Georgia Magazine - November 2023 - 33

Hanging a bird feeder attracts wildlife and offers
the chance to hear birdsongs and simply watch
the colorful birds that visit.
have very touchable leaves, diverse shapes and strong
scents. They also attract pollinators, including
hummingbirds, butterflies and bees, and, best of all,
they're edible, " Brosche says. " That's four of the five
senses. "
Look for texture from different types of tree bark,
plants that have fuzzy or smooth leaves, different shapes
of blossoms, petals that are thicker or thinner and stems
that are rigid or flexible.
Vining and climbing plants-honeysuckle, clematis,
morning glories and moonflowers-increase vertical
interest if grown on a trellis or allowed to climb shrubs.
These plants often are fragrant and colorful, and their
leaves represent different textures.
" The goal of the garden is to be low-maintenance so that the time
you spend there is relaxing. If you're always deadheading spent blooms,
weeding or pruning, you've defeated the purpose of relaxation, " she says.
Add non-plant materials, such as colorful and interestingly shaped
bird feeders, wind chimes or ornamental bells, a birdbath or a wind
spinner. Gazing balls, garden art, bottle trees or a small sculpture also
can enhance the area.
" Creating your own sensory garden requires some planning and
research, but once it's installed, it will be a much-treasured haven for
personal time, " Brosche says.
Here are simple guidelines for appealing to all five senses in your
garden. Include:
* Five things you can see: brightly colored flowers, pollinator plants
that attract butterflies, interesting feeders for birds, contrasting types of
foliage plants or plants with different growth habits, such as climbing,
mounded or upright;
* Four things with various textures to touch: fuzzy plants, plants with
smooth leaves, ornamental grasses, succulents, plants with interesting
bark or ornamental features, such as a stone wall or a grassy or paved
path;
* Three things you can hear: wind chimes
or hanging bells, fountains and other water
features, ornamental grasses that rustle in the
wind, bird attractors and feeders, and pathways
made of pea gravel or wood-chip mulch that will
crunch underfoot;
* Two things you can smell: fragrant flowers,
herbs or foliage plants, such as evergreens;
* One thing you can taste: a tree or bush that
bears fruit, vegetables, herbs or edible flowers.
" Most of us live under some kind of stress in
our lives. A sensory garden offers a natural place
to peacefully unplug and refresh, " Brosche says.
" And whether you visit it every day, once a week or
monthly, make a point to, as they say, take time to
smell the roses and visit often. "
Pamela A. Keene is a freelance writer and
Master Gardener from Flowery Branch.
Plants for sensory gardens
To maximize the eff ects of the fi ve senses, choose
these plants for a DIY sensory garden. Consider using
a larger percentage of native plants that are more
disease-resistant, lower maintenance and better-suited
to Georgia's growing conditions.
* Sight: native azaleas, butterfl y bushes, Japanese maples,
chaste tree, sunfl owers, zinnias, marigolds
* Smell: honeysuckle, gardenias, herbs such as lavender
and rosemary, tea olive, dianthus, confederate jasmine/
star jasmine, Carolina jessamine, anise, scented
viburnum
* Taste: herbs such as basil and lemon mint and edible
fl owers, including nasturtiums, pansies, violets and
marigolds
* Sound: plants to attract wildlife, birds and insects; trees
that lose their leaves in the fall, which then crunch
underfoot; grasses
* Touch: lamb's ear, silver sage, mosses, non-spiny
succulents, ornamental grasses, sedges, evergreen trees
Sensory gardens in Georgia
Communities and schools statewide have embraced the concept of sensory
gardens. Here's a sampling of gardens that are open to the public.
* Fragrance and Sensory Garden, Atlanta Botanical Garden, courtyard between
the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory and the Fuqua Orchid Center, Atlanta.
Features fragrant trees, shrubs and perennials. bit.ly/atlbgsensory
* Master Gardener Sensory Garden, UGA Extension - Paulding County,
530 W. Memorial Drive, Dallas. Educational community garden. bit.ly/pauldingsg
* Savannah's Fragrant Garden for the Blind, Forsyth Park, Savannah. Popular,
relaxing destination for people of all ages and abilities. bit.ly/fsparksg
* The Sensory Garden, Smyrna Community Center, on the patio near the game
room, 200 Village Green Circle S.E., Smyrna. Redesigned and restored in 2018;
maintained by the Jonquil Garden Club. bit.ly/ksbsensory
* The Touch and Smell Garden, Pendleton King Park, Augusta. Built in the early
1970s by the Sandhills Garden Club as an outdoor classroom. bit.ly/augsensory
www.georgiamagazine.org 33
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Georgia Magazine - November 2023

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