This progressive Care home run by Welburn were developing a specialist Dementia care wing of this care home, and wanted to incorporate the outside space as a usable and therapeutic space as part of the the project.

We built on the experience of dementia therapy gardens from another Welburn care home garden ensuring dementia patients needs were central to the design.  We conducted a focal group with residents and learnt that they gladly were keen to be outside, wanted blossom, someone in the shade and out of the rain, and lots of beautiful blooms.

The design concept was to entice people outside with various appealing destinations at various distances from the dayroom.  We positioned a pretty raised bed with beautiful fragranced and textured plants near the day room to entice people outside, then a water feature nearby a bit further into the garden, with a Victorian style gazebo as a final destination next to a new apple tree. A figure of eight looped path network (avoiding dead-ends for dementia patients) with a wet-pour yellow rubber path for ease of seeing the edge and cushioning in case of a fall.  We also had carefully positioned hand rails around the garden and lots of interesting seating. 

We included lots of attractive, memory-provoking and tactile features in the garden including: water feature, an angel sculpture, various animal and bird images, a beautiful apple tree, a wildflower meadow.