Gardening is great and has many overall benefits for the gardener. I personally recommend growing your own vegetable garden but there are some seniors who prefer growing flowers than vegetables. Either of them can help you maintain a healthy, active life aside from the therapeutic benefits it can give a person. Of course, there is the self-fulfillment or sense of accomplishment once you see the “fruits” of your labor; that is when you see your garden healthy and blooming!
Backyard gardening is really rewarding and because there are many success stories we are hearing about it left and right, many are starting to think about starting their own. Seniors are encouraged to give gardening a try even if their range of motion is limited. Gardening can be done and adjusted to what fits the gardener best. If squatting and getting up is giving seniors a problem, this should not hinder you and give up gardening altogether; you can elevate you garden to your most comfortable range so you don’t have to go up and down every time you tend to your garden. You can also ask for assistance whenever you need to do something that will put you in a potentially dangerous position and don’t try to do them by yourself if you are feeling a twinge of doubt. Gardening is supposed to be fun and rewarding, not something that will land you a bed in the hospital.
A flower garden has its own rewards. Just imagine walking and seeing blooming flowers that your own hands made! It will also attract butterflies that will only add to its charm. It is also calming because of its colors and scents that will greet you when you visit your garden and most of the time, permeates your home. Overall, a flower garden makes a home look and feel alive, youthful and soothing to the eye.
Vegetable garden, being my favorite gets the last place. Like your flower garden, it can also be done in pots or even in cramped lots—you just have to use your imagination to make it work. It is important to note that a vegetable garden can benefit senior’s health tremendously. It can provide you with fresh vegetables whenever you need some. It can also give you herbs and spices you can use for cooking instead of those you find in cans, bottles and packed which is most likely drenched with chemicals and preservatives. It may not be as colorful and as fragrant as a flower garden but it can help you save some on your food budget plus you know it’s fresh and handpicked by you!
You can also work on a flower and veggie garden combined especially if you have a larger lot to work on. However, if you are currently living in an apartment and you don’t have anything except for a small piece of balcony then you may want to consult with your landlord first then get some advices from your friendly neighborhood gardening store. On the other hand, when you already have something in mind, you can browse over online gardening stores for your equipments. Some of them deliver the goods right at your doorstep so you don’t have to walk out for it.
