Opening of the new Sensory garden

The Rt. Hon. David Blunkett M.P. officially opened the new sensory garden at Chatsworth on Saturday 7 August 2004.

Plants include thyme, mints, chamomile, curry, oreganum, sage, parsley, calendula, pinks, sweet peas, dahlias, sunflowers, nasturtium, cerinthe, hostas, apple trees, lavenders, lilies, scented geraniums, fothergilla, azaleas and foxgloves.

The Dowager Duchess and Lord Burlington, the Dowager’s grandson, also attended the opening. Lord Burlington thanked all that had been involved in planning and making the sensory garden. The garden had been Lord Burlington’s idea and he spoke about how impressed he was by it, describing it as a “sensational sensory garden”.

The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, the Rt. Hon. David Blunkett, Mrs Pat Taylor and Lord Burlington

Mrs Pat Taylor, Chief Executive of the Derbyshire Association for the Blind, also spoke at the opening. She told of her great pride and admiration for the late Duke of Devonshire, who was patron of Derbyshire Association for the Blind and explained how Chatsworth’s Head Gardener, Ian Webster and Head Foreman, Alan Froggatt, had visited her own sensory garden in the planning of the garden at Chatsworth. They had asked her many questions, including what it was that she most wanted from a garden. Mrs Taylor described how she had asked Ian and Alan to give her a garden that she could smell, taste and feel, but above all, a garden she could see. She expressed her delight at the way that the sensory garden at Chatsworth fulfilled everything that she had asked for.

All the paths are fully accessible and there are no steps. They have surfaces of bark, Breedon gravel, decking, and different colours of a soft 'rubbery' surface.

Mr David Blunkett spoke about how the sensory garden would help visitors to Chatsworth discover new senses and new vistas. He described it as an inspirational garden, suitable for everyone, but perhaps a special interest for those with visual impairment.

The garden is designed to stimulate all the senses.

Many guests from local support groups and charities attended the opening and were able to enjoy the fully accessible garden, made from many different materials and plants, which were chosen for their scent, texture and sound.