Article on the Enabling Garden
Jean Gillooly-Rowan County Master Gardener Volunteer
September 4, 2003

    The Master Gardeners' Enabling Garden is located in the West End Community Park on Brenner Road between the railroad tracks and Horah Street. The West End Horticultural Demonstration Garden site is guarded by a scarecrow family. The two raised beds on the right are ready to use and the overhead trellis is nearing completion
    The purpose of this Enabling Garden is to provide a model for agencies which provide care for older or handicapped people to build on their own grounds. In addition Master Gardeners will use the West End facilities to teach scheduled therapeutic horticultural activities.
Enabling gardening involves ways to make gardening possible for people who would be unable to otherwise. For example those with physical or mental disabilities, the elderly and children. One way is by changing the physical
surroundings to accommodate their needs. Raised beds are a first step.
    In the area to the right of the cement path, the larger raised bed is 4 feet wide, 8 feet long with a planting depth of 6 inches. All sides have openings with    a clearance of 27 inches from the floor to accommodate people in wheelchairs. The 4 foot width allows a comfortable reach of 2 feet from either side.    For use by other clients 24 inch stools or chairs are ideal. The 6 inch outside top ledge is useful for various horticultural activities. This configuration accommodates   8 to 10 people on stools or 6 people in wheelchairs.
    The shorter raised bed container is versatile also. It is 24 inches high, 4 feet wide and 6 feet long. This is the correct height for people in wheelchairs, working sideways with one hand. The top edge is 8 inches wide to be comfortable for sitting by a variety of people. This planting container will be used by children, such as the Junior Master Gardeners as well.
    An overhead trellis will shield participants from the harsh summer sun but will permit rainwater to come through to water the plants in the raised beds. Eventually the trellis will be covered with attractive vines.
    The cement walkway is designed for safe wheelchair access. The ramp does not exceed a 5% slope (1 foot rise for 20 feet of path). It is 5 feet wide so two people can walk side by side. To facilitate a person in a wheelchair turning around or changing directions, a 5 foot square area is included on the main pad.
    The term "Enabling Garden" and the space requirements listed are from Gene Rothert's book "The Enabling Garden: Creating Barrier Free Gardens." He is the Manager of Urban Gardening at the Chicago Botanical Garden where there is an extensive Horticultural Therapy Garden. He is a wheelchair user himself.   The Rowan County Master Gardeners involved in the West End Enabling Garden are Bunny Fagan, Elaine Hewitt, Joanne Johnson, Carole Massey and Jean Gillooly who is a registered Horticultural Therapist also. This project was made possible by grants from James and Gerry Hurley through the Hurley Foundation and the Salisbury Civitans.

Cooperative Extension and Rowan County Master Gardener Volunteers will be dedicating the Enabling Garden Facility, Friday, September 12, 11:00 a.m. at the West End Community Park Horticulture Garden on Brenner Avenue in Salisbury. Master Gardener Volunteers Jean Gillooly, a Licensed Horticultural Therapist, and Elaine Hewitt, President of the Rowan County Master Gardener Association, will be providing information about the garden and future programming efforts. Please call Cooperative Extension at 704-633-0571 for more information.