Gardening aids for seniors

For many people, their own garden is a place to feel good, a green oasis for relaxing hours or social gatherings. It is a nice feeling to watch the flowers grow or to harvest fresh vegetables that you have grown yourself. But when your back starts to ache and your knees start to hurt with age, it is clear to many seniors: the garden must become easier to maintain! But what do age-appropriate solutions look like?

Older seniors in particular often no longer feel up to the physically demanding work in the garden and ask themselves how they can make their garden easier to maintain. In the first step, care should be taken to ensure that the garden is designed barrier-free so that it can still be walked on safely at an advanced age. Wide, straight paths with as few steps as possible are ideal. If they are 120 cm wide or wider, they can even be used by wheelchair. Non-slip tiles with a rough or coarse-pored surface prevent falls, the main cause of injuries in old age. Gaps in the floor should also be avoided. Path lighting, possibly in combination with motion detectors, ensures safety in the evening hours.

A garden suitable for senior citizens is back-friendly. In raised beds, vegetables and herbs can be planted and harvested without bending over. The height of the bed depends on the height of the person. For people with a height of 160 cm it should be about 85 to 90 cm high, for people with a height of 170 cm about 90 to 95 cm and for people with a height of 180 cm about 95 to 100 cm. A raised bed that can be walked on from both sides should also be a maximum of 120 to 140 cm wide so that the plants can still be reached in a relaxed manner. Raised beds that are placed against a wall or a building and can therefore only be accessed from one side should accordingly only be half as deep.

Instead of annual plants, it is better to use long-lived perennials and shrubs. Also consider the final height and width. Many compact varieties do not require regular pruning. It is equally important that the selection fits the location. Good soil conditions and the right amount of light have an enormous impact on the growth of plants and shrubs. If possible, use perennial species for flower bulbs. Winter-hardy varieties can remain in the ground over the winter and do not need to be dug up.

Grapple tongs: The purchase of a long-handled grapple is particularly worthwhile if you have back problems. It can be used to pick up garden waste and other materials without bending over.

Weeding tongs: With long-handled tools, weeds can be removed in an upright posture. A twisting motion cuts out dandelions, thistles & co. together with their roots.

Lopping shears: Long-handled lopping shears are suitable for cutting small trees or shrubs, with which even branches in the middle of the shrub can be reached. Thanks to the leverage effect of the long handles, they are very easy to use. A pair of handy pruning shears is sufficient for small branches and shoots.

Spade: A two-handled spade (similar to a bicycle handlebar) makes it easier to dig the soil in a bed that is low to the ground or to dig planting holes. There are also models available on the market that have an additional handle attached halfway up the handle, which makes it possible to lift the spade blade even from a sitting position.

Garden trolley seat: It is optimal for seniors who work a lot on the ground. At a comfortable seat height of about 30 cm, upcoming gardening tasks can be carried out in a way that is easy on the knees and back. The wheels make it easy to change position with little effort. Many models also have practical storage areas or holders for garden tools.

Irrigation system: A sprinkler system saves lugging watering cans around, which is a tedious task, especially in summer. But such a system is also practical when you are away or during longer trips. Since there are different systems, it is advisable to seek specific advice before purchasing.

Mowingrobots: Bad accidents can happen when mowing the lawn. A good alternative to conventional lawnmowers are so-called robotic mowers, which keep the lawn short independently, quietly and without supervision. The finely chopped clippings remain on the lawn as a nourishing mulch, allowing the grass to grow particularly thick. In addition, there is no lawn waste, which saves time and labour.

Wheelbarrow: Ordinary models have to be lifted at the back, which requires a lot of effort and is not very back-friendly. However, there are also four-wheeled wheelbarrows (transport barrows) available on the market that are equipped with a tipping device. This makes it possible to transport soil, flowers or other materials in an age-appropriate way. It is even easier with a motorised wheelbarrow, which is particularly suitable for large gardens or uneven terrain.

Of course, senior citizens also have a private sphere and want to be protected from prying eyes in the garden. A privacy screen should be largely maintenance-free and still look beautiful. Instead of a hedge that needs to be trimmed or pruned regularly, fences made of a wood-plastic mixture (WPC), for example, are a better alternative. They are put together with tongue and groove, which makes them opaque. Visually, they resemble a wooden lamppost fence, but they are much easier to maintain. Thanks to the plastic content, they are resistant to rot or pest infestation. In addition, unlike wooden fences, WPC fences do not need to be painted or otherwise treated. .

Picket fences are durable and stable due to their welded and hot-dip galvanised struts. With privacy strips pulled through, they become an opaque screen and windbreak. A gabion (wire basket filled with stones) also looks good. Interesting patterns can be created by filling in different stone shapes and colours.

In combination with stone pillars, satin glass elements (called frosted glass) can also give the garden an exclusive touch. The material is durable and insensitive to moisture. Especially in small gardens, where a wooden fence looks bulky and dark, a privacy fence made of translucent safety glass is visually less constricting.

There are some basic safety precautions that every gardener should follow:

1. Never do gardening barefoot or with open-toed shoes, even in summer. Wear gardening gloves to protect hands from scratches, blisters or splinters.
2. Always close the safety catch after using pruning shears and similar tools. Always make cutting movements away from the body.
3. Before mowing the lawn, check the green area for left objects or stones.
4. After gardening, carefully stow all tools to avoid stepping on, tripping over or falling.
5. Remove moss and wet leaves from paths - danger of slipping!

Easy to maintain and still beautiful! When strength and mobility decline, a garden suitable for seniors saves you unnecessary drudgery. With safe paths, well thought-out planting and the right gardening tools, you can enjoy your favourite place in the green without worries and well into old age.