The Visually Impaired Gardener
The great majority of glasses and contact wearers are able to pursue their interests and hobbies with little or no disruption. Severe visual impairment, on the other hand, can complicate even the simplest task. If you are a visually impaired gardener, using adaptive techniques can help you better enjoy and care for your plants.
Garden Design for the blind & visually challenged
When laying out your garden, opt for a grid design instead of curved or irregular shapes. Several small beds are often easier to maintain than one or two large plots because it is easier to keep track of where you stopped weeding or planting.
Instead of cobblestone or bricks, which may become tripping hazards, create paths with packed mulch, pea gravel or poured concrete. There are so many options available that safety does not have to compromise style.
If possible, avoid landscape designs with stairs. If steps are a necessity, make sure that they are regularly spaced, covered with a nonstick material and have railing.
Create a sound path throughout your garden by using noise-making garden features such as wind chimes, water fountains, rain cups and whirligigs. If your mind drifts while taking a stroll one fine summer afternoon, these sound elements will help you figure out your position.
Choosing and Arranging Plants
Plants with distinctive foliage color, shape and smell are easier to separate from weeds. If you want a ground cover, choose plants with a growth profile very different from your most common nuisance species. If you always find yourself fighting with giant ragweed, for example, using a low-grower like creeping phlox will make the taller weeds stand out and be easier to pick.
Grouping your plants in regularly spaced sets of three, four, or five will also help you figure out what to tend to and what to pull. If you have trouble planting in a straight line, run string between two pegs on opposite ends of your bed and follow the line to place seeds.
If you are using a grid of several beds, consider having a friend or lumber store cut a piece of plywood and drill regularly spaced holes. You can use the plywood as a “stencil” by lying in on top of your bed and dropping a seed or two into each hole.
Once your seeds are planted, Braille, raised printed or carved markers will help you remember what each bed will sprout.
Caring for Your Garden
After your seedlings are established, having the right tools on hand will make caring for your garden safer and easier. Consider investing in the following:
Short-handled tools with light-colored handles
Tools with handles less than two feet long will allow you to feel with one hand while cultivating with the other. White or pastel handles will stand out better from the soil.
Kneepads
If you do the majority of your gardening while kneeling, kneepads will help protect your joints.
Syringes with raised markings
Raised markings on your syringes will be useful for accurate measuring of fertilizer and other liquid applications.
A magnifying glass, flashlight and mechanical “seed sower”
Loading tiny seeds into a handheld, spring-loaded “seed-sower” is easier with lighting and magnification. Keep sheets of white and black paper on hand so that you can work with seeds on a contrasting surface.