Case Study: Sensory Garden For a Community Garden in Wales

This week, I want to highlight an element of a garden design that could be beneficial for those who are looking for a little calm and tranquillity in our current, often chaotic and worrying times.

Above, you can see a sensory garden. This large raised bed garden was part of a community garden design in Wales. This part of the site was designed to provide as meeting space, seating space and community gathering spot nestled close to a wildlife pond in an open glade in a forest garden.

I suggested creating two long, curving raised beds for perennial herbs and flowers to delight the senses, with benches along the inner sides. At the heart of the space I recommended creating an herb spiral. (Overall, the sensory garden was designed to resemble an eye when viewed from above.)

A similar design, though probably on a smaller scale, could work well within a home garden.

The planting scheme for the sensory garden included:

• A range of flowering shrubs and herbaceous perennials. (Sight.)
• Carex, salix etc.. (Sound.)
• Lavender, aromatic herbs etc.. (Smell.)
• Lamb’s Ear/ Mullein etc.. (Touch.)
• Strawberries, herbs etc.. (Taste)

Engaging all the senses can help give the garden an immersive feel. And of course the diverse planting will also draw in wildlife for those spending time in the garden to enjoy.