Springtime weather is just around the corner! While you are staying home and social distancing yourself, why not start a home flower garden to bring some joy to your life? Making a raised flower bed allows those that have trouble getting down on the ground tend to a garden and still participate in this fulfilling activity! A simple way to get involved in gardening would be to use a card table outdoors and put some cute decorative pots with flowers on the tabletop. Better yet would be to get a few Terra Cotta pots and paint your own unique designs on them.

If you have trouble grasping onto your gardening tools, using some Coban wrap around the handles allows a larger gripping surface and makes it stickier. Coban is commercially available at your pharmacies and larger stores in the first aid section. You could also put your gardening tools into a palmar band to maintain your grasp on the tools. If you don’t have either of these, place a washcloth or hand towel with duct tape to secure around handle. Don’t forget to water your plants! A watering can is a great way to water plants and there are plenty of light weight options; use your Coban to help hold onto the handles too!

Succulents are a great option for the new gardener, and so pretty to look at! They are much easier to care for, only needing to be watered a couple times a month. They also do not require much pruning, unlike some of their pickier floral counterparts.

Occupational therapy is all about doing meaningful activities to promote health and wellness. Not only does gardening allow you to care for something else which increases your quality of life, it also is a great way to work on fine motor, gross motor and cognitive skills! Get outside and make the world prettier! ~ Amanda Brennan, OTR/L