Sensory Garden Design in Ongar, Essex
A calm and immersive multi-sensory garden
This sensory garden design project in Ongar, Essex was created as a peaceful and immersive outdoor space designed to encourage relaxation, reflection and a stronger connection with nature.
Designed alongside a new extension build, the garden began as a blank canvas, allowing the layout and planting to be considered as part of the wider transformation of the property from the outset.
The overall aim was to create a garden that felt calming, natural and gently immersive, with winding pathways, layered planting and subtle sensory moments that would reveal themselves gradually throughout the space.
The Brief
The clients wanted the garden to feel peaceful and restorative, with planting that could be experienced through texture, scent and seasonal change.
A key part of the brief was creating a sense of discovery within the garden. The clients loved the idea of winding pathways with planting that would rustle in the breeze, release fragrance as people moved through the space and create small moments of surprise around each turn.
The planting palette focused on softer pinks, whites and gentle green tones, balanced with enough structure to ensure the garden still felt cohesive throughout the seasons.
Part of the garden was designed to feel softer and more informal, with naturalistic planting creating a relaxed and immersive atmosphere, while another section introduced a more formal space centred around a water feature. Here, the client wanted stronger structural planting to create contrast and bring a clearer sense of definition to the space.
The garden also needed to remain relatively low maintenance while coping with the hot and often dry conditions common in Ongar, which can feel like it has its own microclimate during summer months.
Another important consideration was the local rabbit population, which regularly visited the garden and had a habit of eating young plants. Plant choices therefore needed to be both beautiful and resilient enough to cope with the conditions and wildlife.
The Design
The Design
The design was carefully arranged to create a balance between softer naturalistic planting and more formal structured spaces, allowing the garden to feel both immersive and well organised.
A series of winding pathways guide movement naturally through the garden, encouraging visitors to slow down and experience the planting more closely. The paths weave around large layered planting beds, creating moments of discovery throughout the space and allowing different views and textures to gradually reveal themselves around each turn.
One section of the garden focuses on a softer, informal atmosphere, where naturalistic planting spills gently onto pathways and ornamental grasses bring movement and sound into the space. This area was designed to feel calming, immersive and deeply connected to nature.
In contrast, another part of the garden introduces a more formal space centred around a water feature. Here, stronger structural planting helps create definition and rhythm within the layout while providing year-round form and balance against the softer surrounding planting.
As the garden was designed alongside the extension build, the layout could be integrated carefully with the architecture of the house from the outset, helping create a stronger connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces.
The overall result is a garden that feels layered, relaxed and inviting, while still maintaining enough structure to feel cohesive throughout the seasons.
Planting
Planting forms the heart of the garden and was carefully designed to reflect the balance between the softer naturalistic areas and the more formal structured spaces within the layout.
In the informal sections of the garden, layered perennial planting and ornamental grasses were selected to create softness, movement and a more immersive atmosphere. Grasses were used to rustle gently in the breeze, bringing subtle sound and movement into the space, while fragrant planting was woven throughout the borders so scent could be experienced naturally while moving through the garden.
The planting design palette focuses on soft pinks, whites and fresh green tones, helping create a calm and elegant atmosphere throughout the seasons.
In contrast, the more formal area surrounding the water feature incorporates stronger structural planting to provide rhythm, definition and year-round presence within the space. This combination of softer naturalistic planting and more architectural forms helps create contrast across the garden while ensuring the overall design still feels cohesive and balanced.
Plants were also selected carefully to cope with the hot, dry conditions often experienced in Ongar, alongside the challenge of rabbits regularly visiting the garden. The result is a planting scheme that feels lush and sensory-driven while remaining resilient and relatively low maintenance over time.
The Outcome
The finished garden creates a calm and immersive outdoor space that encourages visitors to slow down and experience the garden through movement, scent, texture and seasonal change.
By balancing softer naturalistic planting with more formal structured areas, the design feels both relaxed and cohesive, with each part of the garden offering a slightly different atmosphere and experience.
The winding pathways and layered planting create a strong sense of discovery throughout the space, while the water feature and structural planting provide moments of stillness and contrast within the overall design.
The result is a sensory garden that feels peaceful, restorative and deeply connected to nature, while remaining practical, resilient and enjoyable throughout the seasons.
“One of the most impressive aspects of working with Zoe was her attention to detail. She carefully selected a variety of flowers that added colour and fragrance to our garden while thriving with minimal maintenance. Her thoughtful approach means our garden remains beautiful season after season without requiring excessive time and effort.”
Leanne H, Ongar, Essex
