Sensory garden design ideas
Create a garden for all five senses |
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton Photography)
Let us show you how to plant yourself happy with sensory garden ideas that will stimulate all the senses.
Sensory gardens are intimate outdoor spaces filled with enticing sounds, scents and textures, designed to delight. All gardens provide sensory experiences, but garden ideas with sensory at their heart will have a concentration of different elements that stimulate the five basic senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste.
These gardens are sometimes stimulating, sometimes calming, and offer tangible, visceral experiences that can evoke emotions and aid relaxation.
While sensory garden plants are for everyone, they are particularly beneficial to children, and those who are disabled or suffering with mental health problems.
Sensory garden ideas
Be inspired by these ways to design a sensory garden – and advice from the experts – create a yard that both soothes and captivates.
1. Turn your space into a wildlife garden
Tall silvery-grey Stachys byzantina (lamb’s ears) is velvety soft, while floaty petalled pink evening primroses (Oenothera speciosa) are heavily scented to attract pollinators
(Image credit: Mark Bolton/Future)
A cleverly planted border can create a stunning focal point as well as a magnet for wildlife. If you find something you like, repeat the planting to create a sense of uniformity. Avoid planting in rigid layers by mixing things up, such as trying tall airy plants at the front of the border to create a veil-like effect.
Even the smallest terrace or courtyard can be transformed into a wildlife-rich garden. Plant foxgloves and lavender in borders as they are a magnet for nectar-seeking bees. The inclusion of natural rustic elements like wood piles and bird baths, plus choosing the right plants, will help to attract birds, butterflies and bees to your yard.
‘I’m passionate about feeding garden birds and even more so when I can grow plants and seeds which they feast on directly,’ says plant expert Sarah Raven .
‘The ornamental grass panicum is a new-found favourite of mine. It looks good all summer and provides an endless feast for goldfinches and blue tits.’
2. Add the sound of water for tranquility
A series of pools bordered by fiery planting using a color palette of red, orange, yellow and gold and featuring red hot poker ‘Tawny King’, Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ and Echinacea ‘Salsa Red’. Garden designed by Naomi Ferrett-Cohen (photograph: RHS/Sarah Cuttle)
(Image credit: RHS/Sarah Cuttle)
If you love the idea of creating a sensory garden, a pond is a must as it's one of the best places to immerse yourself in the soothing sights and sounds of nature. Introduce a garden pond and it will soon become a favored spot for quiet contemplation.
The design doesn’t have to be complicated. A modern reflection pool, often accompanied by a water blade or rill, will work well. For small yards something smaller like a freestanding stone or concrete basin is a good choice.
If informal backyards are more your thing, a natural pond will sit well in the space.
In this design the sounds of the water work in tandem with the warm palette and soft textures of the planting to create a truly immersive experience. ‘It was really important to ensure that the sound of water was relaxing, so that you could hear the calming sound from anywhere in the garden,’ says designer Naomi Ferrett-Cohen . ‘I wanted to make sure the rest of the garden was designed to fit in with the water feature, setting it into an area of planting for a feeling of tranquility.’
3. Get the planting mix right
Tall spires of orange foxtail lilies contrast with mounds of Mexican feather grass and blue-grey sea holly in this Beth Chatto garden
(Image credit: Åsa Gregers-Warg/Beth Chatto’s Plants & Gardens)
Plants with interesting textures and shapes are key. Try including a mix of contrasting forms to create visual interest. Towering spires of flowers work well juxtaposed with low mounds of feathery ornamental grass, for example.
Although opposites in terms of texture and shape they knit together well.
‘In this design Mexican feather grass (Stipa tenuissima) works well along the front of the border and is so tactile you want to bend down and stroke it,’ says Åsa Gregers-Warg, head gardener at Beth Chatto’s Plants & Gardens . ‘The muted tones and hair-fine foliage provides the ideal foil for taller perennials. Here it’s teamed with the burnt-orange spires of Eremurus ‘Cleopatra’ (foxtail lily).’
Hazy blue eryngium (sea holly) with its spiny rosettes of flowers introduces another interesting shape.
Ornamental grasses are key to creating borders like this. ‘They are versatile and require little maintenance while providing movement and beauty across the seasons,’ says Åsa. ‘They can either be used as punctuation or as a swathe into which other plants can be interwoven.’
4. Choose textured surfaces for their tactile qualities
Using contrasting shapes and textures throughout a planting design creates visual excitement.
Garden designed by Amelia Bouquet (photograph: RHS/Joanna Kossak)
(Image credit: RHS/Joanna Kossak)
Consider contrasting ribbed and molded finishes with smooth surfaces to add an interesting tactile element to your garden design. Textured wood can be contrasted with smooth paving, for example, to create a striking juxtaposition.
The bespoke wooden screen in this garden design takes center stage. Made of Sussex-grown sweet chestnut, it invites exploration. ‘This garden is meant to be tranquil, relaxing and inviting. I want people to look at it and think “I just want to sit there,”’ says Amelia Bouquet of this garden she designed in support of Mental Health UK . ‘Getting into green spaces is so important for our wellbeing.’
Rustic woodland planting enhances the secluded seating area. The ferns, hostas, astilbes, brunneras and delphiniums provide rich foliage interest, even when not in flower. Smooth paving is interspersed with waves of the plant mind-your-own business (Soleirolia soleirolii) to create textural contrast.
Adorned with clusters of sweetly scented, creamy white blooms, Heptacodium miconioides adds height to the planting, while mature fig trees create a sense of abundance in this garden designed by Alan Williams
(Image credit: RHS/Sarah Cuttle)
The design of a sensory garden can feature separate zones to stimulate individual senses at different times, or be a multi-sensory mix where everything is enjoyed simultaneously.
It should ideally include an area designed to entertain friends, where you can dine alfresco and enjoy the sights, sounds and scents close up. Meanwhile an outdoor kitchen should sit alongside fragrant herbs and vegetables for easy access. Think of the layout in terms of creating zones of enjoyment.
A well-placed table and chairs is an invitation to spend time relaxing in the yard. The sculptural qualities of this eye-catching wooden set fit perfectly with the naturalistic planting aesthetic. A tumble of flowers spill from tiered planters constructed in aged brass.
These raised beds make the planting accessible, which is ideal for brushing against the foliage and enjoying the scent.
6. Take a moment to pause
Create a comfortable place to linger while you enjoy the sights and sounds of the sensory garden
(Image credit: Jan Baldwin/Future)
Every garden needs a comfortable place to sit, somewhere you can enjoy being immersed in all it has to offer. The materials and textures of seats can add to the tactile experience of the garden, offering a restful interlude.
Comfort is often overlooked in favour of design but it’s key to your enjoyment, offering a chance to pause. Choose elegant seats that are low level, modern in design and made of natural wood and with deep cushions.
Colors are best taken from a simple tonal palette that’s chosen from nature. It’s another way of introducing textures into the fabric of the garden, too.
7. Use ornamental grasses for landscaping
If there’s one plant that’s a must in the sensory garden it’s ornamental grasses, as shown here in this garden by designers Farlam & Chandler
(Image credit: Farlam & Chandler)
Handsome architectural grasses add texture to the yard for a naturalistic effect.
Rhythmic planting of airy grasses creates interest all year round, adding an understated elegance in a range of eye-catching colours, everything from rich gold and luminous silver to inky black and zingy green varieties.
The trick is to plant one type of grass in a big loose block to maximize the impact. The rippling grass becomes the star of the show, a blaze of bright foliage, plumed flowers and interesting seed heads.
Grasses are good for landscaping, too, especially when combined with water. ‘We often integrate ponds in a way that adds visual impact so they feel intrinsic to the character of the garden,’ says Harriet Farlam, creative director of Farlam & Chandler .
‘In this garden we chose materials to edge the pond that connect to other garden areas, with the periphery softened with a generous gravel border, spot planted with Angel’s fishing rod and Stipa gigantea, which overhang the water and move in the wind, creating a space which is really sensual and immersive.
’
8. Plant fragrant lavender in borders
Lavender bushes add scent and colour to enhance entrances
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
The scent of lavender and the soothing buzz of bees hovering over the flowers on a summer’s day are a heavenly addition to the yard. Plant lavender near a path or doorway so you can brush your fingers through the scented bushes as you pass by. It will fill your garden with fragrance and color all summer long.
Set the scene by framing doors and windows, both front and back, with pretty lavender borders. As you walk up your path one of the most welcoming sensations on arriving home is being hit by a waft of delicious fragrance so lavender borders will give your entrance the standout factor.
The best variety to choose is English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), which is strongly scented, and covered in masses of purple-blue flowers with silvery-grey leaves. Favourite varieties include ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead’.
French lavender (Lavandula stoecha) have flowers that are a different shape to the English varieties, topped by pretty feathery tufts, but their scent is not as strong.
9. Add the soothing trickle of water
Water is a dominant feature in this sanctuary garden by designers Tawatchai Sakdikul and Ploytabtim Suksang of Ging Gaan Bai
(Image credit: RHS/Sarah Cuttle)
Even the most simple design can bring pleasure. Of all the garden features, water is the most fascinating. It captivates with its movement, reflections and gentle sounds, bringing an appealing mix of new sensations.
This eye-catching simple circular water feature is composed of a raised metal pool with two pipes delivering trickling water that introduces a note of tranquility to the yard.
The dark gravel around the pool is planted with lush ferns and grasses to layer up interesting textural details, and the combined effect is appealing to all the senses in complementary ways.
10. Use reflections to enhance
The Asanoha Corten steel trellis panel is inspired by Japanese privacy screens, which were traditionally created with intricately carved woodwork (starkandgreensmith.com)
(Image credit: Asanoha/)
A tranquil setting, characterized by straight lines, simple shapes, subtle lighting and a coherent layout, provides a comfortable light-filled space for retreat from modern-day life. The reflections add a magical element to the water, helping to create the feeling of a sanctuary.
As well as letting you divide the yard into smaller and more intimate areas, some decorative screens can be considered works of art in themselves. Hang them where they will be most appreciated.
By introducing a different material, such as Corten steel, into a design filled with plants and water, you add exciting textured accents that heighten the drama. Metal also adds gleam and reflection to an otherwise matt series of surfaces such as the wall and deck.
Gardens like this one are successful in combining all the various elements needed to create a truly immersive sensory experience.
11. Pick the best plants for a sensory garden
The physic garden at Castle Park in Bristol was designed by Emma Coleman for St Mungo’s and sponsored by Jo Malone London’s charity gardens initiative. Many of the plants in the garden were inspired by ingredients from the perfume company’s scents, such as sage for Woody Sage & Sea Salt, and basil for Basil & Neroli
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton Photography)
Aromatherapist Nicolle Mitchell believes herbs can have real effects on the body and mind when their scents are inhaled. For example, she says, rosemary can ease fatigue and help you focus; and lavender can help induce sleep and ease depression, making these excellent plants to choose for a sensory garden.
12. Use scent to relieve stress
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton)
As well as the benefits mentioned above of rosemary and lavender, Kathi Keville, author of The Aromatherapy Garden , describes the scientific case for the relaxing, stress-relieving scents of herbs including chamomile and marjoram; the stimulating aromas of basil, peppermint and sage; and the surprising passion-invoking properties of liquorice-scented plants, among others.
13. Consider the seasons when planting for a sensory experience
Plant supports host climbers like jasmine above a froth of perennials and herbs including cirsium, garlic chives, irises, fennel, dianthus and mint
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton Photography)
There are plenty of other fragrant plants to consider apart from herbs. Catherine Cutler, who created the Perfume Garden at The Eden Project in Cornwall, recommends thinking about the seasons and including something for every time of year. 'Some of the best scents come in winter,' she explains, 'such as the shrub daphne 'Jacqueline Postill'. For flower scent, try sweet peas, roses and jasmine, and pinks, which are remarkably sturdy and produce a wonderful, heady, clove-like scent,' she continues.
14. Plant fragrant flowers
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton Photography)
'For larger gardens, my top choice is Cercidiphyllum japonicum (katsura tree), which gives off an incredible candyfloss scent in autumn,' says Catherine Cutler.
'Other great plants for a perfume garden include mock orange, a shrub with strongly fragrant flowers, and fun, more unusual herbs such as apple mint, pineapple sage and curry plant.
The RHS recommends chameleon plant, Houttuynia cordata ‘Chameleon’, a shrub whose leaves smell of lemon; and chocolate cosmos, which has a vanilla scent that children adore.'
15. Introduce a sensory space in a small garden
(Image credit: Ali Allen/Jacquie Melville/Nassima Rothaker)
There is no need for acres of land to make a garden that will appeal to all the senses and promote health and happiness. Garden decorating ideas such as a scented hanging basket, a collection of tactile plants in containers, or a simple herb-edged pathway are just as capable of providing you with invigorating experiences in a small garden as well as large.
16. Be at one with the wind
Stachys byzantine (lamb’s ears)
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton Photography)
To encourage people to explore your backyard with their hands, place trees within reach of paths and seats so the bark can be easily stroked.
Some plants simply beg to be touched, such as Stachys byzantine (lamb’s ears), the leaves of which are soft like felt.
17. Make it visually pleasing
(Image credit: Future / Allan Pollok-Morris)
For visual interest, use different textured path surfaces, introducing pattern with decking or paving and gravel. You can also consider sight-driven elements like flags, sculpture or topiary. When decorating a garden wall, encourage wildlife with feeders for birds and choose nectar-rich plants for butterflies.
18. Enhance with color
Colorful red flowers such as those of Penstemon ‘Garnet’ are bright and stimulating
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton Photography)
When it comes to color, it is generally believed that 'hot’ colors such as red and orange are stimulating, while greens and blues are calming, so aim to zone different areas of your garden with this in mind.
19. Invite night-friendly focal points
(Image credit: Future / Emma Lee)
If the garden is going to be used in the evening, you can add mesmerising outdoor lighting ideas.
Consider a fire pit too, and use plants such as four o’clocks and night-scented stock, which come into their own as the sun goes down.
20. Invest in a pond or water feature
(Image credit: Future / Colin Poole)
Water trickling or gently flowing is the soundtrack to a relaxing garden and a wonderful addition to a sensory garden. A water feature, such as a small fountain or spout, encourages people to dip their hands or feet in, and children to splash and play.
21. Enhance sound and texture
(Image credit: Future / Mark Bolton )
Incorporate plenty of gravel paths to encourage movement from one area to another to create a pleasant crunchy sound underfoot – you could even opt for colored stones to add further stimulation.
What should a sensory garden include?
Many sensory gardens are just walks or pathways, with low scented plants such as herbs in between stepping stones. A winding route works well as it invites you to slow down and look around.
Another excellent sensory design is a keyhole garden, with a narrow entry opening into a larger space where you can rest while immersed in planting. Whatever the design, include comfortable seating in a part of the garden that is shaded.
Choose landscaping materials with a tactile element, such as smooth pebbles. A water feature will stimulate both touch and sound.
For sound, investigate wind sculptures and sound fences – rows of tubes that make a melody when a stick is dragged along them – or deer scarers, the tip-tapping water features from Asia and used in zen garden ideas.
(Image credit: Futre / Bridget Peirson)
What plants are good for a sensory garden?
For a calming natural soundscape, choose bamboo, trees like weeping birch and plant ornamental grasses such as Briza maxima and miscanthus, to enjoy their leaves rustling in the breeze.
Scent is one of the most vivid senses, which can improve mood and trigger memories and strong feelings.
To capture these benefits, use fragrant plants, but plant them at intervals so the different scents will not be overwhelming. For taste, add 'pick and eat' possibilities with pots of strawberries or stepover apple trees.
How do you make a small sensory garden?
If you want to create a small or DIY sensory garden, then it is best to plan zones that concentrate on different senses. You could create a listening corner by placing a seat next to a soothing water feature, accompanied by the gentle buzz of insects. Or plant a raised garden bed or containers with herbs, allowing easy access to rub or sniff their aromatic leaves and flowers. To activate the sense of touch, think about textures underfoot, from cool grass to crunchy gravel.
But if you only have room for a couple of pots, then your best option is scented pelargoniums, the leaves of which release aromas of lemon or rose when rubbed. And make sure there are no toxic, thorny or irritant plants – the Royal Horticultural Society has a list on its website.
Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.
Sensory garden ideas: 17 ways to stimulate the senses with planting, water features, and landscaping
(Image credit: David Giles/Future)
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Sensory garden ideas are all about engaging the five senses: touch, smell, taste, sound, and sight. And there are plenty of ways to do this to transform any environment into one that's interesting, stimulating, and immersive.
When planning a backyard revamp, it's easy to focus solely on the aesthetics. And in most cases, next in line for consideration are the practical aspects – a kid's play area, or a space to eat outdoors, for example. Or perhaps you're thinking about rewilding your garden, to help support nature. But a backyard can offer so much more. By thinking carefully about features that will enlighten all the senses, even a tiny courtyard plot can be transformed into a soothing and engaging space.
'Sensory gardens invite visitors to touch, taste, listen and appreciate their surroundings,' says Imogen Jackson. Imogen is the Head Gardener for the Midlands site at Horatio's Garden – a charity that creates beautiful and accessible gardens in NHS spinal injury centers.
'Stimulating the senses can trigger memories and lift the spirit, or calm and relax the soul. Spending time in a sensory garden can improve sleep and wellbeing and by encouraging a focus on textures, tastes and sounds, can increase mindfulness and mood.' What's more, 'a sensory garden can encourage people of all ages to spend more time outside,' she adds, 'with all the benefits that fresh air and sunshine bring.'
With a bit of creativity and know-how, it's not too difficult to recreate. In fact, once you know where to start, you can begin adding sensory features to any of your garden plans.
Sensory garden ideas: 17 tips to create a soothing ambience in your plot
These sensory garden ideas will make spending time in your plot a more immersive and enjoyable experience – from cooling water features to beautiful planting schemes that smell just as wonderful as they look.
1. Add cooling pools
Pools of water add a soothing vibe
(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny/Future)
Water feature ideas are, of course, wonderful additions for a sensory garden.
Water sends sparkling shimmers across the plot as it reflects the midday sun, it welcomes dragonflies, frogs, and other wildlife, it's refreshingly cool to the touch, and the gentle splash of a visiting bird taking a dip is surely a soothing sound for anyone.
'The sound, sight and – if possible – feel of water trickling is very calming and pleasant,' says Imogen Jackson of Horatio’s Garden. 'Each of Horatio's Gardens has a water feature and they are the most popular spaces in the gardens.'
Weathered-steel pools such as this one above add a rustic yet modern feel to a plot – you could even add more than one, to really make a statement. Surround with lush foliage to soften the edges and create a more natural feel. The serene sight of a lily or two floating across the water's surface is a delight for children and adults alike and will only add to the appeal.
2. Surround doorways with scented flowers
Fill the air with fragrance
(Image credit: Polly Eltes/Future)
Nepeta (otherwise known as catmint) and lavender are two beautiful perennials that sport breathtaking purple blooms.
Position in a sunny spot by your front or back door and you'll be welcomed not only by their sumptuous sight but also by the pleasing fragrance they release into the air.
Lavender works equally well positioned along a pathway, bringing joy to anyone passing by. Our guide on how to plant a lavender hedge will help you to get started.
3. Add stepping stones across water
Make a pond a focal point for your plot
(Image credit: David Giles/Future)
A pond can make a stunning focal point for your sensory garden ideas, and we love the sleek edges of this one above. It provides a striking contrast against the surrounding beds that are filled with vivid Alchemilla mollis and purple salvias.
Meanwhile, stepping stones encourage mindfulness, allowing visitors to slow their pace and consider their journey across the water more carefully.
Roses on a nearby pergola will add to the sensory impact further – providing a fragrance that is well-loved by any gardener.
If you love a rose as much as we do, our guide on how to prune roses will come in handy to keep them in tip-top condition.
4. Pick soothing color schemes
Purple and white make a pleasing palette in this flowerbed at Horatio's Garden London
(Image credit: Lucy Shergold/Horatio's Garden)
'Know whether you want an area to be calming or invigorating and use appropriate colors in your planting scheme,' suggests Imogen Jackson, Head Gardener at Horatio’s Garden Midlands. Green is the most calming color, she says, whilst blues, purples and whites can add to this effect.
This flowerbed above is a lovely example, showcasing a mix of textures and forms in a streamlined palette. The giant heads of alliums are particularly striking and will continue to provide architectural structure even when they go to seed.
Our guide to garden color schemes has more inspiration.
5. Welcome in wildlife
A buzzing bee at Horatio's Garden London
(Image credit: Lucy Shergold/Horatio's Garden)
'Encourage wildlife,' advises Imogen Jackson.
'Birds, bees and butterflies make a garden so much more enjoyable and beneficial, and are essential for sensory stimulation. Birdsong is one of the most calming and uplifting noises for people to listen to.'
Provide visiting creatures with food, shelter, places to forage and perches using bird feeders, habitat plants, bird tables, nesting boxes and a bug hotel. You can find out how to make a bug hotel with our guide, whilst our tips on how to attract birds into your garden are well worth a look if you want to welcome feathered friends.
'Native plants will help to support local wildlife,' Imogen adds. You can find more wildlife garden ideas in our feature.
6. Grow edible crops
Grow veggies alongside flowers for a bright and colorful display
(Image credit: Mark Bolton/Future)
Try growing your own crops as part of your raised garden bed ideas. In doing so, you'll encourage everyone to interact with the sights, smells and tastes of nature's harvest.
Raised beds, as well as tall pots and trellises, will also help to bring the plants within reach, as says Imogen Jackson of Horatio’s Garden.
However, remember to 'consider safety elements, depending on who your garden is aimed at,' she adds. Beware of mixing edible and non-edible plants. It might even make sense to exclude poisonous, prickly and thorny plants altogether.
7. Add texture and sound with bamboo
A bamboo backdrop elevates this scene
(Image credit: Claire Lloyd Davies/Future)
When it comes to planting, 'consider movement and texture,' suggests Imogen. 'Here at Horatio's Garden Midlands we have swathes of bamboo which sound wonderful as the wind blows through.'
Take a cue from this set-up if you're learning how to grow bamboo and position them around a sun lounger or other seating area. That way you can lie back, close your eyes, and immerse yourself in the soft sound on the breeze.
8. Hang up wind chimes
This unique wind chime will add a soothing sound to the scene
(Image credit: Bridget Peirson/Future)
Speaking of relaxing sounds, wind chimes won't go amiss as part of your sensory garden ideas, either.
Whether you go for a wooden, metal, or mixed-media design like this one, it's a surefire way to boost the ambience of your plot. They make a lovely addition to Zen gardens too.
9. Transform courtyard paving with plants
Garden designed by Tom Howard
(Image credit: Tom Howard Garden Design)
Even a small terrace, patio, or courtyard can be turned into a soothing oasis, as demonstrated here by Tom Howard Garden Design .
Many sensory features have been incorporated to provide an immersive and stunning environment. For one, the living wall adds a breathtaking backdrop, rich with textural foliage. Water peacefully trickles nearby, due to the contemporary water feature. And alliums provide a pop of color and will welcome the buzz of visiting bumblebees.
However, one of our favorite aspects here is the planting strip, which cuts across the patio. A mixture of Lysimachia nummularia (creeping Jenny) and Soleirolia soleirolii (otherwise known as mind-your-own-business) has been used, Tom Howard explains.
Not only does it prevent the paved area from being dull, it also helps to lead the eye from the house to the garden, he adds.
You could also use hardy herbs such as thyme, or even dwarf chamomile, to add a scented element to the scene.
10. Use corten steel for a contemporary look
Corten steel is a stunning material for water features
(Image credit: Colin Poole/Future)
Get back to nature by encouraging a wilder look in your garden. Curved, freeform beds can be filled with the likes of ferns, ornamental grasses, small trees and blousy heads of hydrangeas for a visual treat. Opt for similar hues to keep it feeling balanced.
Combine with a water feature to create a sensory vista – Corten steel is a popular choice and adds a warming tone with its rusted patina.
Our guides on how to grow ferns and how to grow hydrangeas will help you recreate the scene.
11. Create a sense of discovery with pathways
Surround winding pathways with tons of ornamental grasses
(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny/Future)
The most successful garden path ideas don't simply create a way to get from A to B, they can provide a sensory experience, too.
This design incorporates an element of tactility, as passers-by can reach out and feel the soft stems of ornamental grasses planted en masse either side.
Small trees overhead add a forest-like feel, and help to screen the building behind. Allow the path to gently wind through your plot to add a sense of discovery and intrigue.
12. Adorn steps with roses
Roses will delight the senses
(Image credit: Mark Bolton/Future)
Even steps can be given a sensory boost with the help of some glorious rose bushes planted either side. Everyone knows that these blooms are beautiful to see and to smell, and their silky petals have an irresistible softness. If you'd like to plant some of your own, our advice on how to grow roses is a good place to start.
Can you spot the lavender planted up the steps, too? It'll only enhance the sweet summer fragrance further.
13. Add plenty of softness with stachys
Stachys byzantina has a velvety touch
(Image credit: Mark Bolton/Future)
Stachys byzantina is otherwise fondly known as lamb's ear due to its velvety leaves.
They have a beautiful silvery hue, and often sport spikes of purple or white flowers come summer. Place them around a seating area or along a pathway for a soothing touch, literally.
They make a lovely addition to a sensory garden, and work well if you're on the lookout for small rock garden ideas, too.
14. Enjoy your surroundings from a pretty bench
A pretty blue bench is the perfect spot for relaxing
(Image credit: Simon Scarboro/Futurea)
To make the most of your sensory garden ideas in action, you'll need a comfy place to sit and take them all in. Position one of the best garden benches in a shady spot to shelter from the hot sun, add a soft cushion and surround with your favorite flowers.
Then all you need to add is a nice cup of tea to sip as you sit back and relax – a perfect way to spend an hour or two.
15. Add mirrors and lighting to elevate the scene
Accessorize your sensory garden
(Image credit: Colin Poole/Future)
Extra accessories such as garden mirrors or festoon lights can go a long way in elevating a sensory garden.
Soft lighting boosts the ambience of any type of plot, and will also enable you to enjoy the features of your garden after dark. Meanwhile, mirrors hung on a wall or fence increase the feeling of space and light. And, by reflecting sensory features such as colorful planting or soothing greenery, they will double the visual impact.
16. Get back to nature with an all-green theme
Create a tranquil oasis filled with foliage
(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny/Future)
Creating an all-green scene is a wonderful way to feel immersed by nature. This is especially the case if you take the vertical space into account too, by using the best trees for small gardens. Underplant with ferns and other verdant foliage for a view that's rich in textural interest.
You could also train foliage over a pergola to create an intimate seating spot.
17. Or, create a carnival of color with bright blooms
Combine vibrant blooms
(Image credit: Graham Rice/Garden-Photos.
com/Future)
If you're looking to electrify the senses rather than soothe them, then fill your beds with vivid blooms of all different hues. Marigolds, sunflowers, alpine strawberries, cosmos, geraniums and bright blue delphiniums look fantastic all jumbled together. They will entice butterflies to your garden too, adding an extra sense of movement and life.
And, to awaken your sense of taste, why not add in some edible flowers? Nasturtiums are a great choice with their peppery flavor, flame-colored flowers and pretty foliage.
The Great Broad Walk Borders at RBG Kew
(Image credit: Richard Wilford/RBG Kew)
What plants are good for a sensory garden?
When it comes to good plants for sensory gardens, the experts at Kew Gardens have a few suggestions. For a bright, bold scene, they recommend the likes of Echinacea purpurea, pelargoniums, tulips, and alliums.
You could also try a cheerful mix of wildflowers, such as common poppies, corn marigold, and ox-eye daisies.
Ornamental grasses make a more subtle addition, adding tons of textural interest and movement. The team at Kew suggest cortaderia (pampas grass).
You can also try Salvia argentia (the silver sage) for its woolly leaves, as well as woolly thyme – both of which are grown by Head Gardener Imogen Jackson at Horatio’s Garden Midlands.
There are lots of scented plants to incorporate too. All the flowering herbs make great additions – think rosemary, lavender, and thyme. Other scented favorites include honeysuckle, roses, jasmine, and daphne. Our guide to the different types of roses will help you pick one for your plot.
But whatever you choose, remember to always 'plant what is suitable for your garden, and only grow things that will survive in your climate, without copious amounts of watering or adjusting the conditions,' Imogen says. 'Consider how much maintenance will be needed and available before selecting plants.'
Think about color, scent, and texture when it comes to choosing sensory garden plants, and if you don't have much space, pop them in pots
(Image credit: Mark Bolton/Future)
How do you make a small sensory garden?
You don't need acres of land to implement sensory garden ideas effectively.
Even a tiny terrace or balcony can be transformed into a stimulating space. Sure, you might not be able to experiment with winding pathways or huge borders, but the most sweetly-scented and brightly-colored blooms can still be included by using a mixture of containers.
Small, bowl-shaped water features or even bird baths can add to the sensory appeal without taking up much room. And herbs are a wonderful choice for window boxes, which take up no floorspace at all. And whilst we're on the topic, our window box ideas feature has lots of eye-catching designs.
The garden was always a big part of Holly's life growing up, as was the surrounding New Forest where she lived. Her appreciation for the great outdoors has only grown since then. She's been an allotment keeper, a professional gardener, and a botanical illustrator – plants are her passion.
Sensory gardens. Placement of plants in sensory gardens.
Gardens in a country house are practically the norm in our country, but many do not even realize that gardens are created not only to produce tasty and healthy fruits, but also to enhance various human senses.
Such gardens are called sensory gardens. The main function of sensory gardens is the optimal selection of plants, various artificial landscape design objects and other elements that contribute to a sharper perception of the surrounding world.
As a rule, there are sensory gardens designed only to enhance one of the senses. For example, to sharpen the sense of smell, gardens are created with a large number of contrasting aromas. But there are also such gardens, where there are several special sections for each of the senses at once. There is also a variant of the sensory garden, where there are a large number of external stimuli of all human senses, in such a place a person feels most comfortable and peaceful.
A well-planned sensory garden can combine a number of useful functions. Sensory gardens are used for educational purposes, adaptation projects, meditation sessions. When creating sensory gardens for the healing of people with disabilities, emphasis is placed on a certain sense organ, for this there are both private sections in such gardens, and complex ones for free communication of visitors. The construction of such gardens is most appropriate for medical, therapeutic, educational institutions and, of course, in suburban areas.
The design of sensory gardens can be very diverse, but there are certain design trends that unite all sites of this type.
It's no secret that one of the fundamental elements of the sensory garden is artificial design structures. In the open spaces of the garden, a variety of materials are used for laying garden paths: stones, wooden blocks, sand embankments, lawn with different cover heights, small pebbles, and so on. The recommended width of the path is at least 70 cm, and when designing a garden for people with musculoskeletal disorders, at least half a meter.
Flowerbeds on pedestals of various heights are used for ease of access for visitors with organic capabilities, as well as for people with low vision. Flowerbeds placed on the ground are perfect for inquisitive children. Places for relaxation in the sensory garden should be placed, trying to optimally surround the visitor with the tranquility and fragrance of plants.
As a “seat”, it is best to use natural material with natural irregularities, which will also help to exacerbate a person’s feelings.
In order to have a more colorful sensory garden experience, it is recommended that visitors install various informative prompts and signs. For example, near certain plants, place leaflets with information about which particular organs of perception are “activated” in this case. Such clues encourage the visitor to interact with nature. For visually impaired people, Braille can be used, or an electronic guide with a pleasant female voice can be installed. And for a more detailed study of the sensory garden, promotional products should be created with descriptions of all the most interesting places. It is desirable that on the first page of the booklet there is a map with a division into zones of influence of human feelings.
The selection of plants of various kinds also plays an important role in creating a sensory garden. The fundamental task of the sensory garden, as mentioned earlier, is to attract visitors to interact with nature.
Therefore, for such gardens, it is unacceptable to choose fastidious plants that require chemical treatment, as well as plants with poisonous or allergic juice, as many visitors will touch them with their hands, and some will even taste them. Certain types of plants can combine several sensory functions, for example, mint leaves provide an opportunity for the manifestation of both smell and taste.
Representatives of the plant world, grouped according to certain criteria, for example, by color, by smell, by size, can leave very pleasant impressions for your guests. And a tea corner, organized in the depths of the sensory garden, will give unique coziness and comfort to visitors.
Roses, coltsfoot, mint, lilacs, dandelions, peonies, chrysanthemums, jasmine are excellent plants for sensory gardens. A certain novelty will be introduced by arborvitae, spruce, linden, fir, juniper, ornamental chestnut, as well as plants such as bamboo and eryngium.
Plants that can be tasted are recommended for sensory gardens, rhubarb is a very harmonious plant, rye, wheat are pleasant to the taste and fluffy to the touch.
Peas, parsley, dill, strawberries - will allow you to perceive such a familiar taste from childhood in a new way.
Garden of feelings and sensations | Landscaping of gardens and plots
Five human senses, long known and listed by Aristotle. Yes, and our whole life - we live while we feel. We subjectively, emotionally, and often unconsciously perceive the world around us. But what about the garden? It's time to come up with a new game: which of the senses is better affected by each landscape element.
By and large, all gardens, without exception, evoke some kind of feelings. But there are those among them where the sensations are aggravated more strongly.
That's it, they are called sensory. Plants and design elements in such gardens are not chosen randomly, but with intent - to get as many diverse impressions as possible and use all our senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste.
I first became interested in this at the Moscow festival of landscape art "Gardens and People".
They presented a sensory garden-constructor for children with cell beds. Triangular modules were filled with various materials - bark, sand, gravel, pebbles, plants - for every taste. There was even hay in briquettes! And all this wealth could be touched, smelled, and of course, just looked at.
As conceived by the developers, such a garden is able to harmonize the state of mind - through the involvement of a sensory enriched natural environment in the activity. As she said! :)
I liked the idea so much that I immediately wanted to apply it in my own practice, on a private garden plot. But not as a garden-constructor for children's development, but as a full-fledged one, with beautiful landscape compositions, for rest and relaxation of adults.
Perhaps this idea would have remained only in the plans, but the owner of one of the gardens where we were landscaping came to the rescue. By the way, it is wrong to assume that it is the landscape architect who completely comes up with the design of the garden.
Without you, our dear customers, we are not able to give birth to a single decent idea. All of them will be far-fetched, inanimate, divorced from reality. To compose something really worthwhile, we, like a sip of water for a traveler parched by the desert, need your help - your dreams and desires.
The garden that we decided to fill with sensory landscape elements was the perfect fit for this idea. Paving of natural stone has already been completed here - various-sized tumbled paving stones, in exquisite gray tones, were lined with patterns. We worked on ornaments for a long time, drew and coordinated sketches. It turned out beautifully, but walking along such paths is a real punishment. Anyone who has ever been to old Europe will understand me perfectly. In light shoes, every pebble is felt, and after a short walk, steps are given by colic in the brain.
But our client seems to need just that. At her request, sea pebbles were also used in the paving, in the form of mosaic panels.
New surfaces have been added to the textured, and without that, coatings. And the hostess has a special opinion on this matter:
— It is very pleasant to walk on such paving with bare feet. Unusual sensations and therapeutic foot massage!
Foot massage - really, what could be easier? After all, here, in the garden, no one plans to walk for hours. And in small quantities, even poison is successfully used in homeopathy.
So it turns out: to set up a wellness-center on a personal plot is not our idea, but the owner of the garden herself. We only slightly supplemented it and linked it with the general concept.
On the largest fragment of the site where the landscaping was planned, we proposed to make mosaic paths from the same flat pebbles as in the paving. The idea seemed to be successful and justified - it will be convenient to move around a large mixborder, approach the reservoir and take care of the plants. Pebbles were not laid flat, as on paved areas, but on an edge, upwards with thin edges.
It turned out an interesting effect: the paths seem to be covered with large bone scales - like the skin of a lizard.
Fillings in rockeries were made with small pebbles, smoothly uniting the lines of scaly paths and the shore of the pond. A large stone, noble-colored graphite, left after the construction of the water cascade, was pricked by specialists to the required size, and we laid its steppes in gravel dumps.
New pieces have been added to paved paving stones and flat pebble surfaces. And with them new sensations.
Yes, this garden by itself, without our participation, as if by order of some higher authority, turned out to be sensory.
Now I already think: it would be simply impossible to make it different!
The turn of landscaping came up: we planted plants in beautiful landscape compositions and began to wait for everything to grow and close into a single whole. In the meantime, taking care of the garden and watching its development.
And then one day a frog showed up in the garden, and not even one…
Our customer, the owner of the garden, is a big lover of frogs. And frogs, as everyone knows from time immemorial, cannot live without elves. Or vice versa. One has only to settle where at least one, so immediately wait for the invasion - the elves settle in whole families, literally colonize the gardens.
I think that it was from the elves that people got infected with this idea - everyone is trying to grab foreign lands, they have already swung at the moon.
Elves do not need other planets, they have enough space on Earth. They live quietly in the forests, for the time being, in the crowns of large trees, and are waiting for their finest hour. Or, to be more precise, a resembling good garden…
Small, graceful men, outwardly similar to people, but the size of a grasshopper, with wings on their backs. They flutter along the branches and sensitively hold their ears, pointed upwards - they listen, if an inviting croak will sound somewhere?
Suddenly, somewhere, a new garden is ready to move in….
Our garden has matured, grown a little over the summer and has become attractive. And as for the sensory - everything here corresponds to this idea. Each sense organ has its own sensations.
For the touch: stone patterns and gravel fills, pine bark mulch and buckwheat husks in mixborders. Pleasant to the touch paws of microbiota (Microbiota decussata) and arborvitae (Thuja occ. 'Brabant') are complemented by prickly needles: blue spruce (Picea pungens 'Hoopsii'), cushion-shaped (Picea abies Nidiformis) and dwarf ball (Picea pungens Glauca Globosa). Different varieties of barberries, junipers, mountain pine - thorns for every taste and mood. Every yoga on a needle.
Other plants are responsible for the sense of smell: several varieties of fragrant thyme, collectible floribunda ‘Albaster’ roses, double mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius), gray spirea (Spiraea cinerea 'Grefsheim'). Paniculate hydrangeas are presented in a worthy assortment of the collection: Kuishi (Hydrangea pan.
'Kyushu'), Limelight (Hydrangea pan. 'Limelight'), Phantom (Hydrangea pan. 'Phantom'), Vanilla Fraise (Hydrangea pan. 'Vanilla Fraise'), Little Lime (Hydrangea pan. 'Little Lime'), Great Star (Hydrangea pan. 'Great Star'), Bobo (Hydrangea pan. 'Bobo'). Letniki are full of juicy variety: balsam, levkoy, verbena, alyssum, petunia, purslane, lobelia.
Delight for the ear - the murmur of a waterfall and the rustle of grasses in the wind.
For taste: Ural varieties of apple, pear, honeysuckle. And a couple of varieties of remontant strawberries: the well-known ‘Queen Victoria’ and ‘Pineberry’ with pineapple flavor.
Vision is probably the most important of the human senses: the garden is graceful and gentle. After all, its main theme - white-flowering compositions and lilac colors - only complement and emphasize purity. Creamy yellow daylilies with small inclusions are warm symbols of the sun. And just a little bit of red: to refresh the stone heaps.
Flowering in the garden is continuous, all season - from early bulbs to autumn-blooming heathers and sedums.
Elves are gentle and sensual creatures - they won't come to live anywhere. And our sensory garden, created for the fullness of sensations, turned out to be very suitable for them: everything here is the way they like it - full-blooded contact with nature. So they immediately responded to the frog's call, did not miss the opportunity to settle in beauty.
But even in the elven environment there are disagreements - they are divided into light and dark. Light elves are the most beautiful and kind creatures on the planet. And they choose gardens to match - harmonious and well-groomed. And they bring success and prosperity to the owners.
The dark elves are exactly the opposite. Outwardly, they are not much different from light relatives: the same wings and sizes. But they have a black soul - greedy and treacherous. They can only live in neglected and abandoned gardens. Weed-covered flower beds, tangled branches of old trees, littered corners - the best breeding ground for the dark brotherhood.
