How to design, plan, create and build a Sensory garden.

Hard landscaping also provides colour as well as texture, stone, old brick, gravel, slate  any new or reclaimed materials can be used to create patterns of colour mosaics, murals, paving. The changes in appearance and colour of hard landscaping in rain and sunshine are interesting to the eye.

Movement:
Movement in a garden can be both stimulating and relaxing and can provide sight, movement and sound.  Aspen, willow, grasses, mobiles, chimes, animals, garden ponds, moving sculptures all provide movement.
Some should be reachable so that people touch and move them. Place wind activated items in places likely to receive some breeze.

Contrast:
 Contrast in a garden is particularly valuable for partially sighted people. Hard surfaces, kerbs and edgings made from different textures and materials. Soft  flowers and foliage contrasting with Hollies and berries etc.

Shape:
Most natural and man made materials  can be used in a Sensory garden design. Some of the  simple, distinctive shapes are best, like the bark and leaves of sycamore, beech, ash and the bonus of the experience of taste with fruits like apples, currants, rose hips. Flowers like daisy, poppy, bell flowers provide both shape and colour. Stems, bamboo canes, round, square, rectangular paving, seating and plant containers all add shape to a sensory garden.

Patterns. 
 These can provide fascinating effects . Regular patterns are made with brick work, paving, cobbles, fencing and placement of dandelion clocks and pine cones.  Random patterns can be made with  bark (plane, birch, eucalyptus), variegated leaves, log piles (good for insects) and even a compost heap (good for the garden too) 

Listening/hearing

Listening is calming as well as interesting, try to build in sounds that are natural and some that can be activated into the design of your sensory garden. 
Natural sounds are the beutifull sound of leaves rustling in the wind, birds singing, water trickling and splashing and raindrops pitter pattering on windows and roofs. (Ever felt the sensation of feeling safe and dry when taking cover in a rainstorm)
Activated sounds include water features and striking chimes etc. 

Feeling/touching

Think of the different textures you feel both at home, in town and in the country.
Soft sand, cotton, rough surfaces, lichens, stone wall, bark, smooth pebbles, polished wood, leaves, flower petals, ridged textured concrete, backs of leaves, hairy animals, leaves such as Stachys, buds, grass, bumpy cobbles, twigs.

Also think of objects that illustrate shapes, circular flowers, cubic containers, oval fruits, triangular ivy leaves.
Weight (light bark, heavy clay etc.)
Temperature (sun-warmed water, cold shaded water; stone next to soil)
Wet and dry (moist and dry soil/sand, freshly shed leaves and older dry ones)
Contrasting densities (hard stone and soft moss). Lamb's ear  with its soft  leaves is good for kids to feel as are strawflower and Chinese lantern. Spiky grasses add texture too.Kids also like the  feathery ferns and the feather-like blooms of gayfeather and liatris.

Smelling/Scent

Scented plants are the first thing we think about in a sensory garden, but there are other materials that have distinctive and interesting smells. I can think of pond water, wood shavings, autumn leaves, cut grass, wet soil, fresh mown hay, stone, leaves  and compost heaps (the smell of a well maintained compost heap is nice and earthy).

When you are choosing plants for your sensory garden designs, select  plants for there different types of scent. Scents that fill the air and can be smelt without touching the plant, plants you need to get up close to and plants you will need to pinch or crush in your hand. I have listed plants for sensory garden on this page sensory garden plants

Tasting

If children will be using or visiting  the sensory garden, It makes sense to stick to safe fruits and vegetables, I have listed a few fruit and vegetables here, sensory garden plants.

Mystery
Ups and downs. The design and build of pathways is important in a sensory garden, a little bit of mystery (corners with high bushes or wooden structures blocking the view) width, changes in direction, branching, slopes, changes in textures, materials and colours are all important. plant fragrant plants  along paths and entrances where they can be fully appreciated. 
Logs, trees, platforms, bridges, stages to stand on or climb up. Hanging baskets and mobiles set at different heights all add interest to a sensory garden.
If the sensory garden is being designed and built for use by a person using a wheelchair or a blind person some of these features will be obstacles to their enjoyment of the garden. Tips and designs and build information for gardens for folk with a disability can be found on my gardening with a disability page

And something different
You might want to try growing plants on a hay or straw bale, for smell, touch, taste and definitely surprise, have a look at the hay bale garden page

The Landscape gardeners
 Sensory garden design tips and materials to create a sensory garden  

Colour
 Flowers for the four seasons, leaves, bark, berries, lichens and mosses all add to the colour experience in your sensory garden.

Shape
Leaves, sycamore, beech and ash 
Fruits and vegetables, apples, currants, rose hips and ornamental cabbage etc.
Flowers, daisy, poppy, and bell flowers.
Stems,bamboo canes etc. 
Planting containers, round, square, rectangular.

Movement

For interest combine movement  with sound. Aspen, willow, white poplar  and grasses. plant some  within reach so that people can activate them. Place wind chimes in breezy spot.

Contrast

Contrasting textures and surfaces like smooth paving onto cobbles,flowers,foliage. (Cotton to holly etc).