We're very much at the early planning stage, but funds have been allocated for purchasing the materials, and we are hoping that local companies will be kind enough to donate some of the items that we will need.
So how do you start a project like this?
The Location.
Firstly you need a place to put it. St Nicholas have a very suitable area, nice and central, which gets plenty of sun. It is currently just grassed over - it used to be a swimming pool, apparently, so the soil is quite shallow and the grass not very lush. Perfect for building the Sensory Garden, as we plan to have our beds raised, bringing in clean fresh soil for them. It is also a sensible four-sided shape: nearly but not quite a square.
The Layout.
Tina, project leader, came up with the design, featuring one sense per corner, with Sight in the middle. Sue thought it would be fun to have a bridge in the middle, offering a raised view of the garden. I agreed completely, so that was easy!
The Plan.
We drew up a list of the tasks, and put them in order. These included building the four raised beds, laying all-weather paths around them, fencing the area to keep the bunnies out, and of course choosing the plants.
Future tasks:
Now we have to approach local companies for donations and/or materials. Once we have found or bought what we need, we can organise some work parties - hoping for some nice strong parents to lend a hand! - and get the construction work under way. We anticipate this taking most of the winter, as it's not a job that needs to be rushed.
Watch this space for updates!
Hopefully that should have answered all your questions, but if you think of something I haven't covered, or would like more detail on any item, do feel free to e-mail me .
