Sidmouth Garden Centre creates sensory wildlife haven

Volunteers from Sidmouth Garden Centre, picked up their trowels last Wednesday (2 November) and headed to the Old Boat Park to complete their makeover of the entrance beds.

Together with local landscape gardener Mike Wale of MG Wale Landscapes Ltd, the team transformed the overgrown and unloved beds into sensory garden areas befitting the town’s floral heritage.

Wyevale Garden Centres provided plants, equipment, volunteers and the expertise of a team from the centre to work to turn the area into a peaceful and stimulating outdoor space to compliment the work the Sid Valley Memory Café, and the community, have done to support those living with, or effected by, dementia.

With an estimated 700 people living with dementia in the Sid Valley, Sidmouth Garden Centre and Sidmouth in Bloom have worked together to create a sensory wildlife haven  to ease anxiety and agitation and engage the senses.

Designed with Mr Wale and Sidmouth in Bloom, to provide a relaxing and therapeutic environment, the plants and shrubbery chosen incorporate engaging elements of texture, fragrance and colour and will provide a sanctuary for bees, insects and birds. Rosy pink lilac ‘Superba’ has been interspersed with vibrant day lily, while the space itself is filled with aromatic lavender and perovskia 'Blue Spire', planted to bring new life to the area.

Paul Marder, the new Garden Centre Manager, said: “The team at the garden centre are all delighted to be able to offer their expertise and a helping hand in order to give something back to the residents of Sidmouth. Having recently joined as Garden Centre Manager, I’ve enjoyed getting to know the community and working together to create a space we can all enjoy for years to come.”

A community initiative from start to finish, the work was the result of hundreds of residents voting for the community group they’d most like to win a makeover of their outdoor space. The competition, launched by the garden centre earlier this year, aimed to give something back to the residents of Sidmouth and to bring the joy of the garden to all.

As the eventual winners, Sidmouth in Bloom have worked alongside the garden centre team to bring this outdoor space to life.

Lynette Talbot from Sidmouth in Bloom, said; "I am thrilled with the makeover of the two beds at the Old Boat Park that Sidmouth Wyevale Garden Centre and Mike Wale have done with the coordination and help from EDDC Streetscene and our own Sidmouth in Bloom gardeners. This area is being transformed into a sensory garden space in harmony with the RHS bed that the whole community can enjoy.”

Adrian Ford, Trustee of the Sid Valley Memory Café, said; “We were delighted to learn of the plans for a “Sensory Garden” on the Boat Park in Sidmouth. This will be a great asset for the Sid Valley, and will be of particular benefit to our members, for whom sensory experiences can often bring back many memories.”

Watch the timelapse video of the garden makeover here.