That’s what Frederickton nursing home Macleay Valley House has found after all these elements were carefully combined to create a garden to help its dementia patients.

Designed with a fastidious attention to detail, even the flowers grown in the garden have been hand-picked for the memories and comfort their scent can evoke.

“A lot of elderly people are fond of the smell of gardenias and lived lives that were familiar with this type of flower, and while some of our residents living with dementia have severe memory loss, the scent of flowers like gardenias or roses, while it may or may not trigger a particular memory, is very familiar and something that provides comfort to residents who feel disoriented from dementia,” a Macleay Valley House spokesperson told the Argus.

”One patient smelt the gardenias and was reminded of her childhood home.”

Even the sandstone material used to hold together the garden pockets and carve out the eight-figure pathway was chosen conscientiously.

The sandstone is smooth, flat, built at a height to double as a seating area and is a material that won’t over-heat in the sun. The water feature looks sturdy and round to the eye, with a small veil of water running down all sides. The sound of trickling water echoes in the atmosphere and the material used to construct it invites visitors to run their hands around it, creating a sensory-packed experience.

Unique features such as sign posts reflecting places around town, a bright, red post box, a white picket fence leading to a ‘backyard’ complete with a hills hoist clothes line and garden shed – all combine to give residents and dementia patients a familiar sense of home and promote activities to do throughout the day.

A lot of work goes into the design of the garden to make it as best an experience as possible for the residents it is built for.

Speaking to the Argus, designers of the space – Erica Thompson and Janine Francis from Gardenvogue Horticultural- explained more about the attentive work invested in the space.

“The planting is young but there are a mixture of edible and ornamental plants and lots of herbs and touch and smell was considered. There will always be something in bloom and with some perfume, either in the flower or foliage.”

“Studies have shown that residents that garden and maintain their routines are happier and more sociable.” 

“The dementia staff at Macleay are amazing. They cook and garden with the residents and make it feel as much like their home as possible.”

The front garden has artificial grass areas for ball games and family picnic days and the  orchard is in its early stage, the designers explain, while the orchard has lemon, lime, orange and kaffir lime trees planted and the vegetable planter boxes are ordered. 

“Although it is in its early stages the trees will eventually be covered in nectar producing flowers to attract the birds and butterflies.”

The plantings include Grevilleas, Kangaroo Paws, Golden Penda tree,  Tree Waratahs, Tea trees, Banksias, Ivory curl tree.

“This garden was completed in August and has a long way to go and will grow over time and will continue to develop to meet the needs of the residents.”