Helping people do gardening again

Gardening can be a relaxing and enjoyable hobby. For people who have lost some vision however, it may be a difficult activity. There are some ways to make gardening easier. Using a white garden glove as a background behind a plant stem would make it easier to clip the stem for cutting flowers. It is easier to fill white or light colored flower pots with soil because they offer better contrast. When planting seeds, we recommend laying down a fishing line or a cane and use it as a guide for planting straight rows. Knowing what is planted and where is an important part of gardening. Each row can be labeled with identification cards. The cards are mounted on a stake and can either have a large picture of the item planted or written with a black marker on a yellow note card. To protect them from the weather, the cards should be laminated or sealed in plastic.

By using contrast as a strategy and some other tips, low vision patients can once again enjoy gardening.

Thank you to Patricia Love, one of our occupational therapists, for this article.