Sydney, Australia
It takes a village to build a garden, especially the kind of garden that helps children adjust to big changes.
Lucky for the children and families of Anglicare’s Foster Care program in Sydney, that village created one of the only sensory gardens of its kind in Australia. Specifically designed for those involved in out-of-home care, the garden officially opened on 29th July.
The opening of the Burudyara Ngurra Garden in Sydney, Australia, on 29th July, 2023. PICTURE: Courtesy of Kylie Beach/Wild Hive
Though some hospitals and botanic gardens throughout Australia have made space for therapeutic sensory gardens, few are planted beside the offices of a foster care program inviting a connection with nature during sometimes difficult visits.
“The seed of this project germinated at the start of 2021 when we first dreamed of a sensory garden, one that would provide a calming space for children to connect with their families while also developing their motor skills,” said Lucinda Mackintosh, team leader for Anglicare’s clinical care. “For the Aboriginal children in our program, we knew connecting with culture was important too, so we embraced collaboration from the start.”
Soon after that first discussion, a group of students from the University of Sydney’s Masters of Occupational Therapy program joined Mackintosh’s team to create 2D designs for the garden that eventually grew into 4D displays. They then consulted an occupational therapist in the US who specialises in therapeutic landscapes as well as a researcher in Queensland who specialises in therapeutic horticulture.
Indigenous artist Brett Groves, along with elders Aunty Kathy Donnelly and Aunty Suzie Johnson, brought their knowledge of Aboriginal culture and Country to the plans.
“We also asked some of the children we support in our program what they would want in a garden here at Telopea,” Mackintosh said.
Bunnings donated various gardening tools, and five students from the King’s School devoted lunchtimes to work on bringing the garden to life.
“This a beautiful reflection of community coming together to support the precious families in our program,” Mackintosh said.
The opening of the Burudyara Ngurra Garden in Sydney, Australia, on 29th July, 2023. PICTURES: Courtesy of Kylie Beach/Wild Hive
The result is ‘Burudyara Ngurra Garden’, the Aboriginal term for ‘The Butterfly Place’, a meandering space filled with native plants, small trees and recycled objects to invoke a sense of peace and joy.
The combination of colours, scents, textures, shapes and even sounds brings a therapeutic appeal to as many senses as possible. Painted tyres serve as plant boxes, a bright mural adorns the office wall beside the garden and a music wall complete with xylophone keys, upside down pans and music notes invites children to grab a drumstick.
“Too often we’ve lost connection to nature,” said Tony George, headmaster of the King’s School who spoke at the garden’s opening. “This community space is very much about our values and gave our boys an opportunity to build a meaningful place together. Places like this keep us tethered to each other.”
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Simon Miller, CEO of Anglicare, joined George for the official ribbon cutting ceremony of the garden’s opening, applauding the many connections in creating such a space.
“There is a beautiful, imaginative, transforming light happening here,” Miller said. “It’s a melding of so many partnerships and gifts, which is so important for the children facing difficult changes in home life.”
Anglicare Foster Care is one of several agencies which address Out of Home Care for over 46,000 children and youth across Australia. Most children enter care because of neglect or some type of abuse, according to the Centre of Excellence in Child and Family Welfare.
Agencies in the state of New South Wales alone providing out-of-home care receive more than 100 calls a week to place a “distressed” child or young person but often can only place three for lack of carers.
