Sensory Gardens ` For more information, Please see websites below: ` Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children http://scribd.com/doc/239851214 ` Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech http://scribd.com/doc/239851079 ` Free School Gardening Art Posters http://scribd.com/doc/239851159` ` Increase Food Production with Companion Planting in your School Garden http://scribd.com/doc/239851159 ` Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success http://scribd.com/doc/239851348 ` City Chickens for your Organic School Garden http://scribd.com/doc/239850440 ` Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide http://scribd.com/doc/239851110

1. OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDENS
SENSORY GARDENS
Project Update
July 31, 2009
Oklahoma Developmental Disability Council
Oklahoma City, OK
Michael Schnelle
Professor and Extension Specialist
Michael Holmes
p Assistant Professor
Ornamental Horticulture
OK State University
Landscape Architecture
OK State University

2. Project Timeline
ƒ Year One
ƒ Seeking Input --- “listening to the experts”
ƒ Design
ƒ Implementation (Phase 1)
ƒ Year Two
ƒ Implementation (Phase 2)
ƒ Year Three
ƒ Workshop “Train the Trainer”
ƒ Factsheets
ƒ Looking Ahead
ƒ On-going Educational Programs

3. Location : OSU Botanical Garden

4. OSU Botanical Garden
ƒ Current > 10,000 annual visitors
ƒ Goal > 100,000 annual visitors

5. Sensory Garden

6. UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
• Faculty and staff in the
Department of Horticulture and
Landscape Architecture have a
unique blend of interests/
backgrounds that favor
horticultural therapy projects
• ODDC personnel recognized
our faculty/staff’s past
successes via horticultural
therapy workshops and related
endeavors

7. HORTICULTURE AND
L.A. OUTREACH/
EDUCATION
• Horticultural therapy workshops
• Youth-oriented events
• General public

8. WHAT IS A SENSORY
GARDEN?
• Plants and other design elements are
selected with intention to provide
experiences for seeing, smelling, hearing,
touching, and tasting
• Regardless of the designer’s
interpretation of what a sensory garden
really is, the expectation is that the garden
will be accessible and designed for
universal enjoyment
• More and more attention is being paid to
making an area or two of the garden
enjoyable to everyone, regardless of what
the condition of their sight, smell, hearing,
touch, taste, or mobility might be

9. SENSORY GARDENS
USERS
• We anticipate a diversity of users
ranging in age and developmental
and intellectual abilities.

10. SENSORY GARDEN: Site Program
Total Garden: 4,000 sq ft
Raised Beds: 300 lin ft
Planting Area: 2,500 sq ft
Hardscape: 1,500 sq ft
1 Large Gathering Space
5 Sensory Rooms

11. Overall Plan
Gathering Room

12. Overall Plan
Taste Touch
Si ht S ll
Gathering Room
Sight Smell Sound

15. Raised Planting Beds
ADA Accessibility
Guidelines

16. Planting Plan

17. Planting Plan

18. Irrigation Plan

19. Interpretive Signage (Year 1)

21. Braille Sign

22. Project Timeline
• Year Two
– Implementation (Phase 2)
•• Hardscape Walkways (not funded in ODDC grant)
• Interpretive Signage
• Interactive Programmatic Elements
• Shade Structures
• Benches

23. Interpretive Signage (Year 2)
• ADAAccessibility Guidelines
• Accessible Raised Planting Beds
• Horticultural Therapy

24. Project Timeline
• Year Three
– Workshop “Train the Trainer”
– Factsheet
• Looking Ahead
– On-going Educational
Programs

25. SENSORY GARDENS
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
• The gardens will be designed primarily for
self-guided tours.
• Throughout the garden there will be
educational signage as well as interactive
programmatic displays
• On-site educational programs and
workshops will be occasionally provided