Sound

Sounds can help introduce tranquillity to a garden. Just imagining sounds like the bubbling of water, the rustling of wind through bamboo or the lazy buzz of a bumble bee in summer can feel relaxing. Encouraging sounds like this is a vital part of a sensory garden, and we’ve got some tips to help you:

• Long, wispy grasses make a nice sound in the wind and are easier to maintain than a lawn, which needs mowing regularly. The RHS have a guide to long grasses like Pampas grass and how to grow them on their website here >>
• Bamboo also makes a lovely sound in the wind – be sure to look for clump-forming varieties and consider planting in large pots to avoid them spreading around your garden. Plants like bamboo can also work well as a natural privacy screen, as can grasses like Kleine Silberspinne, and shrubs like Dogwood.
• Lots of lavender, oxeye daisies or chamomile flowers will attract bees. You could also build a simple bug hotel to give them a home and hear them buzz all summer long. Bug hotels can be big or small depending on the space you have, and there are numerous guides on how to build one, like this one from the RSPB >>
• A simple solar-powered water feature will add a different sound to your garden – just make sure that the solar panel is in a sunny spot and remember to keep young children safe around any water in your garden. They are available from garden centres and online shops and range in price, from as low as £20 for smaller models.

• Wind chimes are a cheap and easy way to add a relaxing sound to your garden. Before you buy one, have a think about where you want to hang it and what type of hook or fixing you might need. Some can be hung from trees or attached to fences or walls. Wind chimes are available online and in garden centres.

Helping Hands top tip

Try adding a simple arch (like these examples on Wayfair) over a path, or as a feature in a flower bed to use to grow scented plants like honeysuckle. You can also hang wind chimes and fairy lights from an arch.

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