Therapeutic Sensory Garden

Designed to support the wellbeing and recovery of residents in a mental health rehabilitation home, this therapeutic sensory garden provides a restorative refuge. Inspired by the elements, the garden encourages movement between spaces that each evoke a different sensory experience.

Fire forms the vibrant social space in the garden, centred around two refurbished ornate metal tables, framed by sweeping semi-circular timber waves that encourage conversation and connection. Reflecting the organisation's commitment to sustainability, many materials have been repurposed, including the reclaimed timber waves and the colourful sculptural bee hotel posts. Bold planting of reds, oranges, and yellows, energise the space through rich, fiery tones.

Air occupies the south-east of the garden, where movement becomes the defining experience. The soft movement of the planting provides a calming focal point, inviting residents to slow down and become more present.

Water is represented through a cast-iron reflective bowl set within circles of planting that radiate from its centre. A nearby seating area offers a peaceful place for quiet reflection, where residents can hear bees buzz, and watch butterflies flutter through the borders—gentle natural distractions that can provide respite from an overactive mind.

Earth is represented by a barefoot pathway that weaves through a wildflower meadow in the north-west of the garden. This process promotes slower, more deliberate movement, helping to draw attention away from a busy mind and back into the body and the present moment.

Throughout the garden, every element has been designed to engage the senses and deepen people's connection with nature. Wildlife-friendly planting attracts pollinators, creating an environment rich with life, while fragrant species including honeysuckle, daphne, lavender and agastache fill the air with seasonal scent. The velvety leaves of lamb's ear invite touch, ornamental grasses rustle gently in the wind, and edible herbs introduce flavour alongside fragrance.

*Note that photos have been taken in the first year of planting and that 99% of the plants have been grown from seed in 2026. The boarders are expected to fill out in year 2, with shrubs and the Prunus tree taking a little more time to grow to the size represented in the visualisations.