0 comment Monday, September 22, 2014 | admin
I've received the quote now from dtep for the fence and the garden leveling - this is basically Step 2 in the plan to get the garden sorted, and will be submitted now to the Family Fund and then to the Gardens for Disabled Trust group. Hopefully we can manage to get a bit further along, and while we may not be able to get the full vision done this year, we're managing to come along apace.
I am also going to try to convince Gardens for Disabled to register for JustGiving, so that I can link to this blog and try to encourage this charity, as it is the only charity in the UK which actually offers funding for garden adaptations for disabled people. Their funds are very limited, so they're unable to help as many people as there are who need it, and once again I think this is a case of needing to use the internet more effectively.
I am actually grinning today - probably due to the weather! It's absolutely gorgeous outside, not a cloud, and whilst the sun is still rather feeble, it is doing its best to shine. I've been inspired (even through a caffeine withdrawl headache) to make a rather un-English sort of winter stew, drawing on my Native cooking experiences in the US by adding cranberries, apple and some more of the gorgeous local onion squash I picked up at the Wiltshire market - topped up with more English local leeks, mushrooms and a blend of wild game all thrown together with a splash of cider and fresh thyme from my garden.
A client stopped by as she placed a rush order for a friend (which required me to run down to the corner store to buy a few supplies!) and was exceedingly grateful that I was able to put her care package together on such short notice. I love being able to do things like that, and I know word of mouth travels far in this town! So hopefully a bit more business my way.
On top of all this, gardening stuff arrived! I'm turning into a coir block convert; mostly due to the fact that it's easily portable for me and stores better than huge bags. Along with the blocks, I managed to get a huge bucket of wormcast, which I'll blend with the coir and my own compost to pot up whatever I can get into a pot at the moment. Leeks to start, and then I'll pick out a few things sprog and I can grow together, as well as a selection of herbs to grow indoors and out.
Since ex has just called and has a full on Man-Flu developing, I'm really happy the planting stuff arrived today as it's now doubtful sprog will be spending the weekend in London. If the weather holds, we'll be able to plant seeds tomorrow, which is something sprog has been clamouring for since November. I am only too happy to be able to oblige.
I am also going to try to convince Gardens for Disabled to register for JustGiving, so that I can link to this blog and try to encourage this charity, as it is the only charity in the UK which actually offers funding for garden adaptations for disabled people. Their funds are very limited, so they're unable to help as many people as there are who need it, and once again I think this is a case of needing to use the internet more effectively.
I am actually grinning today - probably due to the weather! It's absolutely gorgeous outside, not a cloud, and whilst the sun is still rather feeble, it is doing its best to shine. I've been inspired (even through a caffeine withdrawl headache) to make a rather un-English sort of winter stew, drawing on my Native cooking experiences in the US by adding cranberries, apple and some more of the gorgeous local onion squash I picked up at the Wiltshire market - topped up with more English local leeks, mushrooms and a blend of wild game all thrown together with a splash of cider and fresh thyme from my garden.
A client stopped by as she placed a rush order for a friend (which required me to run down to the corner store to buy a few supplies!) and was exceedingly grateful that I was able to put her care package together on such short notice. I love being able to do things like that, and I know word of mouth travels far in this town! So hopefully a bit more business my way.
On top of all this, gardening stuff arrived! I'm turning into a coir block convert; mostly due to the fact that it's easily portable for me and stores better than huge bags. Along with the blocks, I managed to get a huge bucket of wormcast, which I'll blend with the coir and my own compost to pot up whatever I can get into a pot at the moment. Leeks to start, and then I'll pick out a few things sprog and I can grow together, as well as a selection of herbs to grow indoors and out.
Since ex has just called and has a full on Man-Flu developing, I'm really happy the planting stuff arrived today as it's now doubtful sprog will be spending the weekend in London. If the weather holds, we'll be able to plant seeds tomorrow, which is something sprog has been clamouring for since November. I am only too happy to be able to oblige.
Labels: Before, Garden, Good Life
0 comment Saturday, September 13, 2014 | admin
We're getting underway next week with the paving and clearing, and then on 12 April D comes round with two of her very helpful gents and a mini-digger to get the fencing sorted, possibly leveling if we can make the funds stretch that far. Sprog is poorly with a stomach bug today so I've not much else to do with my own somewhat diminished energy levels other than potter about a bit and I decided to take some "before" photos of the garden space.
Those with nervous horticultural dispositions may want to avert their eyes, it isn't pretty!
The beginning; broken paving stones and a bit of a bodge job laying down brickwork. This turns into a mudpit during the winter and is just dreary. We made the most of it last year with picnics outside and barbecues, but something less rickety is of course very welcome! The raised bed will be brought back into work, the holly removed (or moved to the front garden) and the huge rosebush also, I hope, moved, rather than eradicated entirely; actually, my project this weekend will probably be moving these myself and pruning the huge rosebush as much as I'm able; the stems are well over 4cm across, too much for my wee pruning shears! I'll have to borrow some loppers or something. The raised bed will be filled with good soil and I hope to get the first of our leafy veg and some flowers in there. Fingers crossed the volunteers manage to get some topsoil for me, otherwise I'll have to source some myself somehow.
It would be a perfectly useable space if it wasn't for the un-even ground. I've picked out the rugosas which are still alive and hope to plant them out, but the rest now are sadly, just very prickly sticks. This was my bad; I didn't realise how poor and flinty the soil is here and when I even started putting in the plants along the fenceline, digging them in was a nightmare! After the paving is laid I'm going to be straightening them up and doing a much better job of it. Once I clear all the rubbish (I now have more room to store in the outbuilding as I donated toys to John McNeil Opp Group) and get the outdoor furniture reconditioned for the summer, I'll be using this space to grow my toms and peppers as well as barbecuing - we love being outside during the summer months.
Great shot of Ludo, my massive Leonberger in her favourite habitat; outside in the mud! You can possibly see how sloped and uneven the higher level of the garden is; this space is my bane! Notice the half-steps at the top, which are half-buried in mud. It's treacherous to walk out here and I can't count how many times I only just caught myself by making a grab for the rusty washing line and holding on for dear life. I'm just thankful sprog hasn't fallen face-first down the stairs, though he has fallen off the partition twice.
The "compost" area; sharp metal and gods knows what; I've found old tarps, rusty wire, bits of carpet, paint cans, rusty nails and electrical scrap in this pile. And, of course, it's the first place my son goes so. I tried to remove it myself but I didn't know where to put all the junk, and the posts are cemented down into the ground (I tried digging for an hour to get them out but it defeated me). It's going to go finally, and good riddance! I want to plant something here like peonies or rhodies; something pretty which will give a sense of division for "sprog-space" and the rest of the garden, but considering the soil quality, we'll have to figure that out when we get there.
This is what sprog calls the "Jungle" and with good reason! It's a mass of sumac and morning glory and old dead stuff (and of course, rusty wire and bramble and who knows what else!) This will be made safer and we will find a way to nestle a "Wump-house" into this undergrowth so he has a safe hiding space to hang out in. Ludo is also very fond of this and she has a "den" to the left which she's worn a path to. She'll be allowed to use it occasionally but after works are done, she'll not be allowed in the back garden as much.
Taken to try and show the way the garden slopes; see how it drops off into a sort of depression on the right? This is "fun" to try and mow, and the whole garden at the moment is comprised of this kind of hump and ridge motif. Just walking round is a hazardous business - mowing is a chore and planting anything nearly unthinkable. The hope is to level this out a fair bit.
Another treacherous bit of slope as well as an ash tree (?) which has been allowed to take up residence. I'm not a fan of cutting trees for aesthetics, but in order to get the fence in, this one has to go. Neighbour W uses it to hang bird seed, but I've offered to get her some hooks or a bird feeder to hang on the fence. Notice the rather sharp slope down to the left, as well as concrete left over from someone's former project. This will be cleared and hopefully we can make this space into a bed or something. There's another small sapling to the far left, outside the shot, which is threatening to choke out one of my favourite rosebushes, so that too will have to go. The bright spot in this mess is, somehow, there are tulips growing along the fence line! My hope next week is to gently take these up and plant them along my beds just along the hedge in the front garden; there's some volunteer hyacinth and bluebells there already. I want to save them before the fence is put in, and recycling plants never hurt!
Overgrown everything: I think this used to be a bed, as there are rosebushes and all sorts of bulbs growing near the wall partition, but at the moment it's covered in weeds and overlong grass, as well as encroaching bramble. The bramble is everywhere; again, not a fan of killing for aesthetics, but the bramble is being dealt with, and hopefully I can then bring the elder (if such it is) back into production; would love to make some elderberry or elderflower wine this year! I've managed to prune both the rosebushes and they are putting forth a lot of buds already - very hardy bushes, they've been neglected for a while. Of course, they're staying, and most of the bulbs will as well, with the exception of grape hyacinth; I am not a fan of the stuff at all. The snowberry, ever needing to be beat back from its forward advance, is staying; it's an animal run and a nesting site for local birds and wildlife, and therefore I'll do my bit for biodiversity and just try to keep it trimmed back as much as I can do.
It all looks rather dreary and depressing right now - the garden has so much potential to be a really beautiful space! Time and funding is limited, and I don't forsee getting everything done this year, but we'll see how far we can get before the summer starts. As it is, there's 2 1/2 weeks of Easter Break coming up and already I'm in a state trying to figure out how in the world to keep my son occupied all that time, but with some garden work happening and some nice days, I think we can manage to do a bit of planting up and garden stuff here and there and make the most of the spring.
Those with nervous horticultural dispositions may want to avert their eyes, it isn't pretty!
The beginning; broken paving stones and a bit of a bodge job laying down brickwork. This turns into a mudpit during the winter and is just dreary. We made the most of it last year with picnics outside and barbecues, but something less rickety is of course very welcome! The raised bed will be brought back into work, the holly removed (or moved to the front garden) and the huge rosebush also, I hope, moved, rather than eradicated entirely; actually, my project this weekend will probably be moving these myself and pruning the huge rosebush as much as I'm able; the stems are well over 4cm across, too much for my wee pruning shears! I'll have to borrow some loppers or something. The raised bed will be filled with good soil and I hope to get the first of our leafy veg and some flowers in there. Fingers crossed the volunteers manage to get some topsoil for me, otherwise I'll have to source some myself somehow.
It would be a perfectly useable space if it wasn't for the un-even ground. I've picked out the rugosas which are still alive and hope to plant them out, but the rest now are sadly, just very prickly sticks. This was my bad; I didn't realise how poor and flinty the soil is here and when I even started putting in the plants along the fenceline, digging them in was a nightmare! After the paving is laid I'm going to be straightening them up and doing a much better job of it. Once I clear all the rubbish (I now have more room to store in the outbuilding as I donated toys to John McNeil Opp Group) and get the outdoor furniture reconditioned for the summer, I'll be using this space to grow my toms and peppers as well as barbecuing - we love being outside during the summer months.
Great shot of Ludo, my massive Leonberger in her favourite habitat; outside in the mud! You can possibly see how sloped and uneven the higher level of the garden is; this space is my bane! Notice the half-steps at the top, which are half-buried in mud. It's treacherous to walk out here and I can't count how many times I only just caught myself by making a grab for the rusty washing line and holding on for dear life. I'm just thankful sprog hasn't fallen face-first down the stairs, though he has fallen off the partition twice.
The "compost" area; sharp metal and gods knows what; I've found old tarps, rusty wire, bits of carpet, paint cans, rusty nails and electrical scrap in this pile. And, of course, it's the first place my son goes so. I tried to remove it myself but I didn't know where to put all the junk, and the posts are cemented down into the ground (I tried digging for an hour to get them out but it defeated me). It's going to go finally, and good riddance! I want to plant something here like peonies or rhodies; something pretty which will give a sense of division for "sprog-space" and the rest of the garden, but considering the soil quality, we'll have to figure that out when we get there.
This is what sprog calls the "Jungle" and with good reason! It's a mass of sumac and morning glory and old dead stuff (and of course, rusty wire and bramble and who knows what else!) This will be made safer and we will find a way to nestle a "Wump-house" into this undergrowth so he has a safe hiding space to hang out in. Ludo is also very fond of this and she has a "den" to the left which she's worn a path to. She'll be allowed to use it occasionally but after works are done, she'll not be allowed in the back garden as much.
Taken to try and show the way the garden slopes; see how it drops off into a sort of depression on the right? This is "fun" to try and mow, and the whole garden at the moment is comprised of this kind of hump and ridge motif. Just walking round is a hazardous business - mowing is a chore and planting anything nearly unthinkable. The hope is to level this out a fair bit.
Another treacherous bit of slope as well as an ash tree (?) which has been allowed to take up residence. I'm not a fan of cutting trees for aesthetics, but in order to get the fence in, this one has to go. Neighbour W uses it to hang bird seed, but I've offered to get her some hooks or a bird feeder to hang on the fence. Notice the rather sharp slope down to the left, as well as concrete left over from someone's former project. This will be cleared and hopefully we can make this space into a bed or something. There's another small sapling to the far left, outside the shot, which is threatening to choke out one of my favourite rosebushes, so that too will have to go. The bright spot in this mess is, somehow, there are tulips growing along the fence line! My hope next week is to gently take these up and plant them along my beds just along the hedge in the front garden; there's some volunteer hyacinth and bluebells there already. I want to save them before the fence is put in, and recycling plants never hurt!
Overgrown everything: I think this used to be a bed, as there are rosebushes and all sorts of bulbs growing near the wall partition, but at the moment it's covered in weeds and overlong grass, as well as encroaching bramble. The bramble is everywhere; again, not a fan of killing for aesthetics, but the bramble is being dealt with, and hopefully I can then bring the elder (if such it is) back into production; would love to make some elderberry or elderflower wine this year! I've managed to prune both the rosebushes and they are putting forth a lot of buds already - very hardy bushes, they've been neglected for a while. Of course, they're staying, and most of the bulbs will as well, with the exception of grape hyacinth; I am not a fan of the stuff at all. The snowberry, ever needing to be beat back from its forward advance, is staying; it's an animal run and a nesting site for local birds and wildlife, and therefore I'll do my bit for biodiversity and just try to keep it trimmed back as much as I can do.
It all looks rather dreary and depressing right now - the garden has so much potential to be a really beautiful space! Time and funding is limited, and I don't forsee getting everything done this year, but we'll see how far we can get before the summer starts. As it is, there's 2 1/2 weeks of Easter Break coming up and already I'm in a state trying to figure out how in the world to keep my son occupied all that time, but with some garden work happening and some nice days, I think we can manage to do a bit of planting up and garden stuff here and there and make the most of the spring.
0 comment Wednesday, August 20, 2014 | admin
e bee
Many many thanks to the St Paul's Volunteer group - I was expecting only a few people but instead there was a fair swarm, as well as one young fellow who was a dab hand with a pickaxe! Digging, trimming, cutting, MORE digging, dismantling, digging - did I mention digging? I'm just amazed these people worked for six hours straight for a complete stranger.
And work they did!I now have a patio rather than a mudpit! They left the side on the right open as there will be a digger coming through and they didn't want the tile to get ruined for me, so they'll be back to do more later. They did lay down some small "replacement" tiles as the paving was so bad toward the stairs once they scraped it free of mud they were afraid I'd fall on it - it was a mishmash of broken bricks, spots of tarmac and broken paving all crammed together in a mass. In short, no surprise for this house, really. I've got dirt aplenty to fill in along the side of the hedge and to straight up my roses, so woot there.
Monster triffid rosebush has been removed from the raised bed - and by the look of things it took a huge effort to do so! The rose bush had obviously been planted when the house was built, and I think it is a hybrid rose which was grafted onto a wild rose stem as it's a mad amalgamation of two different types of rose growing from the same stem. However, I wanted to try and keep it, and it has been moved to the side portion of the house. I'm not sure it will actually grow - it might just die, but we'll see.
In the meantime, I have the raised bed now full of all the topsoil from putting the hedge in. They tried to give me a little walkway with raised bits to either side of the raised bed, maybe to plant flowers in, but I think I'll shuffle that over a bit and maybe try to get some more paving laid in there as I need access to the bed.
Can you spot what's missing? Yes! The godawful compost/tip/hazardous dump is now gone! Loads of soil and a few slow worms were moved under the sumac tree, which has been pruned. The soil will hopefully be used to help with the levelling which will happen in a few weeks' time, or for the flower beds - the heap had so much rubbish in it; old carpet, plastic and paint cans that there's no way I'm growing food in that soil, but it will be useful for growing other stuff. The bramble is also gone, as well as a ash sapling which was trying to grow its way through the fence from the neighbour's yard. It's amazing how having that compost thing gone really opens up the garden space, but I'm not sure sprog will be so happy the "jungle" has been tamed a bit. Still, there's loads of dirt for digging and they even removed all the metal and glass from it, so he can dig aplenty.
And, of course, there's good news fo sproggo - there was enough sand left over that he can have that sand pit he's been asking for; it's builder's sand but sprog won't mind, he'll play with it for now, even though it's a bit sharp. We just have to build him a proper sand pit and then figure out how to cover it, but all in due time. Until that point, I'll rig up a temporary one for him to use during the holidays.
There's still a fair bit to do, but the transformation is indeed taking place, and I'm once again humbled and grateful for the people who have been willing to blow a Saturday to work, and work hard, at a stranger's house - all the people who have donated seeds, all the cuttings, and all the advocacy certainly starts to stack up to form a cohesive whole.
So awesome, I really wish the weather would hold off a bit, I want to have breakfast with my son on the patio.
Many many thanks to the St Paul's Volunteer group - I was expecting only a few people but instead there was a fair swarm, as well as one young fellow who was a dab hand with a pickaxe! Digging, trimming, cutting, MORE digging, dismantling, digging - did I mention digging? I'm just amazed these people worked for six hours straight for a complete stranger.
And work they did!I now have a patio rather than a mudpit! They left the side on the right open as there will be a digger coming through and they didn't want the tile to get ruined for me, so they'll be back to do more later. They did lay down some small "replacement" tiles as the paving was so bad toward the stairs once they scraped it free of mud they were afraid I'd fall on it - it was a mishmash of broken bricks, spots of tarmac and broken paving all crammed together in a mass. In short, no surprise for this house, really. I've got dirt aplenty to fill in along the side of the hedge and to straight up my roses, so woot there.
Monster triffid rosebush has been removed from the raised bed - and by the look of things it took a huge effort to do so! The rose bush had obviously been planted when the house was built, and I think it is a hybrid rose which was grafted onto a wild rose stem as it's a mad amalgamation of two different types of rose growing from the same stem. However, I wanted to try and keep it, and it has been moved to the side portion of the house. I'm not sure it will actually grow - it might just die, but we'll see.
In the meantime, I have the raised bed now full of all the topsoil from putting the hedge in. They tried to give me a little walkway with raised bits to either side of the raised bed, maybe to plant flowers in, but I think I'll shuffle that over a bit and maybe try to get some more paving laid in there as I need access to the bed.
Can you spot what's missing? Yes! The godawful compost/tip/hazardous dump is now gone! Loads of soil and a few slow worms were moved under the sumac tree, which has been pruned. The soil will hopefully be used to help with the levelling which will happen in a few weeks' time, or for the flower beds - the heap had so much rubbish in it; old carpet, plastic and paint cans that there's no way I'm growing food in that soil, but it will be useful for growing other stuff. The bramble is also gone, as well as a ash sapling which was trying to grow its way through the fence from the neighbour's yard. It's amazing how having that compost thing gone really opens up the garden space, but I'm not sure sprog will be so happy the "jungle" has been tamed a bit. Still, there's loads of dirt for digging and they even removed all the metal and glass from it, so he can dig aplenty.
And, of course, there's good news fo sproggo - there was enough sand left over that he can have that sand pit he's been asking for; it's builder's sand but sprog won't mind, he'll play with it for now, even though it's a bit sharp. We just have to build him a proper sand pit and then figure out how to cover it, but all in due time. Until that point, I'll rig up a temporary one for him to use during the holidays.
There's still a fair bit to do, but the transformation is indeed taking place, and I'm once again humbled and grateful for the people who have been willing to blow a Saturday to work, and work hard, at a stranger's house - all the people who have donated seeds, all the cuttings, and all the advocacy certainly starts to stack up to form a cohesive whole.
So awesome, I really wish the weather would hold off a bit, I want to have breakfast with my son on the patio.
Labels: Before, During, Good Life
0 comment Saturday, June 21, 2014 | admin
Ages ago I had a site called Mother Dirt; about my alternative self with an allotment. Like many people with families, I found the allotment tending rather difficult, and this didn't improve when I received the diagnosis of Autism for my son. I already had Fibro/ME myself so I made the decision to garden closer to home instead, and started filling my back garden with pots.
With a marriage breakdown, I managed to get a house with a back garden, which turned out to be in horrible condition; flinty soil you can't dig in without hitting rocks at every turn; humpy, uneven turf that is a nightmare to mow; a "compost pile" (read "tip") that former residents had left, filled with rusty metal, rusty nails, old carpet, and broken concrete; rampant snowberry, bramble and fencing that while adequate, did not extend to the split level (and then proved later to be very inadequate indeed); broken paving and a mud-strewn lower partition that at one point was supposed to be paved, but no one bothered.
I took the house because I had very little choice otherwise, because a garden is vital for my hyperative autistic son, our cat and the dog he adores. I've struggled to mow, fought the brambles and weeds, attempted to clear out the mess, keep the paving clear of mud, but my son has fallen off the wall partition twice, I've taken a tumble on the muddy broken paving and dislocated my shoulder, and the fence unfortunately doesn't instil a sense of "division" for my son. He doesn't understand social cues and has a tendency to yell at neighbours in their own yards, trying to get their attention, and when it doesn't succeed he throws a temper tantrum.
Now, in theory, being disabled I should be able to get a grant to fix the house issues for better mobility. And I could...as long as what I'm asking for isn't a garden. Gardens are "wants", not "needs". However, the research seems to prove otherwise; autistic children respond greatly to sensory gardens, and as a result more and more of these are springing up in community public spaces (unless, of course, you live where I'm living). The recognition of therapeutic gardening as being very beneficial to the disabled and the mentally ill, and even to offenders has been documented time and time again.
My son is not like "typical" autistic children - it seems the type of autistic child people are used to dealing with are the quiet ones who stand in a corner and flap their hands. My son is INYOURFACE, running round at full tilt, no sense of danger, always the centre of attention. He's a ball of energy and takes two people to keep him under control at school. Cheap toys which another child might be able to make last for a while break after a few hours. There are a lot of charities willing to offer toys or short breaks, but toys would have to be very durable, and short breaks to be honest, are not "breaks" for me - they're extra work and I'm usually exhausted by the end of it.
I therefore decided to start the appeal to fix the garden by first calling my council. Dead end there, but then I extended to charities, local services, disability gardening sites and so on. There's not much out there, but there's a bit. However, what I was always rather shocked about was how few children's charities would do anything for gardening - as a matter of fact, I found only one.
Why is that? If quality of life is the whole point of giving to a charity, then why is gardening so low on the list? Why is making a garden accessible for those who may not be able to get out of their homes and access public things so difficult? I keep hearing the words "inclusion" brought up, but I have to be honest here - there is a time for inclusion, and then there is a time when you want your own safe space. And I want the garden to be that space for my son.
And so, therefore, here comes this blog...I'll try to document progress to see how we go, and I hope I might be able to drum up some advocacy for others in the same situation as well as point people in the right direction.
If you find yourself a prisoner in your own home...gild the cage.
With a marriage breakdown, I managed to get a house with a back garden, which turned out to be in horrible condition; flinty soil you can't dig in without hitting rocks at every turn; humpy, uneven turf that is a nightmare to mow; a "compost pile" (read "tip") that former residents had left, filled with rusty metal, rusty nails, old carpet, and broken concrete; rampant snowberry, bramble and fencing that while adequate, did not extend to the split level (and then proved later to be very inadequate indeed); broken paving and a mud-strewn lower partition that at one point was supposed to be paved, but no one bothered.
I took the house because I had very little choice otherwise, because a garden is vital for my hyperative autistic son, our cat and the dog he adores. I've struggled to mow, fought the brambles and weeds, attempted to clear out the mess, keep the paving clear of mud, but my son has fallen off the wall partition twice, I've taken a tumble on the muddy broken paving and dislocated my shoulder, and the fence unfortunately doesn't instil a sense of "division" for my son. He doesn't understand social cues and has a tendency to yell at neighbours in their own yards, trying to get their attention, and when it doesn't succeed he throws a temper tantrum.
Now, in theory, being disabled I should be able to get a grant to fix the house issues for better mobility. And I could...as long as what I'm asking for isn't a garden. Gardens are "wants", not "needs". However, the research seems to prove otherwise; autistic children respond greatly to sensory gardens, and as a result more and more of these are springing up in community public spaces (unless, of course, you live where I'm living). The recognition of therapeutic gardening as being very beneficial to the disabled and the mentally ill, and even to offenders has been documented time and time again.
My son is not like "typical" autistic children - it seems the type of autistic child people are used to dealing with are the quiet ones who stand in a corner and flap their hands. My son is INYOURFACE, running round at full tilt, no sense of danger, always the centre of attention. He's a ball of energy and takes two people to keep him under control at school. Cheap toys which another child might be able to make last for a while break after a few hours. There are a lot of charities willing to offer toys or short breaks, but toys would have to be very durable, and short breaks to be honest, are not "breaks" for me - they're extra work and I'm usually exhausted by the end of it.
I therefore decided to start the appeal to fix the garden by first calling my council. Dead end there, but then I extended to charities, local services, disability gardening sites and so on. There's not much out there, but there's a bit. However, what I was always rather shocked about was how few children's charities would do anything for gardening - as a matter of fact, I found only one.
Why is that? If quality of life is the whole point of giving to a charity, then why is gardening so low on the list? Why is making a garden accessible for those who may not be able to get out of their homes and access public things so difficult? I keep hearing the words "inclusion" brought up, but I have to be honest here - there is a time for inclusion, and then there is a time when you want your own safe space. And I want the garden to be that space for my son.
And so, therefore, here comes this blog...I'll try to document progress to see how we go, and I hope I might be able to drum up some advocacy for others in the same situation as well as point people in the right direction.
If you find yourself a prisoner in your own home...gild the cage.
Labels: Before
0 comment Monday, May 5, 2014 | admin
As I was struggling towards the end of last year and am still hobbling along, the garden towards the fall was allowed to get rather weedish. This afternoon, whilst there was the first bit of sun we've had in a while, I decided to bravely venture outside (and forgot the sunblock, so now sporting 'sunburn') and assess the damage. Not horrible, maybe, but only because everything is dormant right now, though the rose bushes are starting to show some buds. So much out there needs weeding, tidying, cutting, topdressing and probably a few other things ending in -ing.
I only had a little time to work in and I set to with a not entirely peaceful mind as, after four OTs and several applications for Move On Assistance Grants, I've been told that a shower-board and my son's sand-bucket to pour water over me covers all my needs and my grant has now been mooted. Thank you, Big Society; I guess the lack of adequate insulation, dodgy wiring, ancient appliances and fixtures, no smoke alarms and damp are all just minor inconveniences. I'm furious, but resigned - which I guess is where they want me, really. I put off claiming Housing Benefit for seven months because moving house whilst on benefits is rather like being branded with The Scarlet Letter, but now I'll have to claim the backpay.
Regardless, what it does mean is I'm staying and I shan't be giving up the garden now - which is a bit of joy regardless of the state of the house itself. I don't know what I'll do about the front path which is treacherous even when not covered in snow, or the wiring which causes a fair few shorts and which every electrician who has come in has shook his head and muttered under his breath "fire hazard" and "death trap". Not so sure about the appliances and doors and wallpaper, but I'll think of something.
For now though, I have a garden, and I have Halloween cats who have been sunning themselves in the last of the sunlight (it's clouding over now). What I also have now is a housekeeper, gleaned out of some carefully-saved cash to allow me two hours a week of someone else dealing with my house. She accomplished in two hours what I couldn't even dream of doing in a week. I huzzah.
A half hour outside pulling weeds in the mud has worn me out believe it or not, but I'm already thinking and plotting and planning once I get the hard graft of sorting out the clearup is done. And hey, I can grow squash after all!
We'll progress!
I only had a little time to work in and I set to with a not entirely peaceful mind as, after four OTs and several applications for Move On Assistance Grants, I've been told that a shower-board and my son's sand-bucket to pour water over me covers all my needs and my grant has now been mooted. Thank you, Big Society; I guess the lack of adequate insulation, dodgy wiring, ancient appliances and fixtures, no smoke alarms and damp are all just minor inconveniences. I'm furious, but resigned - which I guess is where they want me, really. I put off claiming Housing Benefit for seven months because moving house whilst on benefits is rather like being branded with The Scarlet Letter, but now I'll have to claim the backpay.
Regardless, what it does mean is I'm staying and I shan't be giving up the garden now - which is a bit of joy regardless of the state of the house itself. I don't know what I'll do about the front path which is treacherous even when not covered in snow, or the wiring which causes a fair few shorts and which every electrician who has come in has shook his head and muttered under his breath "fire hazard" and "death trap". Not so sure about the appliances and doors and wallpaper, but I'll think of something.
For now though, I have a garden, and I have Halloween cats who have been sunning themselves in the last of the sunlight (it's clouding over now). What I also have now is a housekeeper, gleaned out of some carefully-saved cash to allow me two hours a week of someone else dealing with my house. She accomplished in two hours what I couldn't even dream of doing in a week. I huzzah.
A half hour outside pulling weeds in the mud has worn me out believe it or not, but I'm already thinking and plotting and planning once I get the hard graft of sorting out the clearup is done. And hey, I can grow squash after all!
We'll progress!
Labels: Advocacy, Before, Garden, Languishment
0 comment Tuesday, April 29, 2014 | admin
What I've found so far with the gardening front:
Disability Facilities Grant - now, in theory, this should cover works you need done to your home for better accomodation. However, proving that this covers the garden as well takes a lot of work and convincing. They didn't even want to hear about it at first from me, but I keep plugging away, and once I have DLA (which was its own battle, believe me), I will eventually convince them. One must keep in mind the Council will always say "no" before they say "yes". If you're determined, keep appealing!
There are precious few charities out there for disabled gardeners, but there are a few. There is also the ONE charity for disabled children which I've found will actually fund garden works; The Family Fund. It's shocking but it's true - no child's charity will cover for garden works, even though sensory gardens are all the rage at the moment, and school gardens rapidly gain in popularity. That a family could choose between a short term solution like a holiday break, or a long term food/activity solution like installing a garden doesn't seem to occur. However, tomorrow a rep from the Family Fund is coming round and I hope to convince her to the necessity.
We are indeed talking a necessity here - the problem I often have with convincing charities or groups about my son's exuberance is most people are used to dealing with only one kind of autistic child. Quiet, self-stimming, and nonvocal. I cannot count how many times I've had a qualm sending my child to an event or outing and been reassured "Oh, don't worry, we deal with special needs all the time" and yet, when the moment arrives, I can see the shock on their faces as they've obviously never dealt with a six year old who is as tall (and as strong) as someone who is nine, and is so triggery that he can go from smiling and babbling one minute to kicking and biting everyone in reach at the next. And then...after ten minutes, gets up as if nothing has happened. This is not a child you can put into a sensory tent and expect him to sit quietly playing with fibreoptics. He needs to run and jump and climb and play and dig and spin round in circles in a space where I don't have to wear myself out trying to make sure he doesn't hurt himself or others.
Where I live, there are no playgroups for children his age with disabilities. The council and social services themselves admit that there is a huge gap, and that they can't even begin to help until my son is 10. He's six now....and I refuse to sit in limbo for four years and leave my son's development to chance. If there's nothing in the community, then I will have to create it at home.
On those days when getting on the bus is just too much, when you've spent the last �10 on your kid's uniforms for school and you're not sure where the grocery money is coming from, when you eye the flowers in the market and find yourself teary-eyed at the bright blush of colour on a dreary English morning but you just can't rationalise spending the money for something pretty when what you need to buy is milk for the kids...well, wouldn't it be nice if you could go outside instead and pick your own flowers, bring some peas and salad indoors, and let your kids stuff themselves on strawberries and raspberries you grew yourself?
And why not?
Well?
...oddly enough, no one seems capable of giving me an answer for that.
Disability Facilities Grant - now, in theory, this should cover works you need done to your home for better accomodation. However, proving that this covers the garden as well takes a lot of work and convincing. They didn't even want to hear about it at first from me, but I keep plugging away, and once I have DLA (which was its own battle, believe me), I will eventually convince them. One must keep in mind the Council will always say "no" before they say "yes". If you're determined, keep appealing!
There are precious few charities out there for disabled gardeners, but there are a few. There is also the ONE charity for disabled children which I've found will actually fund garden works; The Family Fund. It's shocking but it's true - no child's charity will cover for garden works, even though sensory gardens are all the rage at the moment, and school gardens rapidly gain in popularity. That a family could choose between a short term solution like a holiday break, or a long term food/activity solution like installing a garden doesn't seem to occur. However, tomorrow a rep from the Family Fund is coming round and I hope to convince her to the necessity.
We are indeed talking a necessity here - the problem I often have with convincing charities or groups about my son's exuberance is most people are used to dealing with only one kind of autistic child. Quiet, self-stimming, and nonvocal. I cannot count how many times I've had a qualm sending my child to an event or outing and been reassured "Oh, don't worry, we deal with special needs all the time" and yet, when the moment arrives, I can see the shock on their faces as they've obviously never dealt with a six year old who is as tall (and as strong) as someone who is nine, and is so triggery that he can go from smiling and babbling one minute to kicking and biting everyone in reach at the next. And then...after ten minutes, gets up as if nothing has happened. This is not a child you can put into a sensory tent and expect him to sit quietly playing with fibreoptics. He needs to run and jump and climb and play and dig and spin round in circles in a space where I don't have to wear myself out trying to make sure he doesn't hurt himself or others.
Where I live, there are no playgroups for children his age with disabilities. The council and social services themselves admit that there is a huge gap, and that they can't even begin to help until my son is 10. He's six now....and I refuse to sit in limbo for four years and leave my son's development to chance. If there's nothing in the community, then I will have to create it at home.
On those days when getting on the bus is just too much, when you've spent the last �10 on your kid's uniforms for school and you're not sure where the grocery money is coming from, when you eye the flowers in the market and find yourself teary-eyed at the bright blush of colour on a dreary English morning but you just can't rationalise spending the money for something pretty when what you need to buy is milk for the kids...well, wouldn't it be nice if you could go outside instead and pick your own flowers, bring some peas and salad indoors, and let your kids stuff themselves on strawberries and raspberries you grew yourself?
And why not?
Well?
...oddly enough, no one seems capable of giving me an answer for that.