Magical Memory Garden

A Belfast care home has opened a unique garden designed for dementia sufferers, known as the ‘Magical Memory Garden’.

The garden, funded by the Alpha Programme, Groundwork NI, Belfast City Council and Belfast City Airport, invites residents and visitors to take a magical trip down memory lane. An on-site caravan offers the chance to recall family holidays, while in the car port amateur mechanics can spend time tinkering with the car, or just sitting in it listening to the radio.

The garden shed has a dedicated pet’s corner with rabbits and chickens, giving residents the chance to care for animals, and there is also a Secret Garden, set aside for serene, secluded reflection. A vegetable garden gives residents the chance to get their hands dirty, and there is a variety of strongly-scented plants and herbs to bring back treasured memories. Paths in the garden are arranged in a loop to avoid dead ends which can seem like a barrier and frustrate attempts to move around the garden.

Gardens can be tremendously therapeutic for dementia sufferers, with research showing that open spaces stimulate the senses, including sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Studies have reported the behaviour patterns of dementia sufferers improve when in a garden, with a general feeling of increased calm and serenity.

Features you could include in a garden used by a dementia sufferer include a straightforward ‘loop’ path layout to encourage independent exploration; a series of places to sit with focal points to look at, protected from bright sunlight, chilling winds and deep shade; and features to stimulate the senses all year round, including colourful, fragrant plants and flowers, water features and wind chimes. For more advice on adapting your garden for people with special needs, visit the garden centre here in Co. Limerick and we will be happy to help and advise you.