Therapeutic and Sensory Gardens
Gardens Designed to Stimulate, Revive, Comfort and Nourish
The growing popularity of sensory gardens and therapeutic and healing gardens is the result of similar but not identical movements. Accessibility is critical.
Gardens have always been special places, intended as a treat and a retreat. Sighted people tend to appreciate gardens first for their visual beauty, but throughout time, garden designers have taken all the senses into account. It is hard to prove this, but it seems likely that the term "sensory garden" originated with people designing gardens specifically for the blind or visually impaired.
At any rate, the idea of purpose-built sensory gardens is not brand new, but it is certainly gaining momentum. What this means, practically, is that in public gardens there is more attention being given to making at least a part of the space enjoyable to everyone, regardless of how good their sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch and mobility might be.
The scope of sensory garden design varies from place to place. Some gardens consider themselves sensory gardens because they have adapted the pathways and changed the heights of the beds to be more accessible to wheelchair users. Others call themselves sensory gardens because the choice of plant material offers stimulation to all the senses, not just sight and smell.
No matter what the designer's interpretation of a "sensory garden" actually is, the expectation is that the garden will be accessible and designed for universal enjoyment. This sentiment is well stated by Lynsey Robinson (and others) on the website of Sensory Trust in the UK. Sensory Trust exists to promote and implement the inclusive design and management of outdoor space, richer connections among people, and equality of access.
A related, but not identical movement is the therapeutic and healing garden, where the garden is deliberately intended to aid in growth and recovery. There is a database of therapeutic and healing gardens which includes some sensory gardens, but also gardens for persons affected by Alzheimer's disease, cancer, a variety of facilities for elderly and community care, and some for acute care and rehabilitation. Not all of these are open to the public.
To the non-gardener, one garden may look just like the next. However, if the designers have done their job right, and if Mother Nature has co-operated, a well-designed special garden will have a positive effect on those who most need its benefits.
In addition to the two references above, an internet search on the terms "sensory garden" and "accessible garden" will bring up many hits. There is no one worldwide list of either type of garden as such. However, most public gardens indicate whether they are accessible to wheelchair users, and places with special gardens of any sort typically feature them on their website.
These well-known public gardens each have sensory gardens within them:
- Secluded Garden at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (London, England)
- Sensory Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
There are many small sensory gardens around the world. The lists provided here are just a starting point.
