This is the story of an avid gardener. Ten years ago she lost the use of her left side due to a stroke. For many of us, being trapped in a wheelchair would effectively end any avid gardening. But not for Sylvia Mitchell. This is her story and her garden. Sylvia, tell me a little bit about what happened. >> I had a massive stroke and was very suicidal the next spring, because I though I'd never get dirt under my fingernails again. It was clear I wasn't going to get down on the ground. My partner, Tom Roberts, and I tried to think of a way so that I could garden. >> What did you come up with? >> Well, we decided we'd use some of those bottle cap wading pools, that kids wade in. >> That makes no sense to me. How does that help you garden? >> Well, it's up on legs and it has a ball barring so I can turn the whole thing, even with a quarter ton of soil in it, and rain water. I can turn the whole thing with one finger. >> Wow. Now wait a minute, tell me about this. So you've raised up the kids swimming pool? >> Yeah, they're on 4x4 posts, legs. The pools are 62 inch diameter and 14 inches deep, and they rest on two 2/3 inch exterior plywood rounds that are glued together. Then there's a 12 inch ball barring Lazy Susan under it which allows it to turn. >> So you basically wheel up, turn this thing-- >> That way I don't have to go all the way around to the other side to weed or sow seeds. I can just sit there with my seeds and just garden all the way around. >> And 500 pounds of soil you can still turn it. >> I can grow almost anything in it. I grew potatoes in it one year. It was not massively successful, but we got little potatoes. >> Hey, all gardeners make mistakes. >> It was fun. >> It sounds like just about any crop does well in there. >> Yes, yes. I haven't tried corn yet, but I will. >> I noticed also in fact that I'm sitting on an idea that was borrowed from the Enabling Gardens at Chicago Botanic. Are these working well for you too? >> Oh, yes, they do. They're four feet wide and eight feet long, and hold quite a bit of soil. I manage to put many plants in them. Even though they don't revolve, I can manage to get around, so I can garden from all sides. >> Between your revolving garden and these you've got quite options available. You received something rather different for Mother's Day. Tell me about that. >> Oh, Shelley, you'll love it. I got a cement mixer for Mother's Day. >> It wasn't on the top of my list. Why? >> With that the soil can be mixed for the revolving gardens, just like that. For a quarter ton it takes only about 20 minutes to mix, which is very nice. >> So this is a gift you were pleased with. >> Oh, very much! Actually, I've wanted one for a long time, so this is just absolutely great. >> Thank you, Sylvia. Here's another way to make gardening easier, if plants or the watering can have simply become too heavy for you, put your container plants into kids wagons. When it's time to water them, simply pull the wagon to the nearest source to water. This is also an easy way to move plants around the garden, adding a spot of color wherever it might be needed.
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