Care home residents are often unable to access nature due to physical difficulties, and a beautiful garden can be very beneficial for their health and wellbeing.

The many benefits of spending time in the natural world are well-researched, with time spent outdoors shown to reduce stress and have a calming effect.

Keeping a care home garden in good order and ensuring that it provides year-round interest and sensory stimulation can be a tall order for busy staff.

 Our garden design and renovation service can transform the home’s outdoor space into a low-maintenance oasis that offers year-round interest, bright colours, sensory richness, and opportunities for residents to enjoy outdoor activities.

Creating a care home garden

Our garden renovation or design service can provide the following.

Sensory gardens for people living with dementia

Garden design can create a space that stimulates all the senses, which is particularly important for residents living with dementia.

We would develop or rejuvenate planting schemes with flowers for visual appeal and delightful fragrances.

 We can also incorporate calming sounds of grasses swishing in the breeze and a water feature for the soothing sound of running water.

A garden with seasonal interest

A garden should provide something to look at year-round.

 Our planting schemes will ensure that your residents take pleasure in their gardens in all seasons, with contrasting colours and vibrant leaf colours that come into their own in the autumn and winter.

Encouraging wildlife by installing bird boxes and bird feeders and using plants that attract butterflies, bees, and other pollinators will ensure that there is always plenty going on in the garden.

Space for gardening activities

Getting residents involved in caring for the garden has many positive benefits.

By creating clear pathways, we can ensure that residents with limited mobility and mobility scooter users can access the garden.

Installing raised beds can help all residents, including those in wheelchairs, be involved in shared activities, such as planting and nurturing their garden.

We always like to include some sitting areas with shade so that residents can sit in the garden and enjoy the sights, sounds and scents of nature.

What does garden renovation and design involve?

The typical tasks that care home garden design or renovation projects involve are:

• Clearing existing borders of weeds and rejuvenating them with fresh plantings to suit the needs of care home residents
• Creating and planting new borders or raised beds
• Nourishing the soil with mulch for better plant growth
• Clearing or creating a pathway around the garden to ensure it is accessible for all residents, including wheelchair users
• Providing maintenance guidelines and practical tips to ensure that the garden continues to flourish

Why not contact Fellside Garden Design to discuss ways to improve your care home garden?