Furniture design is also important. Many older adults benefit from having two arms on chairs for stability in standing up. Because of that, some designers feel there should be no benches (which typically preclude having bilateral support) while others argue that not every older person needs bilateral support, and therefore benches are acceptable. This may depend on the functional abilities and preferences of your users. Being able to sit close enough for easy conversation is also important, so chairs at right angles to each other or face-to-face can promote conversation.
Also consider group size: sometimes people want to gather in larger groups, say for a meal or snack outside, and other times people want to be further away to have a more private conversation. Stable, lightweight furniture is important so it can be moved around the garden. Not every seat needs to be a chair or a bench. Having ledges to lean on or perch against, either the edge of a stable planter, or a handrail, or other solid surface, can provide a place to pause for a moment. Consider ledges at different heights, so children can also have a place to easily sit down. (Source: Recommendation furniture’s, Pioneer Network).
Characteristics of good benches:
- Benches with arms and back support
- Benches with ergonomic design[1]
- Made of materials that don´t get hot in the sun or cold in low temperatures- Wood is a good material because it is warmer than stone or metal and tends to dry faster after rain or dew
The same characteristics applies to chairs, only adding the importance of being light weighted. In the following pictures there are examples of recommended chairs and benches.
Image 41. Recommended chairs and benches for the therapeutic garden, comfortable and robust with arms and back support. (Photo Jardines Terapéuticos Palmlöf, the chairs and benches are commercial photos)
Some furniture in the therapeutic garden could be difficult to find in common hardware stores. Those are:
- Outdoor tables for working with potting and handicrafts that are stable and suitable for wheelchair users
- Raised beds
- Vertical planters
- Compost structures
In the garden having at least one robust table treated for outdoor climate and that can withstand use of handicraft activities such as working with plants and soil, hammering and cutting, is recommended. Most tables on the market are for dining and having coffee in the garden and are fragile with materials such as glass or fine wood structure. It is very recommendable for this table to have the measurements for wheelchair users, (70 cm between ground and board) otherwise it is a good idea that it is equipped with adjustable legs. One can also equip the table with adjustable floor levelling screws. See image 42.
Image 42. A robust table for therapy activities with tools. Adjustable flor levelling screw. (foto Jardines Terapéuticos Palmlöf)
Image 43. Planting table. To the right, a homemade planting table with place to store. Design by Lars Lallerstedt, Stockholm.
Raised beds and vertical planters
There are raised beds that only aim to elevate the plants so the users can touch and smell them more easily. In this case, the design is up to each implementer of the therapeutic garden. Exact height and material is not important for its function. But keep in mind that many plants grow to a considerable height, and it might be a good idea not to make these raised beds much higher than 50 cm.
For raised beds that are aimed to be used for horticulture where users are taking an active role, there is some advice to take into account:
- It should be possible to manage the raised beds from hard surface areas. A leveled surface is important for safety, and raised beds with pavement around are easier to manage and weeds do not invade as easily.
- A cultivation that can only be accessed from one side should not be more than 60 cm wide if you want to reach it comfortably
- If you sit in a wheelchair and work from the side, 60 cm is usually an adequate height for cultivation, while 80-90 cm is required if you want to stand comfortably.
- A cultivation table with space for the knees under the table may be most comfortable for seated work. The height may vary depending on the type of wheelchair. However, the growing depth of the table should not be less than 15-20 cm, unless the plant material is limited to drought-resistant rock garden plants, which can cope with only a few centimeters of soil.
- For visually impaired, it is good to have contrasting surfaces and materials at corners and ends.
- It is a good idea to consider automatic irrigation while vegetables and flowers that grow in raised beds tends to be short of water quicker than if they are planted in the ground (southern Europe).
Today there are plenty of choices on the market to buy prefabricated raised beds. If it is possible, it is a good idea to try to look at it physically and confirm its measurements, stability and also materials. Metal horticulture tables can become very hot in the summer which dries out the soil and could be a burn danger.
One can also choose to build a raised bed, out of timber, wood planks or brick. The table below illustrates possible ideas and the measurements to consider when constructing your own raised bed.
| RAISED BEDS: Height Width (one side) STANDING: 90-100 cm 50 cm SITTING: 69-75 cm 50 cm WHEELCHAIR: 61 cm 50 cm |
Image 44. Raised beds with different appereance. All photos Jardines Terapéuticos, except the wheelchair adapted bed.
Another way of caring for plants without bending over is to use hanging or vertical structures. This does not refer to the nowadays so popular “green walls” with integrated irrigation, but structures for pots and planters that facilitate people with disabilities to care for the plants. This can easily be done out of wooden planks and then use common pots or hanging pots. See image 45. More ideas at: https://www.thegardenglove.com/15-diy-vertical-vegetable-garden-ideas-projects/
Image 45. Cultivating herbs, flowers or strawberries in hanging pots vertically makes it easy to reach for everyone.
[1] The angle of inclination between the backrest and the seat shall be between 105º and 110º to allow a correct rest without compromising the balance when standing up.
– The optimum seat depth is 40 to 42 cm.
– The height should be 38-40 cm.