summer sensory program

The Summer Sensory program is a highly interactive on-site garden experience designed for adults with special needs. Visitors experience connections with plants using the five senses, and gain social enrichment while enjoying a change of pace in a safe, restful location. This experience is geared toward people in special education programs, rehabilitative centers, daycare groups and assisted or independent living facilities.

A Summer Sensory program will include a Sensory Tour (experiencing plants using the five senses) plus one of the following:

• Flower Arranging
  Create a seasonal flower arrangement. Participants learn and perform the steps to create a one-of-a-kind floral arrangement to take home and enjoy. Hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and creative expression are accomplished during this activity.
• Making a Topiary
  Make a topiary frame, transplant an ivy plant and train the plant to the frame. Modifications of the activity allow high and low level functioning populations to work with soil and topiary materials.
• Plant Propagation
  Make stem cuttings from hardy houseplants of your choice. Working with soil and plant materials develops hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills in a highly social setting
• Planting Herbs
  Choose from a variety of herbs to transplant into a terracotta pot to take home. Engage the sense of touch, sight and smell as you work with soil and plant materials.

Each program is facilitated by two sensory guides and includes lots of plants to touch, smell and listen to. Depending on the theme and the visitors, stories and shared memories complete the experience.

Dates and Times:
June to Sept.,  9:30 & 11:30 a.m.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
(Summer Sensory will not be available on concert and/or other Gardens’ event days)

Cost:
$50 for for-profits, or $25 for non-profits
Summer Sensory is offered by reservation only. Payment is due pn the day of your visit. Cancellations greater than one week prior to the program will receive a full refund. Cancellations with less than one week notice (weather cancellations excepted) will receive a 50 percent refund.

To schedule a Summer Sensory program for your group:

• Fill out a Request Form, and e-mail or mail back to us
• E-mail tours@botanicgardens.org
• Or call 720-865-3539

We also will have our Winter Green Sensory Program later this year, which is the winter version of the same program. Dates and times will be announced in late summer.