Gardening is one of the most popular ways for seniors to spend their leisure time. The hobby has a variety of benefits, like improving your mental health, giving you direct access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and increasing your daily physical activity. Some aspects of gardening, however, may be more difficult than they used to be — and you might be wondering, “How do I make my garden easier to manage as I age?”
You can stay active and plant your favorite flowers, herbs, or veggies for years to come by using these tips to make your yard, garden, and landscaping more senior-friendly.
Ergonomic and accessible gardening
Gardening inherently takes a lot of bending over, time spent on your knees, and being out in the heat longer than usual. But there are ways to have a landscape and gear more amenable to someone over 60.
Safety first: Garden accessibility
One of the first things you should do is make sure you can get around in your garden now, and in years to come.
- Make the pathways in your yard wide and flat.
- Install outdoor lighting so you can better see where you are walking.
- Make sure stepping stones are firmly in the ground and not made of something that gets slick when wet.
- If you don’t need stepping stones, get rid of them – it will be easier to walk when you aren’t trying to watch where you are placing your feet.
- If you enjoy having tchotchkes in your yard, like gnomes or decorative balls, clear them from areas where you walk. Small things on the ground can turn into fall hazards as you age.
- Make sure hanging plants are easily reachable. Using stepping stools and ladders can be a danger for seniors.
Gardening gear
You may not be able to use the same tools and work the same way you did 20 years ago. Making a small investment in good gear can keep you safe and reduce injuries in the garden. Here are some things to consider:
- Garden gloves help you take care of the skin on your hands and avoid cuts and bruises. They can also help give you a better grip on your garden tools.
- Look into tools that are easier to hold on to, like ones with grippy foam handles.
- Wheeled garden carts help you move things around more easily in the garden, especially if you are lugging heavy objects like dirt or rocks for landscaping.
- Long-handled grabbers can reduce the amount of bending you do when picking things up off the ground.
- Knee pads or a kneeler can avoid pain in your knees if you are on them for a long period of time. Some kneelers have adjustable heights for added comfort.
- Invest in gardening shoes that have arch support and extra cushioning to keep your feet from aching when you spend hours in your beloved garden.
- Make sure to use sunblock and wear a hat to protect your face from the sun.
- Garden in long sleeves and pants to avoid getting cuts and bug bites.
Make your yard more comfortable
As you age, it can become more difficult to stay on your feet and endure hot weather, but gardening doesn’t have to be uncomfortable.
One tip that makes your garden more accessible is adding seating. Take a walk around the garden and note the places where you spend a lot of time and could benefit from a place to rest. In these spots, you can put large rocks, chairs, or a bench to avoid getting fatigued.
If you want to grow veggies, consider putting in raised beds. These will keep you from bending and stooping, and you can even put one of your new seats nearby.
Many plants can be grown in pots or hanging planters that are easier to reach. You can also put large pots on casters or plant stands with wheels so you can move them around more easily. If you use trellises, plants will grow upward and reduce the need for bending and kneeling.
When the weather is hot or your mobility is limited, watering can become more difficult. Consider putting in a watering system that’s on a timer to reduce maintenance. Another way to keep cool is to put up trellises or umbrellas to give you shade in the heat.
Finally, it might be wise to consider having someone else do the harder garden work you can no longer do. If spreading mulch, building garden beds, or other landscaping work is too much, get an expert or friend to help.
Choose low-maintenance plants
What you choose to plant can be an important component in making sure you can continue to garden well into your 60s and 70s. Planning your landscaping so it’s easier to age in place will make it easier to get back out in the garden year after year.
- Reduce the size of your lawn or have artificial grass installed. That way, you can enjoy planting without worrying about mowing and tending to the rest of the yard.
- Annuals may bring color to your yard, but switching to flowering shrubs will make maintenance easier as you age.
- Think about plants that don’t require much maintenance and are drought-tolerant. Some of these include geraniums, peonies, roses, marigolds, and lavender. Evergreens, hostas, and ornamental grass can also be very low-maintenance landscaping options.
Even if you have the right plants, make sure to keep up on garden maintenance. Getting outside and giving it a quick weekly inspection — like taking care of weeds while they are small and managing pests before they take over — can keep you from having bigger issues down the road.
Health benefits of gardening
If you love gardening, you already know that time spent tending your plants makes you happy. But there are a lot of other physical and mental health benefits you’re reaping while outside.
Gardening is a great way to fit an enjoyable physical activity into your day. People who garden tend to get an extra 40 minutes of moderate exercise each week compared to people who don’t. It can also be beneficial for your mental health, as spending time outdoors has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, help manage stress, and improve memory and cognition.
Gardening can also help reduce isolation, which many people feel as they get older. Not only does it give you a sense of accomplishment, but you can also share in your experience by joining a local garden club, which can help you make friends and enjoy social time with people who share similar interests. Also, consider asking family members or grandkids to help you garden. This not only increases quality time with them, but may even engender a love of gardening in the next generation.
Gardening is good for your health and the environment. If it’s a hobby you want to continue as you age in place, you can build a senior-friendly, low-maintenance landscape that will keep your green thumb— and the rest of you — healthy and safe for years to come.
