How to Create a Sensory Garden

A garden is a delight to the senses. To step into a garden is to hear the birds singing and the bees buzzing; to smell the scent of bruised herbs; to taste the sweetness of peas pulled fresh from the pod; to touch the rough bark of a climbable tree and to see the glorious bloom of colour presented to us by the beautiful flowers. No wonder then, that gardens are considered extremely therapeutic places. People who are missing a sense can still have their other senses filled. People with dementia in particular can benefit from time spent in a garden that might bring back some memories.

Sensory Gardens

A garden can be designed in such a way that it is not a slave to colour and form, but rather encourages the use of other senses. One tip here is not to overload the nose. Planting Lavender and Musk Roses and Buddleia will overpower some of the subtler fragrances. Avoid plants that are too spiky or at all toxic as part of the pleasure of a sensory garden is to touch and stroke the plants. 

Plants and Memory

There has long been an association between plants and memory (think forget-me-nots) one that William Shakespeare drew on when he wrote these lines for Ophelia in Act IV of Hamlet: “There’s rosemary that’s for remembrance. Pray you love remember. And there is pansies that’s for thoughts.”    

It is sad to see the memory of a person with dementia gradually fade. A sensory garden may help to jog memories. If you are designing a garden that will be enjoyed by a person with dementia, you can involve them in picking out the flowers they loved when younger by showing them seed packets or pictures from magazines. 

Do you want to turn your garden into a sensory garden? Or perhaps you want a kitchen garden, or an eco-friendly garden? At Knight’s Paving and Landscaping, we provide a full landscaping service. Give us a call on 01603 360548 for more information.