Dementia Sensory Garden

Steve Parker

Hi All

Help needed.  Can I start by saying I'm not much of a gardener....

I've been designing a charity sensory dementia garden, but I'm now getting stuck on the planting element.  On Friday I'm building a raised sleeper bed approx dimensions are 3.6m x .08m and want to plant Lavender, Rosemary, Sage etc but unsure how I should arrange to get the best layout visually.  The bed is against a fence so there will only by access from one side.

Any help greatly appreciated

Thanks

Steve

pansyface

Tall things at the back. Small things at the front.

Bear in mind that all these things start out small and spread out. So leave plenty space for their ultimate sizes. Plant annuals between them in the mean time.

Buttercupdays

A scented rose - you can get some lovely small ones. My mum had dementia, but she still loved her flowers, even if she couldn't remember their names and she used to sit out in the little courtyard garden at the care home enjoying the sun and the hanging baskets. Dianthus perhaps for the edges (scented and evergrey ones) and thymes and pansies or violas with 'faces' and some tactile things. Lambs' ears are lovely to stroke, but will get too large too fast, so something like the grass Bunny Tails would be nice, though sadly it's an annual - I haven't grown  myself so don't know if it will seed itself, but pony tail grass certainly will and will hang over the edge so it can be combed.

Jolly Gary the Gardener

Pansyface has the right Idea.by having annuals planted it will give the garden a continued green look all year round

 

Enjoy

Jolly G

NorthernLass2

You can get all year round interest without going to the trouble of annuals.

 

Steve Parker

We have annuals doted around the garden, however it's in particular for the this scented raised bed

Would I alternate clumps of 3 Lavender, rosemary, sage, mint etc

 

Thanks

pansyface

I only suggested annuals as a way to fill in the gaps between the immature herb bushes. 

Rosemary will grow to fill at least one square metre. Ditto lavender. Sage will spread wherever you allow it to root so it too will fill a square metre space in time.