Easy Lifelong Gardening: A Practical Guide for Seniors

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

You don’t have to be a senior to know gardening is hard work. Aware
that many people who want to garden find it physically too demanding,
the authors have applied the principles of ergonomics and kinesiology to
the problem. The result is an approach that makes gardening feasible and
enjoyable for seniors, the disabled, and others who lack the strength or
endurance for a good deal of manual labor.

The book contains information on energy-conserving tools, body
movements that reduce strain, procedures that minimize bending and
lifting, gardens designed for the gardener, low-maintenance plantings,
raised beds, social gardening, tabletop gardening, and dozens of other
ways to retain the pleasure while reducing the physical effort
associated with gardening. Consideration is given to the needs of those
who garden from a wheelchair, while ideas are also provided for those
who garden, by choice or necessity, from an armchair.

Although some of the ideas are radical (e.g., replacing the lawn with a
no-mow ground cover) and others are creative (e.g., designing a
fragrance garden for the blind), all are practical; safety, budgets, and
maintenance requirements are part of every suggestion. The work
concludes with a substantial section on horticultural therapy, including
aromatherapy.

This well-organized and well-written book is both a pleasure to read
and a useful reference.