“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.”-John Muir

A diagnosis of arthritis need not strike terror in the hearts of avid gardeners. While activities may have to be curtailed, particularly when there is a painful episode of inflammation, there are ways and means  to continue enjoying gardening. The health benefits of fresh air, exercise, and productivity, rate high; they are worth maintaining at any cost.

First and foremost, we need to curb tendencies to  rush out with shovel or shears on a whim.  Our approach needs to be  more calculated, starting with  doing a few warm-up stretches beforehand so that muscles and joints are not overtaxed. There are strategies, based on common sense, well worth implementing to continue as active gardeners and also take care of painful joints.

Choosing an easy, less laborious, style of gardening heads the top of the list.  It stands to reason  to avoid heavy tasks like double digging or moving huge loads of topsoil; let others do that for you or cross off overly ambitious plans from the list.

Focus on perennials and  bulbs for Spring Summer and Fall. Importantly, remember compact growing flowers  save the efforts of staking.  Avoid any plants which are too obliging spreading far and wide causing effort to control. Ornamental grasses  are drought tolerant, easy care and demand less watering work.  The  majority of herbs thrive on poor soil and are also drought tolerant.

Simplify and settle for flowers which bloom for long periods. Grow only carefree self-seeding annuals like Sweet Alyssum and Calendula.  Shallow rooted, they require just a little  thinning, preferably after rain when easy to pull up.

If yours is a container garden group pots together for easier watering.  Initially have the larger heavy pots placed on boards with castors for easier mobility.

As for  for taking care of yourself tending the garden, here are some tips:

• Garden for shorter sessions, taking breaks.
• Vary tasks, changing from crouching to weed, stretching to prune or walking to fetch and carry.
• Treat yourself to an extra pair of the tools you use most often (most misplace trowel or shears regularly).
• Change positions and  approach flowerbed fully, not favouring one particular side of body.
• Lift objects by bending at the knees instead of using back.
• Make sure your tools are sharp and fit to your size.
• Use a waist-high work bench, easily constructed from a flat piece of wood and bricks or old garden table.  As with  garden seats,  place a few here and there as comfortable work stations
• Wear gloves and shoes which offer good protection.

At the end of the day, soak in a bath adding some old fashioned epsom salts, good for our plants too. Should your schedule allow only for a hand or foot bath, recycle contents on your roses for better bloom!