Distributed:
July 2011
1
Accessible Location
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An accessible raised bed should be
located closest to the school
•
A raised bed garden shall be
considered at least semi permanent;
thus, a patio area, with its flat, smooth
surface, can be a good spot to build the
bed, allowing easy access from your
school to the garden
•
The area along the bed frame’s edge
should be cleared so that wheelchair
users, as well as walkers, can easily
reach the bed
•
Place the garden in a visible location,
so all students, teachers, parents, and
community members can enjoy its
beauty
Guidelines Checklist for Accessible Raised Bed Gardens
Accessibility
•
It is vital for your site to be easily accessible for
students with disabilities
•
The path to the garden should be level and
accessible**
•
If your garden is a short walk from the
classroom, there will be more teacher
involvement than if the site is a long distance
across the school grounds
•
The garden should be accessible to students
when they are not in class, so they explore and
enjoy it on their own
•
** Note: Refer to U.S. Department of Justice
ADA Guidelines - http://www.ada.gov/
Guidelines Checklist for Accessible Raised Bed Gardens
Materials and Initial Design
•
•
•
•
Cedar, cypress, pine, redwood, and
imported hardwoods are most frequently
used for many types of containers
because they hold up well to exposure
from all kinds of weather
From a cost effective point of view,
wooden containers including bushel
baskets, crates, boxes from the grocery
store, and cheese boxes from a gourmet
shop may be used **
Adapt the boxes and containers to suit
your space, and, particularly, your own
range of motion, to keep them entirely
accessible
Geoblock is a non-leaching recycled
plastic.
** Note: The aforesaid materials won’t last long,
but since they’re usually readily available,
replacing them shouldn’t pose much of a problem
Guidelines Checklist for Accessible Raised Bed Gardens
Materials and Initial Design (cont.)
•
The practical issues of the site grade,
irrigation, fencing, shade, accessibility, and
financial resources play significant roles in
selecting the initial design**
•
The simple design shall allow gardeners time
to focus on growing vegetables rather than
on building and maintaining garden beds
•
Cinder blocks can be used to construct
garden beds of a variety of shapes and sizes
•
The garden design can be changed and the
blocks can be reused
•
Minimal skill is required to build a garden
bed out of cinder block
**Note: An important initial design element may
be a crucial factor to determine which materials
to use in building the accessible gardens
Guidelines Checklist for Accessible Raised Bed Gardens
Height
source: DIY Accessibility
•
6-12” high may suit for many gardeners
including wheelchair users **
•
A height of 18-30” may be required to
accommodate all gardeners including people
with disabilities
•
If access is available from both sides of the
bed, it can be made 36 inches wide, allowing
18 inch access from both sides
** Note: A raised bed garden, at 6-12” high, shall
not aceesible for every gardener with a physical
disability
Guidelines Checklist for Accessible Raised Bed Gardens
Length or Depth
•
A maximum length of 10’ for a raised bed is
recommended depending on the aesthetics
of the site, the type of plants you want to
grow, and your own mobility
•
At least a 3-foot area for clearance around
the bed is recommended
•
At least a 5-foot area is required for turning
space for two more beds
•
The center of the bed surface to allow
complete access should be no greater than
18 inches; this includes the thickness of the
bed support
** Note: The final measurement – depth – is
determined by the raised bed’s height.
source: DIY Accessibility
Guidelines Checklist for Accessible Raised Bed Gardens
Width or Height
•
As the bed width can only be a maximum of
18 inches to the center point, including the
thickness of the bed support, the materials
used to construct the raised bed shall be
carefully considered
** Note: A raised bed garden, at 6-12” high,
shall not be the universal solution for every
gardener with a physical disability
source: DIY Accessibility
Guidelines Checklist for Accessible Raised Bed Gardens
Special Modifications
• The outdoor water spigot should be
installed at a greater height to make
it easier to reach
• Perforated pipes may be installed in
the planter box in order to cut down
on watering chores
• Having a toe space around the
planter box shall allow student with
disabilities to move more easily and
comfortably reach the bed for
gardening, and is particularly
advantageous for the gardener
working from a wheelchair
** Note: The garden should be accessible
and manageable as possible for the
gardener with a physical disability
Guidelines Checklist for Accessible Raised Bed Gardens