The Garden focus day

2nd November 2006

Background

The Sensory Trust was invited to assist the Eden Project to develop an inclusive and sensory rich social garden space, at the centre of Eden known as The Garden, sponsored by Banrock Station Wines. A core goal of The Garden is to create a 'social place for adults and children to take time out' and 'a sensual place - stimulating to all senses'.

Eden has a diverse range of visitors including many older visitors and disabled visitors. Eden also has a core policy of welcoming all visitors and works with the Sensory Trust specifically on providing an inclusive place for visitors with disabilities. The Sensory Trust has extensive experience of engaging with disabled and older people and believes that engaging directly with the people who want to use gardens and public outdoor spaces is essential in understanding how to achieve inclusive and accessible places. For The Garden it was also essential to understand what elements of a garden create a place that different people enjoy and want to enjoy and relax in.

The Sensory Trust proposed that Eden engage with a focus group made up of a diverse range of people with the aim of developing a deeper understanding of:

• How people experience gardens and outdoor spaces,
• What people enjoy and find stimulating to the senses,
• The essential needs for using and enjoying a garden.

An essential part of the focus group session was the inclusion of the Eden Project team members who are involved in the design and management of The Garden. The outcomes would directly influence the design layout, content and detail of The Garden.

The Sensory Trust organised for a diverse range of people to take part in the focus day. The aim was to represent a range of visitors, and particularly those with disabilities as well as a wide age range.

Outline of the day

The goals of the day were,

•  to get detailed information on different individual's responses to garden spaces
• to understand what creates barriers to enjoying these garden spaces for people
• and to explore people's sensory responses to the fabric of a garden: the plants, landscape materials and the creative arts.

It was important to achieve this through a relaxed but structured approach.

The day started with an introduction to The Garden, background on Banrock Station Wines and the other aspects of the sustainability brief. The day continued with three main activities where the guests were split into four groups, each with at least two members of the Eden team, one acting as a group leader.

Activity One - The Garden location activity

Each group went to the area where The Garden will be built to experience the location, discuss the approach and connection with the rest of Eden and so on. The Eden group ‘leader’ discussed with their group the area around The Garden and the area of the existing space using questions formulated by the Sensory Trust and noted responses. Each group then gave feedback to the rest of the focus group.

Activity Two - Garden experiences

The guests had been asked to think about two pre-visit questions in order to discuss them in the small groups

• Why are gardens (private and public) important to you?
• What do you like to do in a garden?

The Eden team leaders were also provided with follow-up questions and discussions points were noted down and made available for the entire group to view.

Activity Three - Sensory Activity

This was a 'touchy-feely' activity designed to promote discussion on the sensory nature and sensory potential of plants and materials.

Part 1
Eden provided plants, construction materials and art examples displayed on 'market stalls'. The guests were asked in their groups to explore the stalls and discuss them with the stall holders (Eden Project team members). This gave an opportunity to hear first-hand reactions and discuss the value of these experiences.

Part 2
Each group was asked to select items from the stalls. Each group could select up to eight items (and each person in the group selected at least two items). The aim of the selection was to capture what they felt were the type of things that together would form an enjoyable and sensory-rich garden experience. The group arranged their collection on tables indoors and each group gave a short feedback on their selection.

Activity Four - The Future

Finally each guest was asked one last question and wrote their answer anonymously

"On your return to The Garden next spring, what would you hope to find?"

An important last activity was to invite all the guests to return to the garden in the spring to enjoy it and give their feedback. Keeping people involved in the project as it develops is important to avoid one of the major criticisms of public consultation, that often the people involved have no idea if their opinions are valued and become quickly disillusioned if not kept up to date with progress.

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