Mature tomato plant only 24 inches high loaded with ripe tomatoes growing in a planter 18 inched high.

Before beginning a garden, it is essential to gather some information about potential location(s). This will begin to suggest the kinds of plants that can be grown successfully. When evaluating locations, bear in mind both the kind of gardening desired and functional abilities of the gardener. Each is important to success. Most vegetables, herbs, and many flowers need direct sun for a minimum of 6 hours - more is better. The location may be already be a given if, for example, the space is an apartment balcony; or because the gardener uses a wheelchair, essential paving means the garden will be set up on an existing backyard patio or deck.

Dinosaur Kale a great texture plant with 18 inch long and 3 to five inch wide edible, heavily crinkled, blue green strap like leaves emerging from central cluster.

Whether creating an entirely new landscape or working in existing places, several things should be considered that will, in turn, help with making successful plant choices. Even within a small yard, sun vs. shade, temperature, humidity, and exposure to wind can vary greatly from one side to another at different times of the day and with changing seasons. Fortunately there is a wealth of information available - almost too much - about gardening. The most reliable and least expensive is produced by local university cooperative extension services, public botanic gardens, and arboreta that have libraries and education programs on a wide variety of gardening subjects. They will have important information about the best plants to grow locally along with successful gardening techniques for the area. Most have websites making access to information easy. While these are great resources, the best information will come from experienced fellow gardeners. Consider joining the local garden club. One will learn a great deal as well as meet people with similar interests.

A wooden deck with a cluster of four large accessible containers ranging from 15 to 24 inches high and round billowing with a wide variety of colors, fragrances and textures of plants.

For any location, it is important to note the conditions in the areas being considered for the garden:

• If there is a choice of locations, consider the gardener's mobility, energy, and endurance that may mean that the best option is a site closer to the house.
• Does the site have the minimum 6 hours of direct sunlight to grow sun-loving plants such as vegetables and most herbs? Perhaps there is one small sunny spot within an otherwise shady garden that can be used. A shady site will limit the plants that will grow; yet the list of shade plants is still long.
• What is the average length of the growing season - last spring frost to first fall frost date - and what are the minimum winter/maximum summer temperatures? Note that there are many cool-season plants that tolerate a few frosts that will considerably extending the growing season. A Florida garden will clearly be different than one in Vermont. That's why local information is so important when deciding what to plant, where, and when.
• Is there a nearby water source to attach a hose? This is essential because carrying water is usually not practical in all but the smallest garden of a window box or two.
• Is there a place to store tools and other items that naturally begin to accumulate as a result of having a garden? Convenient storage as near as possible, even a small cabinet somewhere in the garden, is very helpful.

All this preliminary information will serve as a guide for decision making about the garden layout and how to equip the gardeners who will use it. For most, if an accessible garden is needed, the initial setup is best left to others as heavy containers, soil, and other construction are likely beyond the capabilities of the gardener. Even if others must build the garden, do the necessary homework so it is set up for the gardener's needs. Are the plans ambitious enough to require the services of a landscape architect or contractor? The more information provided to them the better, particularly because their understanding of disabilities may be limited.

Gene Rothert is Manager, Horticultural Therapy Services, of the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, IL. He may be reached at grothert@chicagobotanic.org.

PART II of this paper can be accessed by clicking here.