At last, after our seemingly-endless winter, it's time to fish flower-pots out of the corner of the garden, shake the dust off the gardening gloves and cut the grass. But getting older may mean that the physicality of maintaining a garden proves a bit too much, and it may be tempting to forego the whole thing in favour of an easy life. Yet Tessa Knott, owner and creator of Glenwhan Gardens in Stranraer, believes getting older should not equate to giving up your garden.
“There is no age limit on gardening. Provided they can get around, anyone can garden, and there are plenty of ways to still keep green-fingered as you get older.”
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She has compiled a list of simple steps that people can take to make gardening easier, without losing the beauty of your much-loved outdoor space.
1) Invest in low-maintenance, high-impact plants
Evergreens are great because they are easy to maintain and they last all year round. I recommend a shrub called Daphne Bholua; it starts blooming in winter and has the most magnificent, uplifting fragrance. It is a rare gem that originates from the Himalayas – so it is hardy enough to even manage the Scottish weather.
Another good choice is the Sarcococca Confusa – a glossy green, sweetly scented flower with the loveliest red berries. There is absolutely no maintenance with either of those. Older gardeners should also consider Star Jasmine: it’s a climber, so will create a bit of variety for the eye and some height within the garden. It has fragrant white flowers and blooms in mid to late summer to create a nice pop of colour. Prostanthera Cuneata and Syringa Vulgaris (known as Charles Joly) are another two vibrant plants that require minimal maintenance and could be well suited to older gardeners.
2)Try flowers with a high-sensory value
Fragranced flowers can create a wonderful sensory experience for people to enjoy – especially for those who might have lost some of their sight. The evergreen English Lavender is a lovely addition along the edge of a border, and its recognisable scent will liven up any garden. It is also very nice to touch and can give a sensory experience: it’s the same with rosemary and bay tree which also smell lovely. Oriental lilies are another beautifully scented plant, which work nicely in pots or well-drained ground. The Stargazer variety is pink and the Josephine is purple –both striking – and they will bloom in July and August. Daffodils and Azaleas Luteums are bright and fragrant too, with azaleas thriving even in acid or peaky soil.
3) Find plants that will keep coming back
Raspberries do very well in Scotland and they will come back year after year so you won’t need to keep replanting. Spinach is another resilient plant – good for providing valuable iron – and you can pick and pick at it and get a lot of crop from it. It will last a long time, but you need to make sure it doesn’t go to seed and die off.
Extreme weather can be problematic: the late snow this year was horrible and made gardening pretty difficult. But if something looks dead, don’t cut it out immediately – you never know if it might come back. If it still looks dead after a few weeks, then remove it and replace it with something nicer.
READ MORE Memories of the Glasgow Garden Festival
4) Consider investing in a new lawnmower…
If you have a lawn that needs maintained, they make very light lawnmowers these days which should be manageable for some older people. There are also a lot of battery-powered mowers out there that mean you don’t need to grapple with cords and the safety issues that they present. And if you want really hands-off lawn maintenance, there is a growing market of robotic mowers that make their way around your garden independently while you relax. The only problem? Robotic lawnmowers aren’t cheap.
5) …or ditching the lawn altogether
If keeping on top of a lawn gets too much and you decide you don’t want it, you can replace it with a gravel garden. You can pepper the garden with low-growing shrubs and herbs: just make sure you put a membrane in to supress the weeds under the gravel. They also make very convincing fake grass these days, so that could be an excellent alternative if you still want to have the appearance of a lawn. I am personally against concrete slabbing, but gravel gardens will look pretty and be virtually maintenance-free.
6) Try out tailor-made tools
I would recommend an easy-grip gardening fork: there are also a lot of forks and spades with much longer handles so you don’t have to bend your back. You can buy secateurs with ratchet handles made for people with weaker hands so they aren’t as tiring to use. Try a company called the Valspring Group – they specialise in gardening products for those with limited hand strength and mobility. Gardener’s kneeler seats can also be a real help – you use it as a stool and then flip it around to make it a kneeler and take the pressure off your knees. There are a whole range of ergonomic garden tools out there made specifically for the needs of older gardeners, so have a look around to see what will work for you.
7) Create some raised beds
Raised beds are absolutely excellent. You can make them reasonably cheaply yourself – or get a gardener or handyman to do them for you – but once you have them they are great. You don’t have to bend or stretch as much, and they can be a great environment to grow herbs or culinary products.
8) Think about window boxes
These are brilliant for people who live in sheltered housing or perhaps don’t have a garden they can access. If they really want something to brighten their lives up they can grow flowers, herbs or whatever takes their fancy. Wallflowers are particularly good in window boxes because they are brightly coloured and freshly scented and can be a good way to get a sense of a garden environment indoors.
READ MORE Memories of the Glasgow Garden Festival
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9) Get a gardener in to help you out
If you have a big project or are just struggling to manage your garden on your own, there are a few good websites that will help you find a reliable local gardener. Try Ratedpeople.com and Mylocaltoolbox.co.uk.
10) And if you really can’t manage gardening… visit someone else’s!
Discover Scottish Gardens is a new website that has been made to promote all the beautiful gardens that exist all over Scotland and help people find gardens that are on their doorstep. If you go on the website you can find gardens near you that you might not even knew existed. It is amazing how many people in Stranraer come along to our garden and tell us they had no idea that we were here in the first place! Many of the gardens will have disabled access to at least some parts of their grounds, so they are a great way for people to come along and still enjoy the sensation of sitting in a peaceful garden.
Glenwhan Gardens offers free entry for disabled guests, and on Saturdays for those who are members of the Royal Horticultural Society. They are open 10am-5pm every day.
Three Great Scottish Gardens to Visit
- Cluny House Garden, Aberfeldy
Particularly scenic in spring, Cluny has a host of Himalayan plants to admire with the Mahogany Fawn Lily a particular highlight. This month also provides a great opportunity to spot some pollinating bumblebees and – even more impressively-native red squirrels.
- Greenbank Garden, Newton Mearns
There is something uniquely soothing about the sound of a fountain, and there are plenty to enjoy at Greenbank. There are a variety of ornamental pools and delicate flowers to soothe your senses –it is hard to believe you are just half an hour from Glasgow city centre.
- St Mary’s Pleasance, Haddington, Edinburgh
Maintained purely for public enjoyment, this garden has a lot packed in to a relatively small space. You can walk under the canopy of Laburnum, enjoy fragrant smells in the rose garden, and relax on a bench in the peaceful sunken garden. And the best bit of all? It is free to visit.
Don't miss Saturday's Herald Magazine for our new extended gardening section, with top tips from expert Dave Allan, plus Scotland's best gardens to visit
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