Sensory garden planned

A community garden hopes to help bring back memories for those suffering from dementia

PLANTING FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Linda Roberts stands on the site of a proposed sensory garden for dementia patients. Picture: Dominic Elsome

DEMENTIA patients and their families will soon have a peaceful place to call their own, with the Lockyer Community Centre planning to build a sensory garden in Gatton - and the community is invited to help.

Community development worker Linda Roberts said the garden could be a place for those struggling with dementia to come and bring back lost memories.

"It'll be things that may jog their memory and rekindle old happy memories.”

"That's your pathway through, you try and find something that will connect them back to earlier times.”

The centre plans to create a country theme with scarecrows, old farming and gardening equipment placed around the area, water features, wind chimes and edible plants - stimulating all the senses.

Ms Roberts said the garden, which will be built behind the community centre offices, would also be a space for other members of the community to come and relax away from the chaos of modern life.

"Its a community garden... families can come in and plant a plant or grow some vegies.

"Contribute, come in and do a bit of weeding - that's what community gardens are all about, working together and working for each other,” Ms Roberts said.

She encouraged the community to get involved with the project and said donations of items could be made through the national Givit program.

"We're looking for local sponsors for irrigation... we're also looking for practical sponsorship in the form of donations of raised garden beds, scarecrow items, we've got a post on our Facebook looking for an old bike.”

Ms Roberts said that if community members were unable to donate items, but were still interested in helping - their time would be just as valuable when the garden was complete.

"Once it's established, (they) might be willing to come in and maintain the garden, and weed it and whipper snip it.”

Anyone willing to donate items or assist the project can do so through the Givit website, or by contacting the community centre directly.