This document provides suggestions for plants that engage the five senses in a children's garden. It lists sensory plants that can be touched, seen, smelled, heard, and tasted. Examples include lamb's ears and silver sage for touch, sunflowers and chocolate cosmos for sight, lavender and mint for smell, bamboo and quaking grass for sound, and nasturtiums, chives, and strawberries for taste. The goal is to create a garden that stimulates children's curiosity through their senses.

1. Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet
Safe Sensory Plants
It's easy to create a sensory  Pot marigold, Calendula:
garden for your children that bright orange daisies that are
is not only beautiful to look easy to grow from seed.
Early Years Outdoors is
one of the subscription at but which tantalises their
services from Learning other senses too! These  Chameleon plant, Houttuynia
through Landscapes, cordata: amazing three-toned
the UK’s national school plants offer a great way to
foliage that smells of lemon.
grounds and early years catch children's imaginations
outdoor play charity.
and get them interested in
the garden. Try growing a  Swiss chard 'Bright Lights': the
brightly-coloured stems and
For more information few plants from each of the
about subscriptions, foliage of this unusual
call 01962 845811. groups below. Why not vegetable are as tasty as they
encourage your children to are beautiful.
describe in words and
pictures the sights, smells, Sound
textures and tastes that
these wonderful plants Sit in your garden and encourage
bring? your children to listen to all the
sounds of nature around you: the
The Early Years bees buzzing, the birds singing
Consider with the children how
Outdoors Advice
Line is open Monday to deep the seeds/ bulbs are and the sound of the wind
Friday all year round. planted and which part of the rustling the plants.
Contact our specialist grounds they are best grown in.
team for advice on
Think of the senses involved in  Greater quaking grass, Briza
using, designing or
managing your space: just planting a seed. Encourage maxima: an annual grass
the use of senses to examine whose nodding flowers rustle
Tel: the seeds, the type of soil they in the wind
01962 845811
are planted in, experience the
Email: weather conditions when they  Love-in-a-mist, Nigella
member@ltl.org.uk are sown, cared for and damascena: bright blue
possibly reaped. Can the flowers which form puffy
Web:
children appreciate differences seed-heads that rattle when
www.ltl.org.uk
of plant types – e.g. those with shaken.
fruits below, on or above the
ground - and can they express
these differences verbally,  Miscanthus oligostachyus
physically and creatively? 'Nanus Variegatus': pretty
bamboo-like foliage, striped
Sight yellow and cream, that creates
a rustling noise.
Children love bright colours and
LTL accepts no these eye-catching flowers and  Sweet corn: another rustler
responsibility for the leaves are sure to be popular. and good to eat too!
quality of goods or
services provided by
They also make great subjects for
any companies listed. drawings and paintings.  Bamboo, Phyllostachys: pretty
foliage that whispers in the
This Advice Sheet offers wind while its stems knock
a selection of contacts
 Sunflowers, Helianthus
to try – always try your annuus: a bright, bold-looking together, creating a hollow
local Yellow Pages or flower that can grow up to sound. Larger bamboo canes
Thomson Directory, and 30cm (1ft) in height in a week! are great for making wind
an internet search chimes with.
engine such as
www.google.com as  Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles':
well. purple leaves with chocolate-
coloured undersides and
pretty, pale pink flowers.
AD: 10-10

2. Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet
Safe Sensory Plants
Touch
Early Years Outdoors is
one of the subscription
Leaves vary between plants, from  Curry plant, Helichrysum
services from Learning rough to smooth, furry to spiky. italicum: curry-scented leaves
through Landscapes, Get your children to touch these give off a spicy aroma on a
the UK’s national school plants and describe what they feel
grounds and early years
warm, sunny day.
outdoor play charity.
like. You can also explain to them
that every texture has a purpose.  Lavender, Lavandula
For instance, furry leaves protect angustifolia 'Hidcote': the
For more information the plants from extremes of hot
about subscriptions, classic scent of a summer
call 01962 845811.
and cold weather, succulent ones garden. Cut and dry the
help to store water and sharp flowers for use indoors.
spines stop the plants from being
eaten by hungry insects.
 Chocolate cosmos, Cosmos
atrosanguineus: beautiful
 Lamb's ears, Stachys deep red flowers that give off
byzantina: it's easy to see how a chocolate/vanilla scent -
this plant got its common bound to be a hit with the
The Early Years name when you touch the children.
Outdoors Advice silky foliage.
Line is open Monday to
Friday all year round.  Sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus:
Contact our specialist  Silver sage, Salvia argentea: a pretty flowering climber that
team for advice on cotton wool-like down covers gives off a strong sweet scent.
using, designing or its large, silvery-white leaves.
managing your space: Cut the flowers regularly to
encourage more growth.
Tel:  Jerusalem sage, Phlomis
01962 845811 fruticosa: soft, downy leaves Taste
Email: and stems with pretty yellow
member@ltl.org.uk flowers. There are so many delicious
Web: plants that it's difficult to choose
www.ltl.org.uk  Houseleek, Sempervivum just a few. As most gardeners
'Commander Hay': a rosette- know, our fruits, vegetables and
forming succulent that herbs are not only tasty to us -
produces flowers on long animals and insects love them
stems. Leaves are rigid to too! Many plants have great
touch. tasting fruits to attract animals to
eat them and disperse their seeds
 African sundew, Drosera for them.
capensis: meat-eating plant
that catches its prey using a  Spearmint, Mentha spicata: a
LTL accepts no
glue-like substance on the vigorous growing herb that
responsibility for the
quality of goods or surface of its leaves - watch tastes great with peas or new
services provided by out, it's sticky to touch! potatoes!
any companies listed.
This Advice Sheet offers Smell  Rosemary, Rosmarinus
a selection of contacts officinalis: highly fragrant
to try – always try your The heady fragrances given off by leaves, used to flavour meat
local Yellow Pages or
flowers and leaves are wonderful and fish. Plant it in a place
Thomson Directory, and
an internet search to enjoy in our gardens. The where people will brush by
engine such as smells often have a purpose too, and release its scent.
www.google.com as such as attracting insects to the
well.
flowers or deterring pests from
eating leaves. See if your children
can recognise a few of the more
AD: 10-10 common smells below.

3. Early Years Outdoors Advice Sheet
Safe Sensory Plants
 Nasturtium, Tropaeolum
majus: it's possible to make a
colourful salad from the
Early Years Outdoors is
one of the subscription beautiful, peppery orange, red
services from Learning or yellow flowers of the
through Landscapes, nasturtium, as well as its
the UK’s national school foliage.
grounds and early years
outdoor play charity.
 Chives, Allium
schoenoprasum: as well as
For more information
about subscriptions, having delicious foliage that
call 01962 845811. can be used in salads, this
plant also produces pretty
flowers in pink, mauve or
purple.
 Radishes don’t take long
between sowing and reaping.
The Early Years  Wild strawberry, Fragaria
Outdoors Advice vesca: children will love
Line is open Monday to
Friday all year round. hunting for the small, sweet,
Contact our specialist delicious fruit.
team for advice on
using, designing or
managing your space:
Tel:
01962 845811
Email:
member@ltl.org.uk
Web:
www.ltl.org.uk
LTL accepts no
responsibility for the
quality of goods or
services provided by
any companies listed.
This Advice Sheet offers
a selection of contacts
to try – always try your
local Yellow Pages or
Thomson Directory, and
an internet search
engine such as
www.google.com as
well.
AD: 10-10