Inclusive gardening takes root in San Antonio with new project

SAN ANTONIO – There aren’t just herbs and vegetables growing in one San Antonio backyard garden. Hailey Boyan and Tomas are also planting seeds of change.

“Where did this idea for an accessible garden even come from?” KSAT’s Avery Everett asked.

“This idea came from a want and a need,” co-creator Boyan said. “As people with disabilities, all the bending and kneeling involved in traditional gardening can sometimes take the joy out of something that’s meant to be so joyous.”

That’s the reason they created the Gardening for Every Body group. Their mission is simple: create spaces where people with all abilities belong. And, they just finished their first garden.

“It makes me happy,” Tomas said.

So, what does an accessible garden actually mean? Here’s what we saw at their pilot plot:

• a lot of shade

• extra room to move

• raised garden beds

Tomas and Boyan completed a 12-week Urban Farming and Gardening course at Gardopia Gardens. That’s where their vision took root.

Their team of two is quickly expanding.

“Now (my husband, Dustin, is) able to go all through here,” Lydnsey Nelson Hawk, whose family uses accessible garden spaces, said. “It makes us feel included, and it’s really a garden for everybody.”

The Hawk family met Boyan and Tomas through adaptive fitness with Morgan’s Wonderland and Texas Parasports.

“Accessibility matters just as much as plants,” Boyan said. “I think so often in this world, creating with ability in mind is an afterthought and not a starting point.”

To expand and build more gardens, their group is relying on donations. They’ve already raised $3,000 online and received seeds, plants, and support from businesses like Growing Texas Greens Emporium.

“We’re in conversation right now with local nonprofits in San Antonio talking about bringing this accessible garden to more spaces in San Antonio,” Boyan said. “This is really a disability led project rooted in mental health, movement and nutrition.”

Their gardens will be built for all people, but specifically for those with disabilities and veterans.

“When you come to a garden that’s catered to a group of people with disabilities, you feel the camaraderie of being together with similar folks,” Michael Mobley, a veteran, said.

Next Monday, June 30, Gardening for Every Body will host their first community garden event. They’re partnering up with Gardopia Gardens.

To follow their journey, check out their TikTok @gardensforeverybody.

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