Book review: Garden for Life

Rhonda Fleming Hayes' book from Chelsea Green makes gardening fun for older people.

This is a conventional gardening book, with a twist. Starting at the usual point of assessing what you have in your garden, what sets Fleming Hayes apart from standard horticultural writers is her refusal to treat aging as a series of limitations. Instead, she frames it as a grand design opportunity. The core of her philosophy is that a garden should evolve alongside its keeper. If a sprawling half-acre of unruly perennials and high-hedged borders is no longer serving you, Hayes doesn't suggest hanging up the trowel; she counsels a tactical retreat to a more defensible, and ultimately more enjoyable, perimeter.

Downsizing is a big theme, with what to take, what to leave and how to manage your new plot the focuses.

For instance, avoiding having many steps, or high maintenance areas could be aspects of gardening to think about as you get older and seek to establish a new garden. Smooth, wide, single-level pathways that accommodate mobility aids or simply prevent trips can loook good, proving that a safe garden can still be a beautiful one. Raised beds are good for those who can't bend. Tools such as a caddy on wheels and long-handled trowels offer inspiration for those who think their gardening days might be over. 

The author walks the reader through the emotional and physical logistics of curating a smaller plot. She tackles the hard questions: How do you choose which prized specimen plants to propagate and bring with you? How do you say goodbye to an old orchard while embracing the intimate potential of a single, perfectly placed patio container?

Most of all, the book speaks about the physical and mental benefits of gardening for older people. Community gardening is part of this. Getting your hands dirty acts as a powerful antidote to the isolation that can sometimes creep into retirement. There are lots of case studies, albeit all from the USA.

Older gardeners have the most knowledge and are often the biggest spenders on their gardens, with the grey pound valuable to the garden retail and landscaping trade. 

Ultimately, Hayes has written a love letter to the enduring spirit of the gardener.