education – Iris Grace Painting

This year started with a project that had been in my mind for many years and finally we made a start. The idea is to create a sensory garden to provide a calming, empowering, and enjoyable space tailored to how Iris experiences the world.

It will be our safe place, a sanctuary, no matter what happens in the world we will know we can go out into the garden and feel peaceful. Iris can use the sensory input to self-regulate, the garden can become a safe retreat during shutdowns, anxiety, or emotional overload.

I thought I would share with you some of our progress so far and highlight some of the benefits of creating this garden.

Physical and nervous-system benefits

Gardening can naturally support:

Movement and coordination
Fine motor skills
Vestibular and proprioceptive input
Sleep and mood regulation through outdoor light exposure

Sensory exploration

Autistic people can be sensory-seeking, sensory-avoidant, or both depending on the situation. A sensory garden allows for safe exploration

Soft textures
Different colors and light levels
Fragrant plants
Tactile pathways
Safe things to touch, smell, create and observe
Musical instruments
Water

Unlike crowded public environments, the input can be intentional and adjustable.

Support for special interests

Iris enjoys nature, wildlife, art, weather, birds, colors and collecting things. The garden can connect deeply with those interests. Special interests are often emotionally regulating and joyful helping her throughout the day.

Reduced demand for social interaction

Outdoor sensory spaces allow engagement without requiring conversation, eye contact, or social performance. This can feel restorative and calming and very often means that Iris is actually more social than she would be in a more typical social scenario.