Campus Sensory Garden Offers New Path to Mindfulness

As the start of spring weather coincides with the strange new world of social distancing, more and more people are turning to the outdoors for both stimulation and serenity. It’s also gardening season, which means whether you have a whole backyard to yourself or just a few pots on your windowsill, you’re probably looking for inspiration to max out the benefits of the natural world. Our Occupational Therapy program has just the thing… a sensory garden, like the one planted at Eden Hall Campus!

Sensory gardens are outdoor spaces designed to actively encourage experiencers to interact with nature using some or all of their five senses. These spaces incorporate plants and trees you might expect in any garden, but with the specific intention of heightening a sensory experience. Plants are chosen for their tactile properties, or the sounds they make in the wind, or their aroma, as well as their visual appeal. “Hardscape” elements like seating, pathways, water features, and signage are also incorporated to enhance sensory experiences and provide added comfort and interest.

Proposed by Occupational Therapy students, the sensory garden at Eden Hall Campus is one of the many ways ChathamU combines sustainability and health science. Based on wide-ranging research, sensory gardens are known to promote feelings of well-being and “occupational balance,” a term used to describe the state of being in which a person’s life activities and demands are in a pleasant equilibrium.

How can you incorporate elements of a sensory garden into your own backyard? Let your senses be your guide! After assessing your space and the resources you have available (sun, moisture, and time to care for your garden), go through each sense and choose a few plants or features that appeal to each. Even if you have a small space, introducing just one or two intentional plants can provide an immersive, engaging respite from the day-to-day.

Click here to find out more about our Eden Hall Campus. Our Occupational Therapy program provides real-world experience, leadership opportunities, and community outreach. Find out more here.