Sensory Garden

This spring the City of Clayton’s Sensory Garden has come to life.  The Sensory Garden, built in the foot print of the old playground at the north end of Shaw Park, is situated next to the new Inclusion Playground which opened to the community in the fall of 2010.  While all gardens can stimulate the senses, in the Sensory garden, plants and other design elements were selected with the intention to provide experiences for seeing, touching, smelling, hearing and tasting. 

Similar to the Inclusion Playground, the Sensory Garden is accessible to all abilities.  Compliant with ADA regulations, the Sensory Garden is easily accessible by a 6 foot wide path of concrete pavers winding through a variety of garden beds.  The raised planting beds incorporated within the walls of the garden provide easy access to plants for all garden users and are especially helpful to the vision impaired and wheelchair users.  Seating is incorporated and placed strategically for functionality and to maximize the enjoyment of the space.   A vine-covered tunnel connects the two sections of the garden which offers an opportunity for contrast in light and shadow. 

As one enters the Sensory Garden color, visual texture, form, light and shadow will all stimulate the sense of sight.  The combination of warm colors (red, orange and yellow) and cool colors (blue, purple and white) excite and soothe the emotions.  Not only does the Sensory Garden have beautiful flowers adding color to the flower beds, but colorful fruits, foliage and bark have also been added to enhance the garden’s visual appeal.  One will also find plants with interesting textures such as smooth, ruffled, fuzzy and lacey textured leaves which add to the sensory experiences.

The scent in the garden is achieved not only with the fragrant flowers, but with interaction from plants that release their aroma when their leaves or stems are crushed or brushed against.  Herbs and spices incorporated in to the garden provide both smell and the opportunity for taste.

Sound can be found throughout the garden with the use of plants that offer resonance through the rustling of their leaves and their seed pods.  The trickling water from the waterfall, the tapping of bamboo chimes and the attraction of birds add to the symphony of sounds in the garden.