‘AHS Youth Sensory Gardening Manual’ cover. | The American Horticultural Society
The American Horticultural Society (AHS) has introduced the AHS Youth Sensory Gardening Manual, a new free digital resource detailing how to create gardens to support children’s health. The manual was created by AHS in collaboration and authored by Dr. Amy Wagenfeld, a professor at the University of Washington and past presenter at the AHS National Children & Youth Garden Symposium. Through an additional collaboration with Kids Cancer Connection, AHS will provide more than 200 hospitals throughout the country with the Youth Sensory Gardening Manual to support their efforts in children’s health.
“AHS is pleased to announce this new Youth Sensory Gardening Manual, which ensures that all children and young people can enjoy spending time in gardens and enjoy the health benefits from thoughtful outdoor spaces that feel comfortable to them,” says AHS President and CEO, Suzanne Laporte.
Using neuroscience, developmental theory, horticultural therapy, and garden design, this interdisciplinary manual establishes the specific health benefits derived from connecting with nature, followed by details of how the sensory systems enable those benefits. Readers explore each of the eight external and internal sensory systems to learn how people process each sense, sensory processing challenges, and how to support a range of sensory experiences and behaviors. The manual also addresses techniques for universal design and supporting all kinds of inclusion. The appendix includes tools for charting sensory gardening goals and building corresponding plants and materials palettes.
While medical professionals who work with children will find this manual especially useful, the manual is accessible to anyone who works with children or is seeking a resource on sensory gardening. Similarly, while adults with neurodivergent children in their lives will find this manual especially relevant, the manual provides material addressing children of all sensory experiences.
Courtney Alsua, AHS Director of National Programs, explains, “Scientific research demonstrates that gardening supports children’s health and development. This manual shares expertise on sensory garden design and techniques so that children of all backgrounds can thrive and engage with plants.”
Learn More About the ‘AHS Youth Sensory Gardening Manual’
The AHS Youth Sensory Gardening Manual is available for free on the AHS website as part of its Educator Resources.
For interviews with the author, or for questions about AHS educational resources and other programs, contact Daniel Vincent, AHS Director of Membership and Communications, at [email protected].