Gardening with sight loss
Eight tips on gardening with sight loss from the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s Anna Tylor and Colin Brown
Gardens offer joy, peace and a connection to nature – and they are for everyone. For those living with sight loss, gardening remains not only possible but incredibly rewarding. With a few simple adaptations, people with limited sight can enjoy all the benefits of being outdoors.
“Everyone with sight loss has different needs,” says Anna Tylor, Chair of Trustees at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). “Some have gardened with full sight, others with little or none – and each brings their own experience to it.”
If you are new to gardening with limited sight, these eight tips from Anna and Colin Brown – a dedicated member of the RNIB’s Facebook gardening group – can help you get started and build confidence.
1) Prioritise safety
Anna Tylor has adapted her garden with small but effective touches
Colin Brown, a keen gardener based in Devon, began losing his sight around 14 years ago
Anna, who was born with sight loss, has adapted her garden with small but effective touches.
“I have three steps from my patio to the grass, and I’ve sprayed a pink dot on each one,” she explains. “It helps me see where they are, especially when the surfaces blend together.”
His sight loss makes it harder to identify plants and locate tools. He recommends: “Keep your tools clean and paint them in strong colours or wrap them in hazard tape. And always keep a seat nearby – balance can sometimes catch you out.”
2) Plant what you love
Run your fingers through grasses for a sensory experience
“My garden is very full now, but it wasn’t when I started,” says Anna. “Once I knew where everything was and the plants were established, I got bolder and started adding more. Some people like structure, others prefer a more relaxed, cottage style – I’ve ended up with a mix of both.”
Colin focuses on what works for him visually: “To me, any green plant is a green plant. I mainly use raised beds and keep a reference book and magnifying glass nearby so I can identify things more easily.”
3) Use bold, contrasting colours
Anna Tylor recommends including contrasting colours in the planting
4) Be hands-on
Adjust and adapt your gardening style as needed
“I’m very tactile in my gardening,” says Anna. After a breast cancer diagnosis last year, she now has lymphedema in her left arm, which increases her risk of infection.
“I have to wear a glove on that hand to protect my skin,” she explains. “It’s an adjustment, but people do adapt.”
5) Appeal to your senses
Maximise your other senses through your gardening
Whether you’re sighted or not sighted human beings get so much from our senses
Sensory experiences can enrich your gardening experience. “People often talk about sensory gardens,” she says. “Human beings get so much from the senses, whether you’re sighted or not.”
“Maximise your other senses through your gardening – it will make it far more enjoyable,” adds Colin. “Spend an afternoon at the garden centre and notice which fragrances stand out most to you.”
6) Grow something edible
Allotment holder, Colin likes to grow his own fruit and vegetables
“I grow tiny tomatoes from seed, along with black krim and pomodoro – they’re tough as old boots,” says Anna.
Anna also grows a grapevine on a pergola: “It’s loaded with 30 or 40 kilos of grapes. I give them away – anyone who visits gets a pair of secateurs and is told to help themselves. It’s the most satisfying thing in the world. Plus, it gives great shade and needs almost no maintenance.”
Colin, who gardens on an allotment, agrees: “I was like a proud father with a new baby when my tomatoes came through. I’ve also grown sweetcorn, peppers, grapes – and even shared my rhubarb with the neighbours.”
7) Create a map of your garden
Anna grows bamboo and uses it to make garden canes
“I have a terrible habit of planting something, then pulling it out later thinking it’s an
To avoid confusion, try keeping a simple map of your garden. For fast-growing plants like sweet peas, markers can also help.
“I grow bamboo to make my own garden canes, then spray paint or tie things to them to mark where new plants are,” Anna adds.
8) Embrace the learning curve
Accept that gardening is a learning process
“Don’t stress when something dies; you can replace it. It’s not the end of the world,” says Anna. “There are no fixed rules in gardening – you can do whatever you like.”
For more information, see the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s advice for gardening with sight loss.
