Elder Flowers sensory garden Mitchell House Poole Dorset

In 2003 to 2004 I was employed as an artist to facilitate the creation of a new sensory garden for and with people living with dementia, resident at Mitchell House in Poole Dorset. I spent time talking, doing paintings and making clay objects for the garden with the residents and along with musicians from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, singing and playing instruments. The garden needed to be a place where residents could walk on their own, sit together, or take part in further projects or gardening sessions. It needed to be a safe place but offering stimulation and opportunity. By taking time to observe the way in which different individuals made sense of their surroundings and used language, often very differently from those without dementia, I tried to make a garden which had meaning and enjoyment for them. The garden won much praise from residents, their families and staff at Mitchell House, some of whom contributed plants and their time to build the garden. It was also sponsored by a local landscaping firm who donated all the pavers in kind. It also won much acclaim from professionals researching dementia and working with people with dementia in care environments.