There is no greater joy for some people than having the opportunity to spend time in a garden. It is a chance to connect with nature and engage in the multisensory experience that a garden can provide, from growing edible foods that offer free produce, to nurturing plant growth, planting a seedling and watching it burst into full bloom, or listening to the wildlife that a garden attracts. A well designed garden, and the plants within it, can bring year round joy that supports a person living with dementia.
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Colour and colour contrast
Colour and colour contrast play a major role in dementia enabling design. Colour can be used in the environment to clearly define spaces and points of interest for people living with dementia.
On the other hand, an inappropriate choice of colours can confuse or distress a person with dementia.
On the other hand, an inappropriate choice of colours can confuse or distress a person with dementia.
Plant choice
Some key issues to consider when choosing plants for your garden include:
- Soil type and condition.
- Climate.
- Region (Tropical, Coastal, Arid, other).
- Location of plants in the garden.
- Sensory properties.
- Flowering season and colour throughout the year.
- Size and maturity of plant (is immediate impact required).
- Water usage.
- Accessibility: raised garden beds or herb gardens to a recommended workable height of 700mm-800mm (depth if accessible from all sides 1200mm).
- Colorbond®, bench top with vegetable bags (simple and cheaper option).
- Place bed next to a pathway for ease of reach.
Edible plants
- Introducing edible plants brings a completely new sensory experience to gardening.
- Consider planting vegetables, fruits and herbs that can be picked straight from the garden to be used in the kitchen.
- For something different, consider introducing some native edible plants seeking advice from websites such as the Remote Indigenous Garden group.
Plants that minimise risk through careful selection can increase accessibility and engagement so consideration should be given to avoid plants that:
Cause skin tears
- Roses are a perennial favourite in the garden and while beautiful to look at and often blessed with a lovely scent, they do represent a concern for fragile skin.
- Consider placing plants with thorns or spikes away from the path and further back into the garden. A decorative fence around a rose garden could assist or alternatively consider choosing roses with no thorns.
- Bougainvillea grows easily and adds bright colourful splashes to the garden, but consider locating behind a small trellis fence (approximately 1500mm high) with wire support so it is visible from the top of the fence upwards but out of accidental contact reach.
Are poisonous if ingested
- Some plants can be poisonous to humans and animals if ingested so it is wise to avoid these.
- Plants with poisonous roots may not be as great a risk as plants with poisonous leaves such as Poinsettia. These can pose real risk in a garden utilised by a person living with dementia.
Can cause skin irritation
- Stinging Nettle, Silky Oak and Lantana are a few of the plants that can leave a nasty skin rash if a person brushes against them. Poisonous plant guides available online include: