Room To Grow
Even amid the perils of disaster, a good gardener never gives up; he just looks for better solutions. Bill remembers lying in his hospital bed right after the accident, wondering what he was going to do with his life. A comment that an orderly made opened Bill's eyes to possibilities.

"The gentleman could tell I was doing some serious thinking, and he asked me what I did for a living. I told him I was a vascular surgeon and operated on people's veins. After a period of silence, the orderly said, 'You don't do that with your feet, do you?'"

Bill recently retired from his surgical post. Today, he gardens, spends time with his family, and shares his knowledge with those who want to learn more about accessibility gardening. Bill's family is proud of him and how he continues to grow. Barbara says, "He is one of my most admired people in the world."

BILL'S FAVORITE PLANTS FOR RAISED BEDS Asiatic lilies such as 'Impala' Oriental lilies such as 'Casablanca' and 'Stargazer' bulbs and corms such as daffodils, tulips, and gladioli daylilies such as 'Stella de Oro' and 'Happy Returns' dwarf fruit trees such as apples, peaches, and nectarines false sunflowers (Heliopsis helianthoides) 'Lucifer' crocosmias purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) 'Purple Wave' petunias summer phlox (Phlox paniculata) such as 'David,' 'Franz Schubert,' 'Bright Eyes,' and 'Eva Cullum' hybrid roses

This article is from the June 2005 issue of Southern Living.