Create a No Fail Sensory Garden
Connect your children to nature
Children love being outside & exploring nature. Create a no-fail sensory garden for them as an exciting, safe place for them to engage with the world around them through scented, textured plants.
It is so easy when you know how. To ensure your plants are child safe, I recommend you use edible plants like herbs.
I have three of my absolute favourite scented plants our garden bed. Lavender, thyme & curry plant.
Tips
- Find a sunny spot in your garden that is suitable for a small garden bed.
- If possible, involve the children in creating & then planting out the garden.
- If you want to fill your garden quickly, buy two of each plant.
- Always read the label on your plants to ensure they are suitable.
MATERIALS NEEDED
- 1 x small raised garden bed (see ours here) or pots or hanging baskets
- 3 x large bags of good quality potting mix
- Mulch – hay, sugar cane mulch or wood chips
- Mature plants – I’ve used lavender, thyme & curry plant (you could also use rosemary, garlic chives, marjoram, scented geranium, oregano)
- Gardening gloves
- Small shovel
- Hose or watering can
METHOD
HOW TO –
- Assemble your garden bed as per instructions, ensuring your bed gets plenty of beautiful sunlight.
- While wearing gloves, fill your bed with potting mix, wet soil down & top with mulch. Mulch keeps your soil cool & protects your plants.
- Decide where to position your plants by sitting pots on top of the mulch. Move around until you are happy with how they look. Pull mulch back & dig holes with your shovel slightly larger than the pots. Let the children help dig the holes & explain your making a special home for your plant.
- Gently remove plants from the pots, teasing out the roots & place in the holes. Fill in with soil, pat soil down, adding mulch back around the plants.
- The funnest part!! Water the plants well. Water every second day for the first week & then twice a week. Don’t worry your children will remind you!
EXTENDING
How our sensory plants can be incorporated into play –
- Adding elements to the garden – animals, fairy houses, dinosaurs.
- Exploring our senses of smell, touch & taste.
- Adding foliage from our plants to playdough, playtrays & mud kitchen games. A potion station was a favourite with our daughters.
- Creating collages & gifts with the plants.
Now I’d love to know your thoughts on how to create a no fail sensory garden. If you have any cool ideas or question, please email me hello@craftylittlefolk.com
Jasmine xx