Nurturing nature in a way that nurtures people too, that is what 'sustainablity' means to me. Local authorities have been given targets by central (federal) government demanding contracts are let to companies upholding 'green' values. As these are not defined contracts are won by the bidder who makes most noise.

Those with strong environmental ethics are often those with quiet voices. I don'tthink that changing the terminology will change the volume. Quiet 'doers' have always got on with the job of making a difference. Occasionally someone notices and speaks out on their behalf, but generally green cities come about through the coordindated and collaborative actions of unsung heroes.

I like and use the term 'sustainable' as I feel the Brundtland Commission defined sustainable development well as: "development that meets the need of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” Successful, sustainable development is about change management. How we advise cities and regions to make changes, so residents, communities, businesses, developers and government can do what they want to do in a way that does not reduce the ability of future generations to progress, is crucial to success.

Sustainability is at the core of a healthy community. Environmental sustainability cannot be separated from economic sustainability. To be truly sustainable community design must embrace both elements. Green architecture is a process that is incorporated into every stage of the urban design and development project, from start to finish. To achieve genuine green architecture, eco-friendly principles need to be upheld by everyone involved in the process, from consultation to design to construction.

Designing gardens for health requires a broad view of landscape. Health care gardens  require more than perfumed plants in a garden for the blind, more than a textured pathway in a stroke rehab garden.

A true wellness garden design includes elements to uplift and inspire. A perfumed walkway hung with flowers and edible fruits delights the senses. A pergola, cloister or verandah structure offers shade in the heat of the day, and shelter from light rain and harsh winds.

When we have been unwell and stuck indoors we long to breathe fresh air and delight in nature. Seemingly regardless of cultural background, we respond to nature at a deep level. Our overall well being is enhanced by time in a well-designed garden. Health care gardens succeed when they honour and respond to that need.

When my editor asked me to think of all the potential users of a book on sensory gardens I came up with the following list:

1. Stroke victims – through discovering how to use surfaces, scents and tastes  to stimulate walking and memory  responses
2. Spinal injured and nerve damaged patients – through discovering accessible, therapeutic horticulture
3. Teachers and carers of children with ADHD, Angelman Syndrome, ASD, Autism, Barth Syndrome, Brain Tumour, Cerebral Palsy, Chromosome Disorder, Cornelia De-Lange Syndrome, CP, Developmental Dysplaysia, Diastrophic Dysplaysia, Downs Syndrome, Encephalitis, Epilepsy, Fragile X Syndrome, Global Development Delay, Heart Condition, Hemiplegia, Hypermobility, Hypotonic, Lissencephally, Low Muscle Tone, Microcephaly, Muscular Dystrophy, Ohtahara Syndrome, Pneumocoocal Meningitis, Pulmonary Stenosis, Rett Syndrome, Scoliosis, Sotos Syndrome, Spastic Diplegia, Spina Bifida, Tetrasomy, Tuberous Sclerosis.  - creation of calm space for those in ‘sensory overload’, balanced with stimulating environment to boost confidence and self expression
4. Occupational therapists, or persons in the caring professions and charities concerned with this client group
5. Teachers and carers of global development delay children – through learning how to provide a stimulating environment to elicit a response
6. Social housing owners and developers – cost effective gardens for ‘at risk’ residents, creating sense of community, safe natural play places to reconnect children with nature
7. Urban designers – architects, urban planners, landscape architects – how to create urban environments to meet changing needs of community (aging, disabled, immigrant)
8. Play providers – local authorities, national trust, forestry commission, head teachers association – those requiring guidance on how to design and provide spaces where a child can withdraw easily and safely, so that they can learn to regulate his or her own sensory input, and welcoming spaces where intergenerational groups can relax and engage and enjoy their time together.

We are asked to design sensory gardens for children and adults all around the world. But what is a sensory garden? Over the past 20 years interest in sensory gardens has grown. Early 'sensory gardens' were simple gardens for the blind, with aromatic planting and textured leaves about the only feature of the gardens. They evolved into Wellness Gardens in the late 1990's.

Today a sensory garden is a soft landscape designed to stimulate the senses. Specially designed gardens for disabled children can be deeply therapeutic spaces. Sensory gardens are acknowledged as benefitting non disabled children as offering a calming space to recoonect with nature. Sight, sound and touch are easily designed for within such a space.

Our sensory gardens generally offer taste sensations through edible planting. We are careful to ensure that anything that can be put into the mouth is non toxic. This is not only good for the people using the garden, but also good for the environment

I came across this in an Indian art in design forum. It is true of landscape architecture everywhere.

• "Do not believe that landscape design is only about making gardens. Instead, try and fathom that it’s about making a world - and influencing it since all space outside the built is the theatre of the landscape architect. It includes the streets, the play grounds, the gardens and also the country side, the forest and the hills.
• Do not believe that landscape design is not intellectually challenging. In fact, the best works are those that are philosophical, delve in the abstract, border on the realm of the arts, and are lucid and structured so that people can occupy them and use them. In many parts of the world in history, it’s good to remember that landscape architecture was considered the mother of all arts- above architecture and the other arts." Ar. Aniket Bhagwat

by Savitha Hira 

Greenstone Design UK Ltd, specialises in the design and development of sustainable landscapes, for schools, adventure playgrounds, hotels and hospitals, housing estates and private residences. We work around the world, wherever projects take us.

Our mission is to make the world a better place through design, so we accept commissions wherever we feel we can make a difference, environmentally and socially, and where appropriate, to a business’s bottom line.

Originally from New Zealand, I have lived in and learned from a variety of countries around the world. While living in Malaysia I was asked to design the grounds of the 50 acre Shangri-La group’s eco hotel in Sabah, Borneo. Netted butterfly café, viewing panels into the sea from decks around the beach bar, outdoor spas, were among features included to make the grounds pay for themselves.

In Portugal I designed the 8ha. grounds of Europe’s first disabled children’s hotel. Sensory gardens there include a wildlife petting zoo as well as kitchen gardens for guests to work in and profit from.

In Surrey, England, we designed 2 acre community gardens for a local food growing initiative. The gardens include inclusive full–height raised beds, a communal BBQ and children’s play area, wildlife pond, forest-garden shelter planting.

For the National Spinal Injuries Centre UK, we designed a low cost, low maintenace rehab garden. Numerous school projects have seen outdoor learning environments, roof gardens, rainwater harvesting, natural play, growing areas and proactively managed grounds develop the school site as an educational and community asset.

Residential Islamic paradise gardens, country house gardens, town house courtyard and roof gardens in counties, climates and cultures as diverse as UK, Singapore, India, France, Mexico, and NZ have all received the 'Greenstone touch'.

We believe that too often the grounds of a house, hotel, hospital or school are just there 'as a backdrop’ and do nothing positive to aid learning opportunities, fun, fantasy or bio-diversity, reduce the effect of urban heat islands and urban runoff, mitigate climate change, and ultimately bring sustainable communities together. We are keenly aware of the positive role of landscape in treating a variety of health conditions.

Our team is small, with hand-picked experienced landscape architects, garden designers, interior architects and CAD technicians. We have developed trusted relationships with land and quantity surveyors, a health and safety advisor, soil scientists, hydrologists and engineers. 

Costs vary. Projects start from around $20,000. The design fee is a small portion of that. If you are interested in how we might work together please do get in touch.

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