A central resource for individuals with congenital or aquired limb loss, their families, carers and healthcare professionals
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1.Are there any adapted gardening tools available to help me?
There are all sorts of tools available on the market to help disabled gardeners achieve their full potential.
These include ergonomically-designed short and long reach trowels, forks, spades, weeders, cultivators, support cuffs, ratcheting pruners and loppers, to aid everyone whatever their disability – whether wheelchair-bound or suffering from limb amputation, arthritis or other physical impairment.
Oscillating hoes, which relieve pressure on the back, are particularly helpful for people with diminished strength and endurance – and one-handed flower snips are designed for people with bending difficulties.

2. Are there any organisations which can provide practical gardening support?
Thrive is a national horticultural charity, set up more than 20 years ago, that exists to enable disadvantaged, disabled and older people to carry on gardening. It provides expert advice on easier and accessible gardening for mobility-restricted people, through its award-winning website.

Herefordshire Growing Point is also a registered charity, established in 1991 by Herefordshire DIAL (Disablement Information and Advice Line). It was set up to advise and help disabled people to adapt their gardening skills to their particular disability and works closely with statutory and voluntary bodies to achieve this aim.

Gardening for the Disabled Trust – supported by TV gardening guru Alan Titchmarsh – provides small grants to people all over the UK to help mobility-impaired gardeners to adapt their land appropriate to their needs. It also publishes a quarterly newsletter with articles of special interest to disabled gardeners.

There are many more organisations, which accessible through the internet by using a search engine and logging on to “Gardening for the Disabled”.

3. What should I look for when choosing an adaptive tool for gardening?
Obviously this has to be an individual choice, depending on the level and nature of the disability.
A good start is to contact Peta (UK) Ltd., and established company that provides a wide range of ergonomically-designed gardening tools to suit people with all kinds of disabilities. Its comprehensive catalogue will guide you towards what tools you need to look after your adapted garden. Peta (UK) has also published “A Garden for You” by Fred Walden and introduced by TV gardening expert, Stefan Buczacki. Produced in A5 format, it provides a 100-page practical guide to tools, equipment and design for people with disabilities.