summer sensory program

The Summer Sensory Program is a highly interactive on-site garden experience designed for adults with special needs. Visitors encounter 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, adult daycare groups and assisted or independent living facilities.

In 2011, the program was enhanced by the opening of our new Sensory Garden at York Street and the partnership with The Hudson Gardens & Events Center in Littleton, CO. This partnership brought Summer Sensory to their Littleton location on selected dates.

A Summer Sensory program is facilitated by two sensory guides and will include a Sensory Garden tour (experiencing plants using the five senses) plus one of the following activities:

• 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. Flower Arranging is suitable for all-level functioning populations.
• 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. This activity can be geared toward high or low-level functioning populations.
• 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. Plant Propagation is geared towards high-level functioning populations.
• Container Herb Gardens
  Participants involve their sense of touch, sight and smell while they choose from a variety of herbs to transplant and create a mini herb garden. This activity helps trigger memories of the past in a very social setting. Container Herb Gardens is geared to all level functioning populations.

Dates and Times:

• Denver Botanic Gardens
  10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  June to Sept. - Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
  Dates to be announced
• Hudson Gardens & Events Center
  10:30 a.m.
  Various dates in June through September 
  Dates to be announced
   

Cost:
$75 for for-profits, or $50 for nonprofits
Reservations required. Payment is due upon booking. All reservations made through Denver Botanic Gardens.
Cancellations, made by the Gardens or by facilities, greater than one week prior to the program will receive a full refund. Cancellations with less than one week notice (weather cancellations excepted) are not refundable. If cancellation is made by the Gardens, we’ll seek to reschedule your program. 

To schedule a Summer Sensory program for your group, email tours@botanicgardens.org

We also have our Winter Green Sensory Program this winter, which is the winter version of the same program.