Can You Sense It? 5 Tips For Creating The Perfect Sensory Garden

You want your child to develop a love for the outdoors. You also want them to learn about the world around them. A sensory garden is a great way to do both. If you're not familiar with the concept, a sensory garden incorporates all five senses, allowing children to experience gardening on a different level. Here are some simple ways to create a sensory garden in your own backyard.

Sight

Sensory gardens should draw your child in as soon as they see it. Bright, contrasting colors will create a garden that your children truly want to look at and experience. The colors don't all have to come from plants, either. For color, you could add brightly designed garden banners or chairs that your child could sit in and relax. Let your imagination run wild when planning for the sights your child will experience.

Sound

Children love to listen to the world around them. Add sound to your sensory garden by incorporating things like water features and wind chimes. If you are working with a small area, your water features can be designed to address that issue. Small waterfalls can be added without taking up too much space. Wind chimes can be hung from nearby trees.

Smell

Smell is another important feature of the sensory garden. Fragrant flowers and even fruit trees can be planted to increase the pleasant smells your child will encounter while enjoying their sensory garden. Don't forget to plan for the changing seasons. You can ensure that your garden stays fragrant all year long by incorporating flowering plants that bloom well in each season.

Taste

This portion of the sensory garden goes right along with smell. When planning your sensory garden, include plants that will provide food for your child to enjoy. For instance, a tree that produces fruit during the summer and vegetable plants that produce food in the winter will allow your kids to taste their garden all year long.

Touch

Touch is another important aspect of the sensory garden. There are quite a few items that you can add to a garden that will allow your child to experience it through touch. Different types of grasses will help your child feel the difference between thin and thick. While, glass garden stones and mulch will help them feel the difference between smooth and rough. One benefit of adding mulch to a sensory garden is that it comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. You can add wood chips to one section of the garden, while adding larger bark pieces to another section. This will give your child a wider selection of textures to feel and experience. 

Gardens are the perfect place for your child to learn about their senses. The tips provided above will help you create a unique sensory garden. If you need mulch for your garden, visit Mulch Masters.

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