Building a Sensory Garden For Your Dogs

How I built a sensory garden in the rain in March 2023

Building your own sensory herb garden is a wonderful thing to do for both your own well-being as well as for your dogs. It can be quite small and still provide stimulation for all the senses. This blog describes my journey to create my sensory garden and how it changed and evolved over the course of a month, as I observed what worked for my dogs and what didn't.

I have a senior dog Zeb with arthritis and a sprightly adolescent, Dakota. I could never have dreamed what the end result would be, and I'm sure it will continue to evolve throughout the years. Whatever YOU create will be special for you and your dogs, just because you have created it.

Deciding on the Space

If you decide to embark on your own sensory garden project, the first thing you need to do is decide where it is going to be. Initially I chose at the end of my garden, so it could be a special place that was away from the through fare traffic and somewhere quiet to retreat to. Your choice may be limited if you have a small garden or yard, but this set up shows how little space is needed and could be adapted for small areas. Anything you create needs to be safe for your dog, with safe plants and structures, so nothing wobbly that could frighten your dog. It also needs to be pleasing to your eye as you are going to see it every day. Many dogs enjoy climbing, so I knew I wanted some different levels. Pallets can be purchased cheaply and make a strong, stable base.

It is good to make use of things you have floating around the house. I covered up the holes between the pallets with some old roof tiles. You can see that both of my dogs were keen to investigate this new structure. Dakota will do 2 paws up whenever she gets the chance whilst out on walks or around the house, I think she enjoys the stretch this gives her, so I wanted to create something that met this need for her. She also loves to climb!

Introducing the Plants

I wanted plants of different heights and textures that were scented and fairly hardy, so I chose herbs and grasses. I did think about planting through the pallet but decided to go for containers so that I had the option to move them during bad weather or in the winter, or as it turned out, when I kept changing my mind! I would recommend keeping things in containers for a little while as your garden takes shape, especially if you are anything like me! You may even decide you like the look of containers and have a garden entirely comprised of them, like the 2 photos on the left below.

Containers can be good for senior dogs to save them having to bend down to reach them. I wanted some plants that I could put down straight away, so did buy some established plants, though I also purchased some seeds to plant of Chamomile, Valerian, Catmint, Yarrow, Lemon balm, Coriander and Basil. If you decide to plant directly in the ground, it is still worth keeping Mint in a container as it spreads rapidly! It is important when creating anything for your dogs that you have no expectations. They may enjoy it or even ignore it. I knew Dakota was going to enjoy these plants as she leapt onto the table where they were, to investigate them before I even got them into their pots.

Sensory Garden Mark 1

After planting I just let Dakota investigate in her own time. I put her paddling pool and sandpit into the area as this is going to be her space. This set up was my first attempt, and it lasted about a week before I decided I wanted to change it, as Dakota was showing far too much interest in trying to get over the wall!

Sensory Garden Mark 2

With Mark 2, I introduced some logs and a water feature, I did like this version, but I found that I didn't like going down the end of the garden for several reasons. I couldn’t see it from the house, there were pigeons in the tree above and being too far away from the house, it was impractical for picking the herbs. A major rethink was needed…. I decided to start again from scratch. I have left both Mark 1 and 2 in this blog as examples of what can be created in a very small space, as either of these could be adapted to a balcony or concrete yard.

Planning Mark 3

I now did what I should have done in the beginning and did some proper research and planning rather than just choosing the herbs.

The idea of a spiral appealed to me aesthetically and I had some left over bricks from our drive (which being a bit of a squirrel I had kept), but it wasn't until I started watching videos on YouTube about how to make one that I realised that there is more to a spiral than just a pretty design.

Herb spirals create microclimates, they encourage dry soil at the top for mediterranean herbs and plants on the southern side will benefit from the warmth retained in the bricks, and shelter from stronger winds at the bottom. It is a clever way to grow herbs in a small space, taking advantage of going upwards, and herbs are a fantastic choice to grow, as they engage multiple senses and aid healing.

Building the Herb Spiral

Having done all the research and decided what I was going to do I couldn't wait to get out there and start, however strong wind and torrential rain were forecast for the next 6 days. I sat and listened to the rain lashing against the window all morning, then decided to put a mac on and just get out there and brave it. Of course, I always had my constant assistant Dakota to help me by adding to the digging, wanting to play and running off with my tools!

Once the spiral was built, I thought it looked a little lonely stuck in the middle of the lawn and I felt it needed some additional plants. I laid a few slabs behind the spiral that I could plant some additional herbs in between. What had started out as a small herb project was now escalating, but I was loving it, despite the rain.

The Planted Spiral

The dogs also loved the spiral and were frequently wandering amongst the new creation and smelling the different herbs. Within the spiral I had 3 different types of Thyme, Melissa (Lemon balm), Hyssop, 2 types of Lavender, Sage and Strawberry plants. Surrounding the spiral are Chamomile, Rosemary and Lavender. By now due to the rain, the dogs and I had managed to churn up the surrounding grass, so it seemed sensible to use it for further planting. The rain continued all week, the garden project continued to grow and Dakota continued to be everywhere I wanted to dig!

This was the garden after 6 days. I planned to plant between the slabs with Chamomile which I was growing from seed and add other plants such as Valerian, Catnip and Cornflowers around the spiral as they matured from other seeds. I had set out to create a sensory experience that my dogs could explore and I was thrilled with the end result, there was colour for visual stimulation, running water and rustling bamboo for auditory enrichment, multiple scents for olfactory enrichment, logs to step over and different surfaces to encourage good vestibular balance and proprioception. Out of sight on this photo is the pallet structure covered in artificial grass for climbing and just resting which Dakota does do occasionally. I was looking forward to seeing it flourish and mature, which wouldn’t be long with the amount of rain we were currently having.

This photo was taken only 4 months later and shows Zeb wandering through the Chamomile which he loved.

This post is dedicated to our Wonderful Zeb who crossed the Rainbow Bridge in Jan 2024 aged 13 1/2

Categories: : Botanical Spotlight, Personal Reflections