I don't really know what you need for your side of the case, so I'll give you what I know/have.

I worked in a nursing home/rehab/pshyc unit for 7 yrs, and I can tell you from personal experience that this is a very beneficial and therapeutic exercise. We had several mentally handicapped residents in the time that I worked there. Most of them required someone to show them a task, but then they were fine doing just that task, i.e. one watering, one dead heading, one planting, etc. Of course this depends on the capacity to learn and remember that is different per person. Everyone can do something, you just might need to work with them a bit to figure out what task is best suited to that person.

If you need more than word of mouth, how about some of these: http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/feb_mar_97/garden.html, http://www.infolanka.com/org/nisansala/mh.htm, http://www.fbhs.org/Flower%20show%20rel.htm, http://www.cityfarmer.org/horttherp70.html#hort, http://advocacy.zezenetwork.com/legal_rights.htm (if it works for federal, why not state?), books: http://www.specialneeds.com/librarybuilders/pdf/ActAdults.pdf.
Those are just a few. There are TONS more sources. Hope I helped. =)

This link was recently shared on the Oklahoma forum. It might be helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: new leaf

At one of my former jobs we took blind and developmentally disabled adults to a corner of the muni parking garage and built a garden (raised bed built/donated by town bank). It was a wonderful experience, tactile, olfactory, community participation. We also had an indoor greenhouse for those who were also frail/elderly and didn't have the stamina to walk the 200 or so feet. We also volunteered at Jones Beach on long island, planting and tending babies that were eventually transplanted by beach staff for the seasonal flower display.
Any opportunity you have for this will be gratifying for everyone!

How is your research going? There's a local garden club in NJ that takes flowers every week to a hugh group home. Maybe that could be a start for you to work with an organization who already has started something. There's also a few books about the subject at the library and pages on line to read. Just curious how far the state would get involved. Would the outside help come from hired people to start the garden up? I found somebody within your state who might be able to help you.

Deep Fork partners to create a community garden
Deep Fork Community Actions McIntosh County office is partnering with the OSU Extension office, the McIntosh County Coalition for a Healthy Community and others to start a community garden project in Eufaula, reports Sherry McConnell, County Coordinator.
"Produce from this garden will go to local needy residents, distributed from the local food pantries," she explained.
OG&E has annually donated funds to provide garden seed vouchers for low-income residents.
"This year part of that money will go to fund our community garden," McConnell explained.
The Corps of Engineers has given permission to use land located at the south end of Eufaula. The City of Eufaula, she noted, has agreed to provide water to the garden at no charge.
Other groups supporting the effort include the OSU Extension office who did soil testing, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and 4-H Club who are providing volunteers to help work the garden.
Many local residents have also volunteered their time, McConnell reported. She is asking local businesses to donate gardening tools and water hoses.
McConnell said she is working on a five year plan for the garden. Some of the planned improvements include an educational section for young children and handicapped-friendly gardening plots.
"This is a work in progress," she said.

Hi, My husband and I adopted and older child who is cognitively challenged or developmentally delayed. These are the correct words but mentally retarded will work just fine also. He is going to hang out at the age of 8-12 for the rest of his life. What are the benefits of gardening to special needs children and adults... the same as for you and I. Granted the material must be presented in an "age" appropriate manner and reasonable accommodations must be made but these differently abled gardeners derive the same substantial benefits from gardening that you or I or any child does.

Currently, Raymond (our oldest) is helping create habitat brush piles. I have helped him understand the need for habitat and have explained to him that animal houses need to be safe just like people houses.

We have made terrariums, cacti planters, and have planted seeds in between glass so that he could see the roots grow. We talked about how his plants were using nutrients from the soil as energy. We talked about the sun. We have grown sweet potatoes by suspending them from toothpicks in glasses of water. We made a scarecrow and plant vegetables in a garden and he has learned how to pull weeds in rain. He has helped me burn buckthorn and he understands this is a plant that "cheats" native plants out of having a fair chance to live. we talked about God and how winter sowing seeds was the way to go as the plants were turned over to Him for better or for worse. He helped me prepare the soil and helped me place saran wrap over the winter sowing containers. When our tomatoes grew big and juicy last year, we set aside half to give to the food pantry for those less fortunate than us. And, he cut his own tomatoes and grilled his very first open faced cheese sandwich using slices of his own home grown produce. We use binoculars and regularly watch the birds who visit the birdfeeders we made and eat the berries off the trees we have planted. We have made our own suet to feed the birds using lard, peanut butter, and sunflower seeds from sunflowers we have grown. We have taken many walks and I have let him feel the difference between a conifer and a deciduous tree. We look for critters and it is a game to see who can spot the most as animals can camouflage themselves in foliage. He has containers of strawberries that he must remember to water or they will not survive. He now knows what goes into a composter and why. He has used the soil from our composter. He is going to help me pot up an aquatic plant for our fish pond this weekend and with a window box. Is he capable of doing any of these projects on his own- no. But half the fun of doing them is the togetherness.

What has he learned? More than we could have ever imagined. He is making connections every day that we never dreamed possible. Gardening has helped him accept responsibility by enabling him to learn from natural consequences, ie: if you do not remember or take the time to water strawberries you will not have any to eat as the plants will die. It has allowed him to enjoy a sense of accomplishment. Many people commented on his terrarium and how nice it was and he did do the majority of it himself. He decided to try to cook so that he could use HIS own tomato. He had never expressed an interest before. Little steps toward independence and self sufficiency are so necessary as increasingly, these children are mainstreamed into society. Gardening is a phenomenal self esteem builder. There is pride associated with completing a task and doing your best. Granted, his best is different from yours or mine but it is his best and that in and of itself makes a statement.

I hope you pursue that garden plot. I can see nothing but goodness growing up from it. My only suggestion would be to chose plants wisely. Sunflowers are a great choice. Tomatoes, beans, carrots, spinach, and French marigolds that repel insects around the perimeter might be something for you to consider. Who knows... you may even get a kid to try a spinach salad just because he/she grew it him/herself. The possibilities are endless.

In addition to parenting the child mentioned above, I am also a Cub Scout Den leader for my 8 year old and his group comprises differently abled kids with disabilities ranging form legally blind, to hearing impaired, to ADHD, to oc disorder, to learning disabled. These kids can do everything other children can do they just need a little bit of extra assistance form time to time.

Please feel free to contact me privately.

I don't know exactly what you mean by mentally handicapped, but I have Schizophrenia, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, among others. I am unable to work or go to school. During the gardening season, I do SO much better handling things, and I am calmed down like you wouldn't believe. It is so therapeutic, and it has helped me more than I thought possible.

Having living growing things to be resposible for does a lot to help the confidence of the handicapped. I drive bus for phycically and developmentally disabled adults, and they love to listen and talk about my gardens and plants. Some of their caregivers have little gardens but other don't, so these adults "garden" through me and my sweetheart(he drives too). We bring in our flowers to show them and when they have suggestions for plants we try to include them. I don't know how much help this is for you but I know it is therapy as much for us as anything. We enjoy sharing our plants with them and often times they can't get out and enjoy the plants on their own.

I have started a gardening program here at a large high school in Arizona. My gardening students all have developmental disabilities to some degree. Please send me suggestiong for projects, and easy-to-grow plants!
Thanks.

OGO-Below is a link to The American Hortcultural Therapy Assc. That would be a good resource for you. Are you talking about people with developmental impairments (low IQ, Down's Syndrome, etc) or those with mental illness? There is a member here who is involved with a program in Atlamta for people with mental illness, They have a greenhouse and garden. It is affliliated with an inner city Catholic Church. She could hook you up with the director and help with practical issues, especially realistic expectations for the participants. Her GW name is girlgroupgirl. If I can be of assistance LMK. I am a rehabiltation counselor and can help with referrals through my university.

Hey, I just found this thread!
FANTASTIC to hear that so many people with cognitive and emotional/biochemical disabilities are learning through gardening. Laurazone5 really hit upon all the wonderful things one can learn through gardening.
Yes, I help run a program for adults with multiple handicaps at our church. You see, most of our congregation has some sort of handicap. Many are physically disabled, most are labeled with some sort of mental illness, many are also developmentally and socially impared in some way. Some of our folks work 2 hrs at a time. Currently I have a woman I'm working with who I've made an informal goal with to garden 5 minutes a week! BUT SHE GARDENS.

Above, people have listed many of the benefits of gardening:
Social skills: working closely with another
Life Skills: it teaches natural consequences
Physical Therapy: you get out and move, some tasks require small consice range of motion (like seed planting)
Occupational Therapy: Vegangurl mentions how she feels "so much better" after gardening. For some reason, focusing on tasks that are non-emotive seem to help us gather perspective in other areas of life
Educational: One can learn mathemetics, science, biology, to read, etc, etc. through gardening

Plus everyone needs a hobby! :)

GGG

vegangurl, I totally agree. I "only" have to deal with "Anxiety Disorder, Unspecified", which means PTSD without a specific stressor incident from Gulf War 1.0, and comorbid clinical, sometimes psychotic depression. The meds only help so much. Digging holes keeps me functional (I won't go so far as to say sane) during the worst periods, and as long as I'm digging, I might as well put something in the holes.

Liberal use of a spade and a trowel keeps the worst of it at bay for me. If I'm in the middle of a panic attack, digging holes distracts me and gives the adrenalin somewhere to go.

Here in Galveston we have 2 places that have progams just like you are talking about. One is the Sunshine center, they primarily deal with mentally challlenged persons and they grow herbs in their greenhouse that they sell to local restaurants and cooks.
The other is The Learning Center which deals with people that have suffered brain injuries. They also have a large greenhouse and have a big plant sale every year.

I'm not sure if either has a website but the program helped a friend of mine who was injured when a drunk driver ran over him. I never knew him to have an interest in gardening but it allowed him to focus and slowly he returned to pre-injury. Luckily!
Tally HO!

OH MY GOSH! Where have you guys been all my life? I wanted to start a "sensory garden" for my child with special needs. As a child I can remember the specific smells of things like mint sprigs growing in our backyard and then watching my mom crop some of the leaves off and then putting them into her iced tea! Talk about pride in your work! I think using our olfactory/smell sense is one of the most underrated things about our gardens. We bring in flowers, sure, but what about Rosemary to make and season spaghetti. My daughter now sniffs everything that is a plant because of the strong smell - She loves it! Even caught her sniffing silk roses in the store the other day. She laughed when she realized they were not real. I guess she recognized that they didn't smell! :-)

Laura zone 5 how could I contact you? you are a neat mom/mentor type person. Thank you for giving me hope.:-)