We came across a wonderful multi-sensory garden in Strawhill, County Carlow which is part of the Delta Centre which provides training, residential, respite, day and multisensory services to adults with learning disabilities.

One of the Delta Centre's most recent projects has been the construction and development of a series of inter-connecting gardens offering a multisensory experience to visitors. Over the past 5 years, this development has offered employment and specific skills training for long term unemployed people and people with disabilities.

The gardens have been designed by nationally renowned designers - some Chelsea flower show medal winners - including Gordon Ledbetter, Mary Reynolds, Rachel Doyle, Elma Fenton and Jimmi Blake.

The theme for each garden celebrates the use of natural elements such as stone, water and wonderful foliage and plants. It offers visitors a unique opportunity to rest and indulge their senses of touch, taste, smell, hearing and of course provides a visual delight.

These include:

The Patio Garden, set adjacent to the entrance provides the ideal retreat when weather conditions are less than ideal. An arbour and some seating make this the garden to linger in when one's feet begin to ache from meandering through the other gardens.

The Interactive Games Garden is a  paved area has been laid out in chequered form to represent either a giant draughts board or a chessboard. Visitors can represent the chessmen themselves or large size pieces can be supplied. Giant tables carved from Carlow limestone provide areas for playing giant Jenga and Noughts & Crosses. The garden also incorporates a lawn area for playing Boules and Croquet, a summer house and picnic tables.

The idea behind the Sculpture Garden is that sculpture will be rotated on a regular basis. It assumes that in the community, there are people who are interested in using their hands, perhaps have tried sculpture but have no ready outlet for their work.

The Formal Rose Garden laid out in half moon shapes with interconnecting gravel areas. Box hedging encloses the roses and at the centre of the design is an analemma (similar to a sundial). In spring this garden takes on a new focus as it is underplanted with 8000 daffodil bulbs, snow drops and cyclamen - a spectacular site when in full bloom.

The Water & Woodland Garden consists of a large lily and fishpond fed by Carlow's first waterfall, which is completely accessible.  A balustraded viewing area projects over the water and is complemented by a pavilion for shelter during the inclement Irish summers.

The "A" Frame Garden is two thirds of the way down the main axial path, where a wooden construction is located, called the A-Frame. This has four entrances and exits, and so provides the main point from which the visitor may wander back and forth into adjacent gardens.

Under the A-Frame you will find The Fernery. Here, shade loving ferns are interplanted with digitalis and phormiums. The surrounding rill moves continually and adds a sense of lushness to this unheralded area.


The Five Senses Garden is spanned by a wooden bridge which lies between two quirky ear shaped ponds. Different tactile surfaces are used on the retaining walls, while the visitor can sit and inhale the relaxing scent of lavender planted at two different levels. Lots of vegetables, fruit and herbs are available to taste and rustling grasses add to the audio experience.

The Musical Garden is contained within the Sensory Theatre. This building is fronted by a wooden drum entrance and features a planted sedum roof. It houses a computerised musical fountain, which changes jets and lights to musical accompaniment. It also contains a Sensory Studio where visitors will eventually use interactive switches to activate a number of lighting/sensory effects.

The gardens are open on weekdays from 9.00am - 5.00pm and weekends 12:00pm - 5:00pm.

For more information go to: www..deltacentre.org