Building Accessible Raised-Bed Gardens

Senior Raised Beds

Four taller raised beds were added spring 2005 for use by seniors or those with limited mobility. These beds were also funded through the NRP program and constructed with volunteer labor.

Project Description- Wheelchair Accessible Raised Beds

Four Raised gardening beds, each 12' x 5' and 24" high (height suitable for wheelchair users) with 4' wide structural pathways around beds on all sides. Beds were built in fall 2000; in spring 2001, pathways were installed to allow easy wheelchair access. Beds are filled with a mixture of topsoil and compost. Water is supplied by a gravity-feed barrel that sits atop one of the beds with an attached hose; barrel is kept filled by volunteers. An on-site compost bin is provided and emptied at the end of the season by volunteers.

Materials

For the Raised Beds:

• Recycled composite decking (12' x 6" x 1"), 12 boards per bed (ChoiceDek was used; other brands are available, see resources list)
• 72" slotted angle irons, 4 per bed
• 2.5" metal corner braces, 8 per bed
• 36" u-posts, 8 per bed
• 14 gauge galvanized wire
• galvanized deck screws

For the Pathway Paving:

• Geoblock brand porous pavement system
• weed barrier fabric
• galvanized deck screws
• finely ground wood chips

Process:

Preparing the Site We leveled the area where the beds were to be installed. After the beds were constructed, the soil was excavated 2" below ground level where pathway paving was to be installed, and leveled.

Building the Beds Lumber was cut to size, with 45-degree angles at ends. One rectangle of boards was laid in position, and slotted angle irons were attached to outside corners. Layers of boards were added and attached until bed was four boards high. Corner braces were attached on inside corners at the first and top course of boards. U-posts were positioned (three per side, evenly spaced, and one per end, centered), driven into the ground until just below top of bed, and attached to boards. Wire was strung through gaps between the second and third layer of boards, wrapped around the outside of the u-posts, and tightened. (This keeps beds from bowing outward when filled with soil).

Beds were filled with a layered mixture of topsoil and municipal composted yard waste, in equal amounts. A purchased rain barrel with outlet hose was placed on top of soil at one end of a bed.

Installing the Pathway Paving Landscape fabric was applied to the bottom of the prepared path area. Interlocking Geoblock pieces were placed on the fabric, and attached to one another. When pathway was in place, ground wood chips were used to fill in the holes of the Geoblock until just flush with the block surface.