Newsletter Articles
How to Design a Five Senses Garden in SoCal
Written by David S.
A five senses garden is designed on purpose to engage all five senses, not just sight. You plan for sound, smell, touch, and taste too: colorful blooms to see, rustling grasses and water to hear, fragrant herbs to smell, soft foliage to touch, and edible plants to taste. The result is a yard you experience, not just look at.
Quick answer: Build a five senses garden by choosing plants and features for each sense. For sight, use contrasting colors and forms like zinnias and sunflowers. For sound, add ornamental grasses that rustle, a water feature, and plants that draw songbirds. For smell, plant fragrant herbs and flowers such as lavender, rosemary, and scented geranium. For touch, mix textures like fuzzy lamb’s ear and smooth succulents. For taste, tuck in herbs, vegetables, and edible flowers, and only eat plants you have positively identified as safe and free of pesticides.
| Sense | Garden ideas |
|---|---|
| Sight | Contrasting colors, forms, and seasonal interest (zinnias, sunflowers) |
| Sound | Rustling ornamental grasses, a water feature, and plants that attract songbirds |
| Smell | Fragrant herbs and flowers (lavender, rosemary, scented geranium) |
| Touch | Varied textures, from fuzzy lamb’s ear to smooth succulents |
| Taste | Herbs, vegetables, and edible flowers (only ones you can positively identify) |
What Is a Five Senses Garden?
A five senses garden, also called a sensory garden, is a space designed to stimulate one or more of the five senses: sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. University of Illinois Extension describes these as areas built for exactly that kind of interaction and notes they benefit people of all ages.[1] They are often created for children, and Illinois Extension points out they can be especially engaging for kids and for people with disabilities or impaired sensory function.[2] More broadly, gardening is widely associated with well-being: the American Horticultural Therapy Association uses horticultural activities, guided by trained therapists, toward health and wellness goals in clinical settings.[3] You do not need a therapy program to enjoy the payoff, though. Designing your own yard around the senses simply makes it a richer place to spend time.
Designing for Sight and Sound
Sight is where most gardens already shine, so push it further. Illinois Extension suggests using contrasting colors, textures, and forms, noting that warm colors energize a space while cool colors feel relaxing, and that plants blooming at different times, along with varied leaf patterns, bark, and stem colors, keep the view interesting all year.[1] Bright zinnias and giant sunflowers are easy, high-impact choices that also draw butterflies;[1] see our guide to eye-catching flowers for more color.
Sound is the sense most people forget. Some of it is free: wind moving through plants and the crunch of leaves underfoot. Ornamental grasses like switchgrass rustle in the breeze, and the dried seed pods of false blue indigo act like natural maracas.[1] You can add a water fountain or bird bath for the sound of moving water, and grow plants that bear berries and seeds to bring in singing birds.[2]
Designing for Smell and Touch
Scent turns a garden into a memory. Some plants release fragrance on their own, like roses, while others give it up only when you brush them, like scented geraniums.[1] For a reliably fragrant palette, Illinois Extension points to lavender, rosemary, catmint, anise hyssop, lemon verbena, lilac, viburnum, and sweet alyssum.[2] For a deeper look at scented plants, see our guide to aromatic plants.
Touch is about variety: mix rough, smooth, fuzzy, and fleshy textures so the garden invites a hand. Classic picks include soft, fuzzy lamb’s ear and smooth, fleshy sedums and hens-and-chicks, along with silver mound, fountain grass, dusty miller, and Irish moss.[1] Ornamental grasses do double duty here, adding both sound and texture; see our guide to drought-resistant grasses.
Designing for Taste (Edible Landscaping)
Taste is the most rewarding sense to plan for, because it means working edibles right into the landscape. Illinois Extension suggests folding in fruits, vegetables, and herbs such as basil, chives, and lemon balm, along with edible flowers like nasturtium and pansy.[1] One important caution, though: only eat plants you have positively identified as edible, keep edibles clearly separate from ornamentals (some of which are toxic), and never nibble anything from a garden that has been treated with pesticides.[2] For a full edible plan, see our guide to planting an edible garden.
Ready to engage every sense in your own yard? Stop by any Green Thumb Nursery and our team can help you pick plants for sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste that thrive in Southern California.
Five Senses Garden FAQ
What is a five senses garden?
It is a sensory garden designed to stimulate all five senses: sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch. University of Illinois Extension describes these gardens as spaces built for interaction that benefit people of all ages.[1]
How do you make a sensory garden?
Choose plants and features for each sense: colorful blooms for sight, rustling grasses and a water feature for sound, fragrant herbs for smell, varied textures for touch, and edible plants for taste. Group them so each sense has something to offer.[1]
What plants engage the senses?
Good examples include zinnias and sunflowers for sight, switchgrass for sound, lavender and scented geranium for smell, lamb’s ear and sedums for touch, and herbs and edible flowers for taste.[1]
Are five senses gardens good for kids?
Yes. Illinois Extension notes sensory gardens are often created for children and engage people of all ages, including those with disabilities or impaired sensory function. They make a hands-on, interactive outdoor space.[2]
What plants are best for a fragrance garden?
Fragrant herbs and flowers work best, such as lavender, rosemary, catmint, lemon verbena, lilac, and sweet alyssum. Some, like scented geraniums, release their fragrance when you brush against them.[2]
Sources
- [1] University of Illinois Extension, Sensory Gardens Invite Interaction: extension.illinois.edu
- [2] University of Illinois Extension, Gardening With Your Senses: extension.illinois.edu
- [3] American Horticultural Therapy Association, Horticultural Therapy History and Benefits: ahta.org
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