Accessibility and inclusion are at the heart of design for the disabled. Making the rich experiences of the natural world available to sight impaired, hearing impaired, learning disabled or mobility impaired people is important to us at Greenstone Design.
Key features of our designs are:
- Raised planters to bring scent and colour
to eye height for young people and wheelchair users.
- Water as the essential for all life
- Non toxic edible planting
make a sensory garden
safe for all.
- Sensory gardens with opportunities for climbing, swinging and balancing provide the most stimulating environment for special needs as well as non disabled users. Bamboo bridges, tunnels and interactive sound and water features make the space come alive for adults and children.
- Light and shade for those with impaired vision
- Sound to delight
- Wildlife to really bring the sensory garden design to life
A well-planned space will delight non disabled users as well as those with disabilities. Specialist design advice should be sought from an experienced sensory garden designer.
"When developing a design brief for a Special School or community garden, it is important that the gardens are a useful space that is an extension of what can be done within the facility and offer people places to go outside that are safe and engaging.”
As specialist sensory garden designers, Greenstone Design works with a team of professional landscapers, in response to the needs of the school, hospital or community.
“From a programmatic standpoint, it needs to be a beautiful space that relieves tension and provides the restorative properties of nature. We also want a place that would work well for staff, uplifting them and enhancing their programme.”
Social and therapeutic horticulture is catered for with rehab gardens in hospitals and care homes. Elements of every design include walkways within the garden structure, providing places for gathering and solitude, for working and resting, for visiting and observing, and playing and learning … all designed to support the well-being of garden users.
In a mixed use garden, it is good to incorporate a children’s area with play equipment, sensory garden and place for families to gather. “Through the use of perimeter planting walls and planters, a vine-draped trellis, raised camomile lawn, a butterfly garden, as well as plantings and ornamental fencing it is possible to create a secure area with active and quiet zones,” says specialist schools landscape designer Gayle Souter-Brown.
If space allows, a waterfall garden and pebble stream brings wonder to the garden.“This part of the garden is a safe area to explore, play and rest. Surrounding it by sweeping drifts of ornamental grasses and a small grove of ornamental shrubs would give a sense of enclosure,” says Souter-Brown.
Gardens for disabled users include overhead shade pergolas, large planters with ornamental trees, and raised beds for vegetables and herbs to keep the interest of wheelchair users and walkers alike. A working garden of raised beds and containers, and an area with planters and outdoor furniture for group activities would complete the space.
Seasonal interest and variety throughout the year are important. “It is good to create multiple sensory-stimulation environments, with plants selected for fragrance, texture, and colour, in a sequence of colour from spring to summer, summer to autumn, autumn to winter, and back to spring."
Comfort -
use cushions so wheelchair users can get out of their chairs and lie or sit in comfort on the ground
Shelter - a living willow den on a decking base provides year round shelter
Water - the sound of water is soothing and the water attracts wildlife for a double benefit. Install a small cascade or bubbling flow.
Food - every sensory garden needs to include edible plants
Safety - a protective wall or barrier planting will enclose the space and make it feel safe
Warmth - a fire pit provides atmospheric warmth, as well as somewhere to roast potatoes, a focus for a sing-a-long
For fact sheets on
1. gardening with impaired vision,
2. sensory gardens,
3. vertical gardens,
4. healthy habits for gardening,
5. container gardening,
6. designing a garden,
7. gardening with raised beds,
and
8. Resources
(please click the appropriate links.)
For further information on designing for children with disabilities, please contact us. We can also supply: environmental education teaching resources for teachers of students with special educational needs and residential adaptive design.
Help for Special Needs Schools! LoTC CPD for special needs teachers and INSET Days specifically for special needs schools and units are on offer from September 2009. For dates and details please contact us . On-line Continuing Professional Development resources for using the natural environment as a teaching resource will be available soon.
If you are interested in hosting an INSET day on using your school grounds to enhance delivery of the National Curriculum, please contact us.
If you would like to come to the Alice Holt Forest, Farnham, Surrey, we would be happy to welcome you to our one day Learning Outside the Classroom mixed school event.
All abilities and age groups benefit from sensory stimulation. Sensory garden design for schools Seminar topics include sensory garden design - using planting, surfacing, appropriate play structures and interactive features such as water, sound and light, and how best to include them in your programme. Sensory gardens can be designed as environmental study gardens too, to suit even modest budgets and tiny spaces.
All designs are sustainable, easy to maintain and utilise local materials and craftsmen wherever possible.
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