Wednesday 16 May 2012

Elemental garden

New residential clients have asked us to design a water feature with gas flame. It is to be very much an elemental garden, featuring earth, wind , fire and water.

Their start point is a shrubby native bush-clad hillside outside their kitchen and adjacent to their outdoor dining terrace, in Wellington, New Zealand. Wind is naturally abundant, bare earth and rocky outcrops are all around. This natural gas seep in western NY State is inspiring the design. I love the way the flame is just sufficiently sheltered from the flow of water to coexist.

Sensory garden design using fire and water features allows us to reconnect with nature at a deep level. This client is at the top of his game in his working life so needs to come home to a deeply nurturing environment.


©2012 American Geophysical Union.   

Monday 14 May 2012

Sensory gardens for sustainable communities


Sensory garden for public health

We have been asked to design sensory gardens to help break the cycle of drugs and violence, this time in a setting for 3-5 year olds, in Chicago. In such situations we need to look at three generations of need. Our sensory garden design must support all 3 generations in a way that empowers them to feel safe and strong. The healing powers of Nature are huge, generous and very effective.

Cost effective early intervention strategies are a key reason why sensory gardens are used in public health and education settings. By using sensory  gardens designed to bring the community in to the setting, adults and children who may be otherwise hard to reach are quietly treated, often without realising that they are.