Imagine walking into a garden and being hit with the scent of fresh basil that your host invites you to pick and taste. Nearby, a wind chime trills in the breeze and below you, a small fountain bubbles.
In a sensory garden, the goal is not only to have something nice to look at, but to engage all five senses. Many find them soothing, stimulating and therapeutic. They can also be designed for a specific audience. For instance, some occupational therapists use sensory gardens when working with youth who possess a variety of mental and physical challenges.
“It’s a very easy, tangible, hands-on way to teach kids grounding and mindfulness,” says Lisa Krejci, an occupational therapist at Encompass, a nonprofit serving families in Washington state.
Those with memory loss often find sensory gardens calming. They might even trigger positive memories, says Margaret “Peach” Jack, a registered horticultural therapist and landscape designer in Seattle. Jack helped design Maude’s Garden at the Memory Hub, located beside the Frye Art Museum, which caters to people living with dementia.
Whether you’d like to create your own sensory garden or just incorporate some elements of them into your yard, here are some principles to keep in mind.
Consider all five senses
At Seattle PlayGarden, a 1-acre garden that’s open to the public, children of all abilities are invited to touch, smell, taste and work with the plants. It features soft Lamb’s ear, fragrant herbs such as thyme, lavender, rosemary and plenty of edible vegetation to nibble. Many of the plants they grow are great for beginning gardeners, too. For example, sugar snap peas are easy to plant and can be started indoors, says Liz Bullard, the PlayGarden’s founder and executive director.
“We like to use a lot of plants that have an element of surprise for the kids,” says Bullard. “Scarlet runner beans are super popular because they grow really fast, and they have these huge, long pods. And then when you open the pod, there’s a bright purple or magenta bean inside. So, they’re just magical.”
Other plants can produce a calming effect. For instance, the PlayGarden includes an abundance of low-growing chamomile, and Bullard has seen young children crawl through it and even nap among the leaves. “It just smells so good, it’s so soft and it gets kind of warm in the sunlight,” she says.
As for flowers, Bullard suggests planting “cut-and-come-again” flowers, which produce more blooms when cut. That way, you can let people take stems they like and make bouquets. Zinnias make a great choice.
Touch can also be stimulated by water features or even the ground. The garden at Encompass has a variety of different textures to walk on, from crunchy acorns to seashells to large, smooth stones.
“You can feel how it’s different and hear how it’s different,” says Krejci. “As a therapist, I like it because you’re also working on a lot of balance with all these uneven surfaces.”
In addition, all the plants in the Encompass sensory garden are edible.
“Right now, winter green berries are blooming, so it’s just fun because you can take the leaves, and you could crush them and smell them. Then you could do the same thing with the berries,” says Krejci. “Especially for young children, making sure that all plants are safe to be eaten and touched so they can fully explore without limits is super important.”
Design with the audience in mind
Depending on who you anticipate spending time in the garden, you may need to consider the height at which they’ll view things. Bullard says they’ve had the best luck with growing plants vertically, such as on a trellis.
“You can have plants reachable for a little tiny kid, all the way up to someone who is standing or someone who is in a wheelchair,” she says. Many things can be grown this way, including sweet peas, flowers and even small pumpkins and squashes, she adds.
Some of the youth Krejci works with are extremely sensitive to smells, which can impact what they’re able to eat. A garden that has a variety of different herbs and fragrant plants could give a child the opportunity to practice engaging with those smells.
“That’s a nice, easy pathway to start addressing that area of need in a way that is safe, and that won’t cause them to shut down and disengage,” she says. For children who experience this sensory challenge, Krejci only recommends this route in partnership with a therapist who can guide you both in the process.
Creating a sense of safety is also crucial when designing for someone with memory loss, says Jack. For instance, Maude’s Garden is enclosed by tall trees. Circular walkways allow for easy roaming. Of course, everyone’s memories are different, and if you can plant something that evokes positive memories for someone, such as a flower that was common in their childhood or herbs that they used to cook with, that could make the experience all the more pleasant for them.
No matter who uses your garden, it doesn’t have to be big — a small patio or window garden can be effective. As long as you’re sensitive to the needs of the people who enjoy it, you can’t go wrong.
Sources of inspiration
Local gardens you can visit to gain inspiration for your sensory garden:
A fully-fenced, 1-acre garden that aims to provide children of all abilities with a safe, accessible adventurous place to play. It is open to the public, but offers preschool, summer camps and free play sessions throughout the year.
Visiting hours: Every day from dawn until dusk.*
*When youth programs are in session, the organization asks that you distance yourself from participants while visiting.
1745 24th Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98144
206-325-5576
Located at the Memory Hub beside the Frye Art Museum, this therapeutic memory garden is designed for people living with dementia and their loved ones. It was created by the University of Washington Memory and Brain Wellness Center.
Visiting hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
1021 Columbia St., Seattle, WA 98104
206-616-6035