Therapeutic Sensory Garden

[Therapy gardens]

Hello all 

I am an OT developing a patient led sensory garden project. Having to be very creative due to my minuscule budget and shady balcony area 

I am also a smallholder, we pull in around 300 bales of hay and keep a small flock of southdownsheep and a rescue pony. Soon to be proud owners of a few chickens

Have dabbled in growing veg for some years with occasional success. Having a fresh try again this year to help support my organic diet. Interested in permaculture and would like to keep bees in future


Nice to 'meet' you all 

[muddled]

Hello and welcome to the vine!

Whereabouts are you based? (we're not after specifics...just a rough idea)

[rosiepumpkin]

How gorgeous. I just planted a sensory garden for myself.

For the more shady area (that'll be most of my plot), what's worked for me are potatoes, radishes left to go to seed and eat the pod, wild garlic and nasturtiums (eat the young leaves, flowers and seeds). Watercress is good too.

[Verinda]

Hello, welcome to the forum, I am sure your sensory garden will be wonderful

[Bigmallly]

Hello TG & welcome to the Jungle.

[Nicos]

Hi there and welcome to the Vine!

[Lumpy]

Hello - welcome to the Vine and I hope you find it useful.

[Knight of Albion]

A very warm welcome to the forum, dear soul.

[Clayman]

Hi and welcome, for smell I'd go for lavender, I grow it everywhere in the garden so unless it's like dark shady all the time they'll be fine. Poppies will also grow anywhere and give you not only colour but also give you sound when the seed heads dry out, advantage or disadvantage depending on your outlook is they self seed anywhere and I mean anywhere, I even have them growing out of the wall where the seeds have landed and grown without any sign of soil.

[Lisasbolt]

Helcome to the Vine,

I love basil, purple ones are especially pretty, so many different types and you can smell it so beautifully

[bramble]

Hallo and welcome. Sounds like a lovely idea.
Pots of Night Scented Stock have an amazing smell and are so easy to grow.
Nicotininea (the white variety) also has a beautiful perfume.
Good luck with your project.

[roitelet]

Welcome to the vine. How about Artemisia arboretum? Shrub with soft feathery foliage and a wonderful scent and can be clipped to keep it small.

Best of luck with the garden

[Bonsai Si]

Some small ferns for their tactile element?