Bug Reading Garden, Hindley
The garden will comprises of seating areas and areas for the children to explore. It’s planted using sensory plants to encourage the children to touch and smell. These include scented plants such as herbs and hardy lavenders, textural plants such as lambs ears and plants that create sounds such as giant oat grass.
The planting is at different heights to create different feelings and moods within the space. There are also be some fruit trees planted to replace the existing trees which failed. Various kinds of artwork has been placed throughout the garden at different heights to stimulate and be accessible for all users. The artwork has been created by local schoolchildren (with the help of an artist) to encourage ownership of the site within the local community and includes mosaic and bronze plaques, thermoplastic markings on the tarmac surfacing, ‘bug’ seats and timber totem poles with raised bug features.
The main seating area is circular and at the right height for children so will be an inclusive reading space. There is also a low ‘bug’ seat around the rest of the garden where individuals and small groups can go to read.
A recycled plastic deck has been created to overcome the difficult levels within the site and extends the usable space. It also creates a vantage view point for the children and allow them to look over the rest of the play area/grounds.
This project was completed in 2011.