Author: Laura Maggard
Planning Unit: Lawrence County CES
Major Program: Master Gardener
Plan of Work: Enhance the Strong Agicultural and Natural Resource Base
Outcome: Initial Outcome
Lawrence County Master Gardener President was up late one night thinking of project ideas for the Master Gardener Club to complete in the months ahead. She started thinking of projects that could be mobile that the group could take around to schools, nursing homes, and other facilities. That night she came up with the idea of a mobile sensory garden. She immediately approached the club about it to get feedback. All members were on board and ready to get started. Once all the fine details were finalized, the Lawrence County Master Gardeners approached the Lawrence County High School vocational program to build the mobile carts to transport the plants. After that the mobile sensory garden exploded. Lawrence County Farm Bureau donated $500 to build more gardens, and the Lawrence County FFA will house the plants and care for them in their greenhouse. The Lawrence County Master Gardeners took the mobile sensory garden to local nursing homes and schools. It was a huge hit for all involved.
A sensory garden is a garden with plants that enhance and stimulate our senses. All the plants stimulate our smell, taste, hear, sight, feel, and sound. The garden was originally intended for students with special needs, this gives them the opportunity to gain first hand knowledge and experience with gardening and igniting their senses. The students enjoy one on one time with the gardeners getting a change to feel, smell, taste, listen, and see the plants. But, the Master Gardeners found that not only do students enjoy and benefit from the garden, adults do too. They have been to two nursing homes, the residents were so excited to talk about when they gardened many years ago and share their memories of working in the garden with their family. This has been a beneficial project for the community that incorporates education and leadership. To date, 150+ individuals have experienced the mobile sensory garden and once winter breaks, more students and adults will get the opportunity to touch, taste, and smell the garden.
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