New sensory garden for Henshaw’s Centre

Yorkshire-based nursery and BALI Registered Affiliate Johnsons of Whixley has teamed up with local garden designer Lorna Batchelor to supply plants for a new sensory garden at the Henshaw Arts & Crafts Centre in Knaresborough.

The new sensory garden will create a safe place for students to learn and explore and includes nearly £4,000 worth of plants with scented varieties such as Sarcococca confusa, Hamamelis mollis and Viburnum bodnantense, grasses for sound and touch with varieties of Stipa, Carex and Phormium included. Around 60 Rhododendrons and Azaleas give a splash of colour in the woodland garden with Ferns and Acers creating a tranquil area around the new waterfall. 

The waterfall was taken from Lorna’s Gold Award winning garden ‘Eden’ at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show 2018 and was put together by stone mason/ sculptor Jonny Clasper.

Henshaw’s is a northern charity supporting people living with sight loss and other disabilities for over 180 years, its college provides specialist education for its students, supported housing, community centres and an Arts & Craft Centre. The Arts & Crafts Centre was formerly Knaresborough Zoo. It is open for the public to enjoy and has extensive gardens, workshops and a café.

Eleanor Richardson, Marketing & sales coordinator at Johnsons of Whixley said:

“It’s wonderful to be involved with a charity so close to home, working with our customer and local garden designer Lorna Batchelor to provide a garden that will really benefit the students at Henshaw’s for years to come”

Lorna not only provided the design but was hands-on with the planting too.

Lorna said;

“I have visited the Arts & Crafts Centre with my family for many years and it is a place close to my heart. It has been a joy to help redevelop the gardens for the people of Knaresborough to enjoy. Thank you Johnsons for all the lovely plants!”

The garden will re-open to the public on Mother’s Day, 31st March 2019.