Working with our clients to get the most comprehensive of briefs, Admiral Play’s sensory gardens are designed to suit your own specialist requirements in every way. The purpose of such a garden is to provide individual and combined sensory opportunities for the user, stimulating their emotions and associations.
Whether within a school, nursery, public park or healthcare environment Admiral Play select the plants and other design elements with the intention to provide visual, smell, sound, touch and taste experiences, with accessibility for all.
The key objectives and audience for every garden varies so widely so Admiral Play have developed a set of key principles to ensure all aspects of the senses are considered creating a simultaneously stimulating and relaxing environment.
These key principles include:
- Designing the garden to stimulate a) just one of the senses as required ie fragrance; b) dividing into distinct areas so two or more of the senses are stimulated c) mixing them throughout the garden so all the senses are stirred
- Developing a clear understanding of the users and what benefits they are looking to achieve
- The consideration of physical, mental and spiritual aspects
- The considered use of colour, visual texture, form, movement, light and shadow to stimulate the sense of sight whilst adding definition to the garden
- The inclusion of wildlife habitats to develop the natural aspect of the garden
- Interaction with the plants through eating, smelling and accessibility by the use of raised beds and ‘grow your own’ areas
- The awareness of education and bringing a positive learning experience to the environment, including the effective use of labeling, braille and sign boards where appropriate
- The use of tactile plants and textured hard landscaping including water, stone, sculpture, wood, grass, gravel, sand etc
- The considered use of sound through the inclusion of natural sensory elements such as grasses, bamboos, water, chimes, seed pods etc
- Effective use of light and shade, natural or manmade.
Young children require space, indoors and outdoors where they can be active or quiet, and where they can think, dream and watch others. There should be opportunities for a range of activities such as soft play, growing plants, mixing paint, mark making, reading stories or exploring the properties of materials such as sand and water.
- [Extracted from The Early Years Foundation Stage – Effective Practice: The Learning Environment 2007; DfES (2006)]
Case Study
Spring Lane Children’s Centre
Brief:
To create a child friendly and useable play space in which families can also relax whilst waiting for their children. To design an area which also provides storage for play equipment.