As homeowners grow older and retire, they look forward to a new chapter in their lives. They plan to travel more, spend time with grandkids, and read all the bestsellers, with plenty of time to putter around their home gardens. But all home gardens are not created equally; homeowners that don’t want to pay for help can keep costs low by creating a garden that stays easy to maintain throughout their golden years, providing a rewarding experience for years to come.
Basic Guidelines
Keep it simple and start small. Plant a few herbs in small pots in your kitchen or start with a few varieties of flowers for the front porch. Team up with a friend or neighbor and take turns working on each other’s gardens. Plant perennials that return annually so you spend money and time planting only once, but reap the rewards year after year. Group plants by how much water they use and try to choose more drought-resistant plants to make watering more efficient. Use mulch to retain moisture and protect your plants.
Container Gardening
Using a few pots or planters spread out on a patio, porch or windowsill is a great way to keep gardening low maintenance. Potted plants will allow for greater control over watering, weeding and pests. It’s a great option for homeowners that like to keep their options open, because pots can be moved to follow the sun or arranged in playful ways. Colorful planters can brighten up a porch or kitchen, and large pots can accommodate a variety of plants. For a cute indoor idea, utilize a large bowl with sandy soil for a mini succulent garden.
Vertical Gardens
Vertical gardening is the idea of growing UP instead of OUT, to maximize on space while providing a more accessible garden for those who have trouble with mobility. This can mean anything from hanging wall pots filled with lettuce varieties on an exterior wall or training climbing roses to grow over a trellis. Stack pots on top of one another or mount a trellis on a wall for ivy to climb up. Try a hanging pot with a tomato plant that will hang down or using a teepee style trellis for peas.
Raised Beds/Planters
There are many advantages to gardening with raised beds. They provide a comfortable working height with minimal bending and stooping. The elevated height also helps keep pests from taking over. They allow for better weed and water control and because you are off the ground, you can decide what kind of growing medium to use because you aren’t reliant on whatever is in your ground.
If you’re considering a HECM loan to enjoy all the best parts of retirement—including your garden—one of our reverse mortgage specialists can help determine if it’s right for you. Give us a call today.