Sensory Garden
Our sensory garden in the heart of our campus provides a stimulating yet relaxing environment. Made up of four separate gardens, each with a different theme, it is an area students can explore as part of the curriculum or simply enjoy throughout the year.
The garden, which was the idea of Chairman, Susan Holman MBE, was designed by Landscape Architect, Sue Robinson, from Stockport MBC. Sue worked closely with the staff and the students to ensure the garden met their very specific needs. As she admits, "the garden design presented quite a challenge".
Amazing maze plan
Based on the site of two old tennis courts the microclimate itself was very harsh. Enclosed on three sides the idea of a maze came to mind immediately. The location of the site in the middle of the campus means that there is a lot of crisscrossing through the space. A maze also gives the students strong directional sense and helps to split the area up into mini gardens or pockets of experience. The maze also provides a protected element.
Sue thought it would also be a nice idea to make a celebration of the year 2000. The 2000 fitted very well into the shape of garden with each of the numbers forming separate mini gardens.
Explore-a-way area
"The number two embraces the explore-a-way area which is a little bit more testing for the students", explains Sue. "There are humps and bumps with changes of level for those in wheelchairs.
There's a vaporized trail to give them the experience of coming off a paved area onto grass. A total eclipse tunnel formed of willow gives those with visual impairment experience of light and shade. These students can find it very unnerving when they hit a patch of shadow below them."
"I wanted to make it exciting and quite futuristic so I thought it would be quite good to base it on a space theme. A central space garden contains a water feature and the raised beds allow the students experience of horticulture practice."
Element of curiosity
A pergola links this to the asteroid arts garden, based loosely on a Japanese garden. Serpentine seating arranged on different levels will allow the students to enjoy a range of arts activities planned for fine weather. This garden also provides an element of curiosity. A large rock sculpture in the centre encourages the students to want to see what's on the other side.
All the paths are wide enough to easily accommodate wheelchairs. The paths are made up of different textures including block paving, forest bark, limestone chippings and timber decking which become more and more testing for wheelchair users.
The fence work surrounding of the main seating area creates a tactile wall for the visually impaired students.
Outdoor classroom
"It's very exciting to see it being used and enjoyed," said Sue when she visited the finished garden for the first time. "It’s much more than just a garden; it's an outdoor classroom."
The charity is grateful to all those organizations that provided funding, in particular the main donors the Freemasons Grand Charity and Rotary International whose donation was matched through the fund-raising efforts of Gatley & District Rotary Club.