Sensory Garden
A Sensory Garden is fun for every child - or the child in each of us. It includes plantings that appeal to each of our senses: Sight, Smell, Touch, Taste, and (done right) even Hearing.
You can plant a mini Sensory Garden using potted plants or you can go all out and plant an entire flowerbed or yard. Typically they are accessible to the diabled as well. My son is in a wheelchair so we have planted everything to be at a height that is easy for him to touch.
Our vegetable garden is raised so that he can help pick the peas and tomatoes. Involve the kids and talk about what you're planting - they will love getting their hands in the soil.
Here is a basic planting list for each of the five senses - my favorites have an asterisk next to them. Many plants can fit into more than one category.
Pictures of our Sensory Garden can be found here
Sight - This is where to include bright colors and annuals are great for this
Snapdragons*
Anemones
Gerber Daisy
Yarrow
Larkspur
Salvia
Carnations
Tulips
Pinwheels - The metallic ones are very eye catching
Petunias
Smell
Fragrant Roses (Blossom Time*, Tiffany,* Fragrant Cloud)
Lavendar* - also calming, when kids get wound up - have them pick some for you
Mock Orange
Hyacinths*
Phlox*
Mints (best grown in a container, they are invasive)
Dill (crush between fingers)
Chammomile (apple scented)
Curry plant
Chocolate Basil or Cosmos
Touch
Fern
Moss
Succulents
Sedums
Water features
Sensitive Plant - very cool, closes when you touch it
Sensitive Plant - very cool, closes when you touch it
Ornamental grasses (some of these can give you a paper cut, choose carefully)
Pebbles
Taste - be careful to plant these together or clearly mark them as edible to avoid accidents
Grape Tomatoes
Thornless Blackberries/Raspberries
Strawberries
Cilantro
Fennel (black licorice taste)
Dill
Nasturiums
Nasturiums
Violets
Calendula
Sound
Water fountain (simple or elaborate)
Bells
Aspen trees
Chimes
Bamboo
Grasses
Birds - if you plant berries, they will come
Birds - if you plant berries, they will come
Labels:
Sensory Garden,
Ty's Favorites,
WFMW
10 comments:
I LOVE this idea! I'm going to keep it in mind for next year when we are moved out to our own property. I think I'd like it just as much as the kids! :)
I would love to have room to have a garden. This is such a wonderful idea!!
Thanks for explaining it further! It's beautiful!
that's my next project when i get back to texas. or rather landscaping. i've always wanted to do something like this but i have never been sucessful with my gardening in texas. i guess it would help if i were there! LOL.
I didn't know there were thornless black/raspberries!
I'm back in town and catching up on my reading. I loved your piece about dad/Father. Very nice.
What a great idea!
I am going to try this! Thank you so much. I love that everything is at his height.
Wonderful
Wow! Wonderful idea. I can see our whole family involved in something like this. How long did it take you to decide what to plant?
I haven't exactly planted all of these. At least not all at once.
They are just a list for me (and maybe others) to pick from. It isn't an exhaustive list by any means and it was definitely hard to choose what to start with.
I say go with your favorites and add in as you get the chance. If you are really patient, most of the perennials do well form seed.
What a great idea! Very neat!
This is wonderful--I really love Lamb's ear and I'd never heard of Sensitivity Plant. How fun, I'll have to see how many will grow here.
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