How to Create a Sensory Garden

Sensory Garden by TJ Gehling/ Flickr

What is a Sensory Garden?

Traditional flower gardens are designed to stimulate the sense of sight and smell, but sensory gardens stimulate all the senses. While both promote relaxation and reduce stress, the sensory garden provides a deeper sense of well-being and appreciation of nature. Often designed to meet the needs of children and adults with special needs, sensory gardens provide much needed sensory input via all five senses making it accessible to everyone.

Designing and planting a sensory garden brings the wonders of nature into your own backyard and provides an oasis of sound, color, fragrance and texture to relax away the stress of your day. Although many sensory gardens encompass a large area, there are no rules that govern its size. A backyard sensory garden can be tucked into a small nook or even be planted in containers and placed on the deck. Whatever size you have available can be used to create a sensory garden.

Designing and Planning a Sensory Garden

Before you begin, think about the overall effect you want your sensory garden to have. Large gardens can incorporate several areas designed to elicit a specific atmosphere, but you can use small gardens area  to create a specific mood. Cool colors, relaxing fragrance and melodic sounds of water create a space for relaxation, while hot colors mixed with spicy, uplifting fragrance and lively sounds create an invigorating and energizing garden. Which is right for you depends on personal preference.

Activating the Senses

A sensory garden should activate all five senses. That means you need to be aware of more than just the color or fragrance of  your flowers. Follow these tips for activating the senses and creating a garden than is bursting with stimuli.

Sight - Make Your Sensory Garden Visually Appealing

There is more to a visually-appealing garden than the colors you choose. Variety in the size and shape of the flowers, foliage and overall plant shape is also important.  But color also have a big impact on how you will feel in your sensory garden.

• Hot or Warm Colors: Hot or warm colors create excitement and set an invigorating mood. Choose reds, oranges and yellows to enliven the garden. Sunflowers, marigolds, zinnias, nasturtiums and geraniums add brilliant color, and provide variation in size and shape as well. Look for a selection in varying heights to add depth to the garden.

• Cool Colors: Cool colors promote relaxation and create a peaceful atmosphere. Choose greens, blues and purples to create a soft flush of color. Purple coneflower, bachelor's buttons, pansies, irises and violets and many herbs, like thyme, oregano and chives,  add cool color to the garden.

Smell - Add Fragrance to Your Sensory Garden

• Add flowers and herbs with fragrant blooms, like roses, nasturtiums, night blooming jasmine, sweet peas and petunias. Don't overlook blooming shrubs like lilacs and honeysuckle.
• Line walkways or seating areas with scented geraniums, mint or thyme to release scent when the foliage is disturbed.​

Taste - Add Edibles to Your Sensory Garden

• Choose herbs that provide a variety or flavors that can be touched and tasted by curious visitors. A variety of mints, oregano, chives, lemon balm and sweet basil provide a burst of fragrance when brushed and can be nibbled for an unexpected burst of flavor.
• Add berry plants or fruiting trees, or fill containers with bright cherry tomatoes and peppers to tempt visitors as they wander through you garden.

Hearing - Add Sound to Your Sensory Garden

• Choose a water feature to include in your garden. This creates movement and adds natural sound to the garden. Water features range from simple birdbaths to miniature ponds and elaborate fountains. Keep in mind the atmosphere you wish to create, matching water features to the theme to set the mood for your garden. Slowly trickling water or graceful fish swimming lazily in miniature ponds promotes relaxation, while tumbling fountains and waterfalls add excitement.

• Add hummingbird, butterfly or bird feeders to the garden. This adds movement, sound and visual stimuli to the garden. Songbirds enhance the natural elements of a sensory garden with their bright colors and cheerful songs. Hummingbirds and butterflies add excitement to the garden as they create a flash of color as they search for nectar..

• Add wind chimes in breezy areas to create background sounds. Use care when selecting chimes and avoid those produce tinny or harsh sounds. Natural bamboo creates soothing music in a gentle breeze, while pipe chimes often create soft, melodic music in a summer breeze.

Touch - Add Texture to Your Sensory Garden

• Combine flowers and plants with varying textures. Think soft and silky leaves paired with spiky grasses. Add feathery ferns, waxy begonias and delicate bleeding hearts in shaded areas. Think lambs ears, dusty miller and fountain grass to add soft texture that pleases the touch.
• Include textured surfaces, like moss covered rocks or a seashell path, throughout the garden. Think smooth marble fountains and trees with rough bark to create contrast in texture.

Seating

Comfortable seating is a must in your sensory garden as it encourages guests to stop and enjoy  a bit of nature. Garden benches, large stones or fallen logs add to the appeal or the garden and provide an area to rest and relax. Consider the comfort of garden visitors, and your own,  when choosing seating.