A sensory garden is being built in Lohja

Riikka Palttala, the special instructor in charge of the planning of the sensory garden being built in the courtyard of the activity centre in Lohja, explains that special instructors in services for the disabled want to promote multisensory activities in our wellbeing services area. Multisensory activities mean activities that stimulate various different senses.

"The sensory garden is a great way to add content and new activities for clients with multiple disabilities. In the spirit of green care, it will also bring variety to the lives of our other client groups and, at the same time, cheer up our yard, which is still a pretty dreary place. The new garden will be accessible, people with wheelchairs will be able to get up close to natural materials."

The sensory garden was initially planned between the instructors, as the work is large and there are many different client groups involved. Clients were asked to voice their wishes for the future and opinions on the current yard.

The work has progressed in different ways in different groups. The Toimeliaat group has worked to build wind chimes for the garden, and several groups have grown plants. Other natural materials, such as stones and dry branches, have been collected for the garden while groups take part in outings.

This is a big project, which has also included some mishaps. As a result of the wellbeing services county reform, prior contracts between the operating unit and local shops were no longer valid, so the purchase of garden supplies has not been possible yet.

“Patience is needed in such a long project. We will be able to go shopping for flowerpots and watering cans with our clients, but just a little later than planned. Let's get these agreement matters out of the way first. There’s no reason to be discouraged by something like this,” Riikka says.

Effective cooperation between different operating units has been utilised in the sensory garden project. Lohja's housing services will provide practical help for plant care during July, when the activity centre is closed.

Experiences have been exchanged with other units, as nature-assisted activities in the spirit of green care are utilised in other units. For example, the Kuninkaantie activity centre has a greenhouse and Saukkola has its own Aislu group (senses-nature). Green care can also be effective in a smaller scale or even inside, such as the large green nook at Karkkila activity centre. A green nook is also being set up at the Lohja activity centre. Clients can go there to calm down and enjoy green plants also in the winter. The power of nature can be utilised in many different ways.

The benefits of green care can be introduced even with small measures, and there is no need to build an entire garden for this purpose. Nature can be utilised by caring for house plants throughout the year or by taking a walk in a local park. During walks you can focus on listening to the sounds of the environment, smelling and feeling the materials found in nature.

Riikka has listed some tips on how to build a sensory garden in the Ella application used by Disability Services. Read these for ideas on a small sensory nook. See Riikka's ideas in the Ella app: Ellan osio Ohjaajille (Ella's section Instructors) > Multisensorinen toiminta (Multisensory activities) > Aistihuoneet  (Sensory rooms) > Aistipuutarha (Sensory garden).

If you don't already have Ella, you can download it for free from the Apple App Store. Ella will also later be available in the Google Play Store. Ella can be used on a smartphone or tablet and is free of charge. Ella is an electronic activity and method bank for disability work, which is produced by a digital unit for Disability Services in the Western Uusimaa wellbeing services county.