Topic: Another new challenge, your suggestions, please

[manicscousers]

these are the three areas we have agreed to set up for our special needs group at their drop in centre
firstly, the flower beds, we are building 3 large flower boxes near the seats so wheelchairs can access the middle, pictures will follow, we hope  ;D
secondly, vegetable beds , 10 of them, with 3' beds between, wheelchair accessible, food will go to the kitchens and we will help with growing the stuff, etc
thirdly, a large fruit cage, double doors at the front with a 3' path down the middle, they have a grant for the wood so we have just sorted out the plans today..luckily, they have the man power to build the beds and  put in the soil (community payback team)  should be fun  ;D

[manicscousers]

sorry, forgot, what to plant in a 6" deep bed that people in wheelchairs would like to work on ???

[Jayb]

Sounds like a super project to be involved in developing, lots of fun.

Are all the beds going to be 6'' deep?

[grawrc]

I'm filled with admiration, Mal. I don't know where you find the time and energy with all the other stuff you do!

[manicscousers]

I have some good days, Anne,then I go mad  ;D
Jayb, imagine, if you will, a desk with 18" beds, 5 boards high either side, attached to the middle (the knee hole) is a 3'x3'x6" bed, filled with soil, I was wondering about a short trellis at the back for dwarf sweet peas, black eyed susan, any other short climbers anyone can think of,
we will be doing a scented one, I have thymes, lavenders, couldn't do a rose unless we can get a small, thornless one..
the different mints I have will be dotted in pots around the place..lots to think about over winter  ;D
wondering about some strawberries in one of the side boxes ?

[manicscousers]

been to mark out the plans, 4'path down the middle as we had space, over to them, now,they have people to make boxes and the wood's ordered, our next job is to get the soil delivered (20 ton) so they can get it moved into the beds, it should begin to look like summat like soon, got to persuade them weed control covered with wood chip(free from the council) for the paths instead of grass as that will quickly turn into a quagmire  :)

[Jayb]

Wow it all sounds fantastic, although I can't manage to picture it quite right, I can't get past my old school desk! I can imagine some of the colours and scents you are going to have, lovely. What some different herbs planted at the edges of the paths for scent as people walk past, or would they just be a nuisance?

[manicscousers]

thanks, Jayb..I have lots of different types of mint, sage, thyme and lavenders, plus rosemary, lemon balm, oregano, woodruff, cotton lavender, fennel, chamomile plus annual herbs will be going in..all the cuttings are doing really well and we are doing hundreds of geranium cuttings for the plant sale next year so will have lots of colour, not sure what will be going where yet, but I may take you up on your kind offer when we get further down the road  :)

[Digeroo]

If you have wheelchairs gravel is a major problem not sure how woodchip goes with a wheelciar.  I think it is also important that those who are going to use the allotment become part of the planning and decide what is going where.  People with very special needs sometime have very firm opinions of what they like or do not like.  It is important also to allow them to make choices and to take decisions. 

My daughter who can neither walk nor talk can make decisions about colours and smells that she likes.  She knows what she likes.  She likes touching things.  Not always smooth and soft but rough and coarse.  She likes feeling teasles when they are soft for example.

[manicscousers]

this is all planned with Broadmead, all the ideas are theirs, in conjunction with the users, the wood chip area will not be for wheelchairs, they have a broad range of special needs, they will be looking to replace the middle path and the edge paths with paving later  :)

[Digeroo]

I wish there was something like this near my daughter she would love it.  Not only the garden but she also loves contact with people.  She seems to be able to feel when people are kindred spitips