For Gardeners
Garden Beds
At Access Oasis, all paths are wide & paved, and gardening areas are raised to accomodate various heights from 24” - 36,” with the lowest height accessible to people of short stature, and the tallest height requiring no bending. Wheelchair users can pull into 30” height beds for optimal reach while gardening. The garden beds are arranged in evenly spaced rows.
Tools
All tools have ergonomic handles, and additional long reach and low-impact tools are available. Grip aids, and adaptive cuffs are available in different sizes. Larger tools are lightweight and ergonomic - a dump wagon, hose reel, and a swiveling gardening cart.
For Visitors
Garden Layout
All paths at Access Oasis are wide & paved. There are no steps at Access Oasis, and all nearby public transit options are step-free. The garden beds are arranged in evenly spaced rows, with passage between structures exceeding 7 feet width in most areas, and 3 feet in all areas. Raised garden beds are located at the entrance near 21 St & Hoyt North, running parallel to 21st St. Ground beds run parallel to Hoyt Ave North.
Seating, Shade & Snacks
Tents are always available with seating, snacks (gluten-free options available), water, and cups (straws, adaptive cuffs available). Seating options include low clearance benches & chairs, wide-set lightweight patio chairs with arm and back support, and metal folding chairs. Our inclusive picnic table has two centered seats for wheelchair users or chairs.
Exploring the Garden
Text guides are available in different languages. Audio guides are available in English. Most plant names are labelled with braille along the top of the raised garden bed edges. Mobility aids -- a cane seat and wheelchair -- are available for borrowing in the space.
Sensory Information
We often have sensory crafting events which we announce via instagram and email. Tactile activities with paint, gardening, and seed saving are always available. The space is on a mostly quiet block, with a gentle hum from the Triboro bridge above.
In the future, we will aim to provide a peaceful and engaging sensory garden for neurodivergent visitors to enjoy.
Website
Using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative (W3C), we aim to maintain WCAG 2.1 level AA compliance on accessoasis.garden.
Disabled people and digital accessibilty experts volunteer with our garden, as well as on our website and social media to insure we're making inclusive decisions as we grow online and in person. Universal design and usability are essential to our mission.
We keep up to date with new digital accessibility recommendations as they evolve, and we aim to stay compatible with various asistive tech, such as software for screen reading, magnification and speech-recognition. The team members at Access Oasis share a devotion to supporting disabled people, and we are all dedicated to learning how we can be continuously improve our support of people with various disabilities.
Additional Access Needs
We are always looking for new tools, devices and structures to make our garden even more inclusive and welcoming. If you have an idea or access need, let us know so we can do our best to make it happen.
If you need assistance accessing our garden, website, or social media, please call email accessoasisgarden@gmail.com for direct assistance.
You may also reach out with general questions or feedback about our accessibility, and we will do everything in our power to help.
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