If you're looking for a fun, healthy pastime for you and your senior loved one, gardening is an excellent hobby to explore. Gardening is fun at any age, and it takes just a little forethought and creativity to make gardening for older adults the perfect pastime.
Why garden?
It’s fun.
Everyone loves to get a little dirty now and then. There's no better reason to get outdoors and enjoy Mother Nature than planting and enjoying beautiful flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Doing something fun and improving your mood benefits the body as well!
It’s healthy.
Gardening is great for the mind and body of everyone involved. It increases strength and endurance, relieves stress, and fosters a sense of achievement. The incorporation of fruit and vegetables promotes healthier eating as well.
Gardening Senior-Style
Keep it simple.
Hanging baskets and window boxes are great ways to get started if you are new to gardening or short on space. Choosing a theme for your garden, such as vegetables or roses, keeps it simple as well. Gardening on a smaller scale reduces the time necessary to tend the garden and makes care easier. Install irrigation or use soaker hoses to make watering as simple as turning a knob. There are lots of resources available to help you through.
Related: How to Plan and Plant a Container Garden >>
Get a lift!
To make seniors and gardening more compatible, consider raised beds, platforms with containers, or straw bale gardening so that tending plants is easier on the back and knees. Building things to chair height and using a foldout chair can also help.
Be cautious.
Stretch a little before you or your loved one hits the soil. Be mindful of sunburn and dehydration. Also, ensure that areas are safe from obstruction and slippery conditions to prevent falls.
Everyone can enjoy the benefits of gardening. So get out into the fresh air and sunshine to soak up some free vitamin D! Start with something small and simple, but get going today and start reaping your garden's bounty in every possible way.
This blog was originally published on June 21, 2013 and updated in 2023.
