In May 2023 I applied for the popular TV show, RTE Super Garden 2024 which has been running for 15 seasons. I wanted to apply to put my skills and knowledge to the test and see what industry professionals thought about my design ability.
The process started out with a phone call, outlining what the show entailed, commitments and what is expected of a potential designer. I was up for it and made the application official. There were numerous rounds in the application process, and I surprised myself by passing one round after another, and before I knew it, I received the call to tell me that i was one of the five contestants for series 15 of Super Garden. Then things really began to get real!
At the start of July I met the family who I would be designing for. A lovely family of 5 from Athboy, County Meath, who needed a sensory garden for their 5 year old son Fury who is autistic. The family also wanted the design to be Love Island inspired, and had a few requests too. Planting was to be low maintenance and there was no interest in edibles, however their son had a big interest in fragrances. There was also a mention of yellow roses, and how they remind mum Keelin of her grandfather as she remembers him growing them when she was young. Fury likes textures and reflections and also likes jumping. They also weren't too fond on cutting a lawn. Lots to go on and I couldn't wait to get started.
There were a lot of cross over in terms of sensory and Love Island. Planting such as ferns, grasses and lavender were perfect, textures such wooden decking and gravel, water features such as a water bowl.
I rendered and painted the back wall Dulux Striking Cyan to give the impression of the sea visible through the tall grasses behind the pergola. I also wanted it to be the first focal point upon entering the garden, to draw the eye to the furthest most point and work backwards.
I used white marble chippings throughout to give an elegant extravagant feel to the design, and I also knew that Fury would love the texture of the gravel. I used gravel to connect the sensory and Love Island themes, it also led to the wooden boardwalk which was enclosed by two rose arches with yellow climbing roses. The boardwalk then led to a large pergola and decking area for entertaining, complete with gas fire pit, as no Love Island design is complete without a fire pit!
For Fury, I had constructed a wooden xylophone made from reclaimed ash and leftover timber from the build. It's a great addition to any sensory space as it can help kids experiment with pitch, tone and vibration while also great for supporting motor skills too.
I incorporated a Berg inground trampoline so as to meet the jumping brief. Often trampolines can distract from a design, however this trampoline was subtle, yet impressive in its own right.
At the back of the garden I designed an area for times of sensory overload, including fragrant planting, and sensory swing surrounded by bamboo which give a relaxing sound when moving in the wind. The sensory swing was large enough for mum and child, to gently swing and cuddle.
The planting throughout had a purpose. Every plant was chosen for either texture, smell, taste or sound, and most covered at least two of those senses.
Creating this design for such a wonderful family highlighted the importance of sensory gardens and the positive impact they can have. It also opened my eyes to the shortage of sensory design in a domestic setting, so I have decided that my garden design business would specialise in sensory and wellness design, and called it Mindful Gardens. I have made the journey from RTE Super Garden to Mindful Gardens.
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