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Sensory Gardens

Marjorie Grant Whiting’s last years were spent as a resident of Greenhaven Country Place, an Eskaton nursing facility in Sacramento, California. Because of Marjorie’s life-long interest in the role of plants in people’s lives, the MGW Center has supported the creation of the Greenhaven Sensory Garden as a memorial to both Marjorie and to Suzanne Vaupel, the founding President of the Marjorie Grant Whiting Center for Humanity, Arts and the Environment.

The Center’s objective in establishing a memorial garden at Greenhaven was to create a shady, wheel-chair accessible outdoor living area to provide sensory, kinetic and mental stimulation for Greenhaven residents and their families and friends. Landscape architect Gary Watkins designed the remodeling of a patio and a camellia garden as a pleasant gathering place for the enjoyment of nature at Greenhaven Country Place. The sensory garden was executed largely by Debbie Dillon-Adams, and is maintained by Greenhaven Country Place whose staff use the garden to enhance physical and occupational therapy for the residents.

The Greenhaven Sensory Garden supports the charitable and educational mission of the MGW Center by furthering Dr. Whiting’s lifelong interest in the symbiotic relationship of plants and people. In 2002 and 2003, over $10,000 was expended on the Greenhaven Sensory Garden. Funds were used for site improvements, including shade trees, wheelchair heath planter pots, bird feeders, and butterfly-attracting plants that are reachable throughout the garden via pathways. Anticipated future expenditures for the Sensory Garden include the purchase of a plaque designating it as a memorial to Marjorie Grant Whiting and creation of an informational brochure describing the sensory features of the Garden and providing biographical information about Dr. Whiting.

For more examples of sensory enabling gardens for the elderly and for persons with disabilities, contact the Chicago Botanic Gardens at 847.835.5440 or visit www.chicagobotanic.org(Select The Buehler Enabling Garden for information on the hands-on teaching garden that encourages gardening for people of all ages and abilities.)