Sensory Gardens, for all

Sensory gardens for special needs and sensory play for ECE environments = healthy people + healthy landscapes

What is a sensory garden? The gardening charity Thrive explains that in a sensory garden "plants, hard landscaping and other garden materials and features are selected for their appeal to all five senses, with the aim of offering a richer and perhaps more therapeutic experience to a range of people with different needs."

Overwhelming evidence shows multiple health and well-being benefits of sensory gardens, particularly for those with special educational needs. Our sensory garden designers work with schools, universities, care homes and rest homes, around social housing and with urban planners. Sensory gardens can be designed to meet the needs of specific conditions. Community health planners and health commissioners specify sensory gardens to prevent and treat early stage depression anxiety and dementia. 

Sensory gardens can be developed in almost any space. Where appropriately-designed, public green space can offer a haven for children and adults with additional needs. Based on the theories of biophilc design and attention restoration, sensory gardens reduce stress and anxiety. 

All sensory gardens must, by definition be accessible. Barrier Free design and inclusive design are at the heart of sensory gardens for special needs. Making the rich experiences of the natural world available to sight impaired, hearing impaired, learning disabled or mobility impaired people is important to us:

Key features of our sensory garden designs are:

• Accessible planters to bring scent and colour to eye height for young people and wheelchair users.
• Water as the essential for all life
• Non toxic edible planting make a sensory garden safe for all.
• Inclusive design for different movement modalities - climbing, swinging and balancing provide stimulating opportunities for special needs as well as non disabled users. Bamboo bridges, tunnels and interactive sound and water features make the space come alive for adults and children.
• Light and shade for those with impaired vision
• Sound to delight
• Wildlife to really bring the sensory garden design to life. A well-planned space will delight non disabled users as well as those with disabilities. Specialist design advice should be sought from an experienced sensory garden designer or disabled interior designer. Greenstone Design offers both specialties under the same roof.

"When developing a design brief for a residential garden, Special School or wellness garden, it is important that the sensory gardens are a useful space that is an extension of what can be done within the home or facility and offer people places to go outside that are safe and engaging.”

As specialist sensory garden designers, Greenstone Design works with a team of professional landscapers, in response to the needs of the residents, school, hospital or community.

Contact us to design a sensory garden .

Gardens for disabled users include overhead shade pergolas, large planters with ornamental trees, and raised beds for vegetables and herbs to keep the interest of wheelchair users and walkers alike. A working garden of raised beds and containers, and an area with planters and outdoor furniture for group activities would complete the space.

Seasonal interest and variety throughout the year are important. “It is good to create multiple sensory-stimulation environments, with plants selected for fragrance, texture, and colour, in a sequence of colour from spring to summer, summer to autumn, autumn to winter, and back to spring."

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