Set within the popular War Memorial Park, the Community Sensory Garden is a lovely place to spend some time

Community Sensory Garden | War Memorial Park

• Opening Times: Open all day, all year round.
• Location: War Memorial Park, Kenilworth Road, CV3 6PT
• Prices: FREE

In 2019, after a survey of Park users' experiences, the new Community Sensory Garden was created to enhance the enjoyment of the Park for people of all abilities. Working with Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind, the Samaritans, Grapevine and some very enthusiastic volunteers, this new corner of the Park is wheelchair-accessible, and full of plants to stimulate all the senses. It also has a flexible seating area designed to counter isolation and encourage conversation. It's a community project, with community involvement in planting and maintaining it.

Sensory Garden

The Sensory Garden is a peaceful, welcoming, social space for people of all abilities. By creating a sensory garden and community allotment in this safe, easily accessible area, those who are visually impaired, disabled or socially isolated can meet and safely enjoy an environment specially designed to meet their needs. The aim is for the new space to be fully accessible and inclusive. The sensory garden invites community involvement within the space by introducing seating which encourages socialisation as opposed to the traditional park benches. The allotment area is carefully planned to be accessible to people with different needs: including raised beds that are wheelchair-friendly, and sensory planting to enable people with visual impairment to navigate the beds. The planting will encourage wildlife and enhance the natural environment. The aim of the space is to be safe, accessible and inclusive; a peaceful haven where people can meet, talk, learn and enjoy. Varied vegetable varieties both old & new and salad crops will be planted and cultivated to be used for educational purposes with workshops & classes being organised to show how to grow and use the produce from the plants.

The sensory garden is designed to thrill the senses:

• Smell: lavender, lilac, salvia, phlox, herbs.
• Sight: shape and colour – lupin, foxglove, potentilla, sunflower.
• Taste: herbs, fruit and vegetables.
• Touch: lambs ears, fennel, astilbe, aruncus.
• Sound: ornamental grasses, wind chimes, buzz of insects.

Sound seat

Sound Seat is a sensory sculpture created for Coventry's War Memorial Park by artists Rosie Tee & Bryony Simcox.

Inspired by natural forms and Coventry's green soundscape, this musical destination in the Sensory Garden aims to bring communities together and combat loneliness. A place for calm reflection, creators Rosie & Bryony invite people to sit, listen and play with meditative instruments, nestled amongst nature. Accompanied by an atmospheric, site-specific soundtrack composed by Rosie.

Facilities at War Memorial Park

• Several places to eat including the Gelato Bar and Park Bistro
• Visitor Centre providing information, toilets and baby change.
• Three car parks (3 hours free parking)
• For more information on War Memorial Park, click here

The Friends of the War Memorial Park Group has actively supported the park since 2006. They aim to continue supporting the maintenance of the facilities, as well as further improvements and enhancements for the benefit of the local community.