leave you time to do the things you love without having the other parts of your garden look neglected.
Bonus: Hiring help during spring and summer, when weeds seem to be multiplying overnight, or in the fall, when leaves are coming down faster than you can gather them up, is something to consider at any age.
Find a landscaper near you
10. Listen to Your Body
The most important part of gardening as you get older is to listen to your body. That may mean no longer spending the entire day in the garden and then being too tired that evening or the next day to do other things. Instead, you can spread your garden work over several days or do pruning, clipping and deadheading in shorter sessions to ease the strain on your hands. It also may mean paying attention to sudden aches or stiffness, especially in your back, and stopping before it gets worse.
Instead, step away from your tasks and relax and appreciate what you’ve done so far — perhaps on one of those seating areas you’ve already added to your space.
Bonus: Taking the time to step back and appreciate what you’ve accomplished is one of the joys of being in the garden.
Tell us: What tips would you share on how to enjoy gardening at any age? Let us know in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more landscape design stories
Get landscape design ideas
Find a landscape designer or architect
The most important part of gardening as you get older is to listen to your body. That may mean no longer spending the entire day in the garden and then being too tired that evening or the next day to do other things. Instead, you can spread your garden work over several days or do pruning, clipping and deadheading in shorter sessions to ease the strain on your hands. It also may mean paying attention to sudden aches or stiffness, especially in your back, and stopping before it gets worse.
Instead, step away from your tasks and relax and appreciate what you’ve done so far — perhaps on one of those seating areas you’ve already added to your space.
Bonus: Taking the time to step back and appreciate what you’ve accomplished is one of the joys of being in the garden.
Tell us: What tips would you share on how to enjoy gardening at any age? Let us know in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Read more landscape design stories
Get landscape design ideas
Find a landscape designer or architect
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Use raised garden beds and tall containers to place your plants within easy reach without having to kneel down or sit on the ground. Anchoring a raised garden bed along a wall or at one end of a patio or low deck adds definition to both spaces and brings plants closer to eye level.
For easier access to the interior of a wider raised bed, use a U-shaped layout. Include a generously sized opening into the interior and room to maneuver within the space. Add built-in benches along the interior of the space to create a pocket patio in the middle of your plants.
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