Sensory Garden Design Advice
The Sensory Trust cannot answer individual enquiries regarding Sensory
Garden projects. All the information we have is in this web site, or in
our publication Making
Connections.
Design approaches to inclusive multi-sensory environment design.
Key principles to guide your approach:
Working with,
not for, people.
- Don’t assume you understand the needs and preferences
of your target user groups.
- Begin with a thorough appreciation
of the stakeholders and beneficiaries of the project:
when do they wish to use the space? What do they want to do there?
What is the range of ability within the user groups?
- Listen
to and involve your intended user groups at all stages of the project.
Getting
people involved creatively in realising their own project is empowering
for all those involved.
Integration not segregation.
- When designing for people
with specific disabilities, remember the other users of the space;
friends or carers.
- Design for everyone to enjoy the space equally.
Sensory stimulation: making
the point clearly.
- A Sensory Garden is much more than raised beds
and lavender. Opportunities exist to enrich everyone’s experience
though design for the full range of the senses.
- From
your consultations you will know who your potential users are, and
what they want to do. Design appropriately and deliberately with
clear sensory objectives.
- The research, case studies and techniques are out there. Get
the design specification right. You will find a lot of useful
information on this site, for example in our Information Sheets
Sensory Design and Designing
for Outdoor Access. For other sources on the web, have a look
through our links section.
- Make sure you get the 'right plant in the right place’
in terms of growing conditions. In selecting plants, be clear
about the sensory effect you wish to achieve: touch and texture,
smell, taste and scent, sound in the wind and when touched, contrasting
plant form and shape, movement of light and shadow beneath.
Management
and sustainability.
- Plan for more than design and construction. Consider
how your project will be maintained and cared for. Will the users become
involved,
as part of an educational project perhaps? How will the care of your
project fit in with any existing maintenance programs? Involve existing
site managers in the design of your maintenance program.
- Involve
the surrounding neighbours and the user community in design and
construction. Build a sense of ownership in the place and in the
management process.
- Work within the limits of how much ownership is
possible in order to determine a sustainable level of maintenance
balanced with a
rich sensory
environment.
- Maintenance can become enjoyable and useful if it
is made part of celebration, play or educational activity. Horticultural
or other
collaborative
development activity can be designed into the project.
Opportunities
to use it.
- Innovative site design and management is more effective if there is
appropriate user information and interpretation.
- Include budget for promotional information such as pre-visit leaflets.
- Potential users need to know what facilities you provide in order
to make an informed decision about whether to go or not.
- Try to involve transport providers, and consult on the most likely
way people will come to your site. Design information provision accordingly.
- Ensure that your information and interpretation provision is accessible
to your target user groups.
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