If you’re looking for some top notch hints and tips to spruce your own garden this summer, Head Gardener of Horatio’s Garden Midlands, Imogen Jackson, recently shared some of her wisdom with the brilliant Gardeningetc.com.
The new website is the perfect place to start for anyone looking to create the perfect outdoor living experience, with thousands of design ideas, practical guides and expert advice to achieve just that.
Penned by Digital Editor, Holly Crossley, Imogen contributed her considered insights to a recent piece entitled ‘Sensory Garden Ideas: 17 Ways to Stimulate the Senses with Planting, Water Features and Landscaping’, whilst the article also sporadically features a few photos of Horatio’s Garden captured by Lucy Shergold.
Just as you’d expect from the title, the item offers readers various different ways to approach introducing sensational elements to their horticultural havens at home, no matter how great or small they may be.
Imogen’s knowledge is artfully peppered throughout the piece, which begins by explaining the importance of incorporating sensory elements into our green spaces. As Holly quotes:
“Sensory gardens invite visitors to touch, taste, listen and appreciate their surroundings. Stimulating the senses can trigger memories and lift the spirit, or calm and relax the soul.”
“Spending time in a sensory garden can improve sleep and wellbeing and by encouraging a focus on textures, tastes and sounds, can increase mindfulness and mood. A sensory garden can encourage people of all ages to spend more time outside with all the benefits that fresh air and sunshine bring.”
Amongst the many lovely ideas within the article are suggestions Imogen felt passionately about, including incorporating a water feature, strategically picking a colour scheme for your planting depending on your intentions, welcoming wildlife, growing your own, as well as adding movement and texture wherever you feel it fits.
The article comes to a close with helpful pointers regarding which plants are best for achieving the desired sensory effect, with a wonderful reminder from Imogen that the most important thing to remember is to consider which plants are most likely to thrive in your soil.
We’re very grateful to the Gardeningetc.com team for featuring Head Gardener Imogen and hope the piece helps lots of people to explore a new side of gardening.
