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Matching landscapes activity

Matching landscapes

Match plants and natural materials with their associated landscapes. A great group activity that puts people in closer touch with the landscape.

This is a group activity. Using three different landscapes, participants are asked to decide which plants and objects are associated with each landscape. As well as exercise for the brain this activity stimulates conversations stimulated by the landscapes, plants and objects that people may be familiar with.

You will need

  • Prepare three images of three different landscapes; for example – coastal, country lane and urban park. You could use magazines, newspapers or print something from the internet.
  • To accompany these images, find two or three objects that provide visual clues for each landscape; for example – shells for coastal image, cut flowers for urban park, small car toy for country lane.
  • Collect plants that can be found in each landscape (try and do this as close to the day as possible; if it’s not possible, then collect plants and press them to dry rather than leave them to dry slowly and shrivel out of shape).

Method

Lay or prop the three landscape pictures together with their relevant objects out on a table. Scatter the plants you’ve collected loosely in front of all three. Some plants can be found in more than one landscape, that’s fine, let participants decide which landscape they feel it best fits. Perhaps places or plants are recognised and stories are shared around holidays, family visits, or other events associated with the landscapes or plants. It helps group members to get to know each other better, to find things they have in common or to share their knowledge with others and feel that they have contributed in a valuable way to the group exercise.

A plastic cow and some leaves sit on top of an image of the countryside

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