Scratch and Sniff Garden Theme
A scratch and sniff garden theme not only makes a fun addition to the landscape but it affords the opportunity to become a crucial teaching element. Kids can learn about different textures, scents, and more. Watching their ‘Scratch N Sniff’ plants grow teaches them about plant growth and the life cycle of plants. Plant parts can even be used for craft projects. For instance, leaves and flowers can be dried and used to make fragrant potpourri. These gardens can be designed in a number of ways too. Grow them inside or outside. Make them big or small. Plants can be grown in pots, in the garden, or even on a windowsill. Whatever your child’s personal preference, sensory garden ideas aimed at touchy and smelly plants abound.
Sensory Garden Ideas for ‘Scratch n Sniff’ Theme
Here are some ideas for inclusion in your touchy-feely section of the Scratch N Sniff garden:
Create a little rockery with stones of various sizes, shapes, and textures – from small to large, round to square, and smooth to rough. Add a water feature, be it one that moves, trickles, or bubbles. Use different textures for walkways like paving slabs and crushed gravel. Use a variety of mulch options such as bark, pebbles, sand, etc. In addition to plants, include different types of screening like bamboo or lattice fencing.
There are all kinds of plants suitable for a curious child’s exploration. While it’s obvious that there will be some visual impact associated with the range of shapes, patterns, and colors, try to focus on choosing plants with fascinating textures – furry/woolly, soft, and silky. Bumpy, tickly, and prickly (but stay away from plants that might cause injury.). Smooth, spongy, and playful. Even sticky or wet plants, like sundew, aquarium plants, and algae, make wonderful additions to this garden.
Plants for a ‘Scratch and Sniff’ Garden
‘Scratch N Sniff’ plants to include are:
Furry, soft and silky plants
Artemisia Lamb’s ears Mullein Pussy willow California poppy Yarrow
Bumpy, tickly, and prickly plants
Blue fescue Northern sea oats Fennel Purple fountain grass Roses Purple coneflower Sea holly Hens-and-chicks Pampas grass Tickle me plant Ferns
Smooth, spongy and playful plants
Cork oak Smoke tree Snow-in-summer Fuchsia Snapdragons Moss Venus flytrap
Scented herbs and edible plants
To make this sensory garden even more appealing, add in some smelly plants. Many herbs and other plants have scented foliage, and their aromas can be released by gently rubbing the leaves. Scents in plants vary greatly, as the way in which we perceive them. Some may be delightful; others deplorable. Include them all. Some good aromatic choices to include are:
Various mint varieties Curry plant Thyme varieties Sage Chamomile Lemon balm Lavender Sweet Annie Orange tree Lemon tree Garlic
Aromatic flowering plants and trees
Honeysuckle Scented geraniums Lily of the valley Roses Sweet peas Heliotropes Chameleon plant (colored foliage smells lemony) Lilac Chocolate flower Ginkgo tree (rotten egg smell) Voodoo lily Stinking hellebore (aka: dungwort) Dutchman’s pipe vine
