• Familiar fragrances such as lilac and lavender can trigger positive thoughts and emotions. The sense of smell is connected to the limbic portion of our brains, home of memories and emotions.
 

Sensory Garden

Gardens by their very nature provide experiences that satisfy multiple senses. Sensory Gardens take this concept to the next level by concentrating and guiding these sensory experiences, making the visitor more keenly aware of their effect. Located on the southeast perimeter of the Dorothy Harvie Gardens, the Sensory Garden is dissected by a meandering flagstone path. The pathway allows visitors to be surrounded by opportunities to experience moments of scent, touch, sound and taste. The garden also provides guests with a feast for the eyes.

Collection Highlights

Visitors entering the west end of the Sensory Garden's path will be treated to a cornucopia of scents. Lilacs, lily-of-the-valley, mock orange, sage, roses, lavender, cheddar pinks, and peony are among the plants that provide a pungent buffet.

The collection then evolves to provide opportunities for touch, be it pleasant or perhaps otherwise. Wooly thyme, lamb’s ear, and ‘Silver Mound’ artemisia are softly tactile plants. The thistle collection offers a more 'pointed' experience.

Crabapples, herbs, nasturtium, honeyberries (including the new introduction ‘Borealis’) and sour cherries offer seasonal tasty treats, and the long grasses and trembling aspen throughout the garden fill the air with the sound of soft rustling on breezy days.

 

Take a moment…

Our Sensory Garden includes a wonderful seating area framed by beautiful natural cedar trellising.  This quiet moment was made possible by the estate of Lorraine Cooper, a beloved volunteer.