April 2021 - 12

Sensory Engaging Plants for Therapeutic Gardens
perspectives
BY SUSAN MORGAN
Susan Morgan is
a horticulturist
based in Denver,
Colorado and a
member of GPN's
40 Under 40 Class
of 2017. She offers
virtual therapeutic
horticulture
programming and
consulting through
eat|breathe|garden
(thehorticultural
link.com). Find her
on Instagram
@eatbreathegarden
or email
eatbreathegarden@
gmail.com.
As green industry professionals, we have firsthand experience
with the restorative benefits of tending gardens and growing
plants. For the past 10+ years since earning my horticultural
therapy certificate and additional training, I have facilitated
therapeutic horticulture programming, using creative ways
to connect the benefits of plants and nature experiences with
clients of various ages, abilities, and cultural backgrounds in
different settings.
In situations where indoor or outdoor plantcentric
spaces are developed for my clients, careful
planning goes into the creation of the therapeutic
garden space. A therapeutic garden is defined by the
American Horticultural Therapy Association as " a
plant-dominated environment purposefully designed
to facilitate interaction with the healing elements
of nature. "
Whether in a collection of raised planters and
hanging baskets or an in-ground garden, there are
several sensory engaging plants that I prefer to use
in these outdoor spaces. Plant selection is based on
cultural familiarity to clients, unique sensory qualities,
ease of growth and care in the garden, budget, scale
of garden and intended program uses.
Sensory engaging plants offer a combination of interesting
tactile, olfactory, aural, visual and gustatory characteristics.
With endless possibilities of plants ideal for therapeutic gardens,
below are some herbs and ornamental plants I use with clients.
It is important to note that when working with vulnerable
populations, including individuals with cognitive impairments
and certain medical conditions, you need to screen plants for
their safe use in the garden space. I look for plant toxicity,
thorns, caustic properties, and other potentially irritating or
hazardous qualities and select accordingly. Plants with vigorous
or unruly growth habits (think: mint) or a short growing season
are carefully considered before use and often planted in pots for
better management.
Citrus scented plants. Besides the flavors of vanilla, chocolate
and strawberry, citrus scents are universally appreciated,
anecdotally speaking. Consider herbs featuring a range of
citrus scents, including lemon thyme, lime basil, lemon balm,
grapefruit, mint and orange-scented geranium. Lemon verbena
is a client favorite for its bright lemon scent, which smells like
lemon drop candies.
Basil. Clients are often surprised by the basils available -
'Mrs. Burns' lemon, cinnamon, purple leafed, boxwood, Thai,
and standard sweet basil, among others. I love variegated 'Pesto
Perpetuo'. Its green and creamy white variegation looks great in
a mixed planting and is good for culinary use in savory recipes
and herbal compound butters.
Rosemary. Rosemary means " remembrance " in the Language
of Flowers. Perhaps that's because after touching its foliage, its
scent lingers and inspires reminiscing of the garden walk or an
unrelated memory of a loved one. Though I don't have a specific
10 APRIL 2021 GPNMAG.COM
variety preference and
like both the upright and
trailing forms, I love its
bright blue flowers and
culinary and fragrant floral
arranging uses.
Lavender. There are
many stress-reducing uses
for lavender - sachets,
handmade spa products,
infused drinks and baked
goods, and so on. When
growing lavender, I have
had success with fernleaf
lavender (Lavandula
multifida), 'Goodwin
Creek' and the lovely
'Phenomenal'.
Scented geranium. A
standard program plant,
scented geraniums are ideal for indoor and outdoor sensory
growing because they offer various fragrances, leaf textures, and
bloom colors, and have multiple herbal uses, including potpourri
making and plant propagation activities. I prefer lemon scented
geraniums (over minty-lemon options), as well as 'Orange Fizz',
'Lady Plymouth', rose, chocolate mint and more.
Soft plants. Plants with soft and fuzzy leaves are popular for
their tactile features. These include Dusty Miller (I like 'New
Look' and 'Silverdust'), 'Angel Wings' senecio, lamb's ear, purple
leaf sage (Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens'), silver sage (Salvia
argentea), cardoon (Cynara cardunculus - can get prickly) and
'Silver Shield' plectranthus.
Pollinator plants. Pollinators are key ingredients to therapeutic
gardens because they encourage moment-making opportunities
for observation and discovery, and evoke a sense of awe and
wonder. I intentionally use certain host plants, such as dill and
bronze fennel, that caterpillars love to browse, and nectar plants,
like pineapple sage (I like 'Golden Delicious') and Tithonia, on
which hummingbirds and butterflies feed.
Ornamental grasses. Grasses offer movement and sound in
the wind and interesting textures in the garden year-round. I like
to use Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima), lemon grass
(Cymbopogon citratus) and pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia
capillaris).
Seasonal annuals. To keep clients planting season to season
and provide ongoing programming, we often change out annuals
with colorful flowers and foliage. These include annual vinca
(Catharanthus roseus, I like Cora and Cora Cascade series),
coleus, gomphrena, celosia, sweet potato vine, zinnia, petunia,
pentas, sunflower, marigold, pansy, snapdragon, Swiss chard
and more.
For more information, go to www.ahta.org/about-therapeuticgardens.
http://www.link.com http://www.ahta.org/about-therapeutic http://www.GPNMAG.COM
April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2021
