Creating a sensory garden for local Leeds School

Over the duration of the summer holidays, our generous team at Aire Park kindly dedicated a handful of their spare hours to help build and create a “Sensory Garden” at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in the Hunslet area of Leeds.

This space was transformed from an unused and empty courtyard into a green, lush, and stimulating play area. We are thrilled to hear it has proven very popular with the children returning to School earlier this month, commenting “It is so cool, I hope the birds come into the garden”.

Putting his carpentry skills to great use, our Gatesman, Richard Thompson made all the furniture from old wooden pallets and tables from cable drums that were no longer needed and repurposed them from our City Centre site, Aire Park. These were then up-cycled further and decorated with colours and patterns that the children customised themselves.

Other garden features included the geometric raised flower beds of different shapes and heights, bird houses and bug boxes attached to the fence, old tyre tubs for plants and shrubs, improved ground surface with wooden kerbs and freshly laid bark.

Several members of the team worked hard to add the final touches in the garden including the wonderful wavey mirrors hiding behind the flowerbeds and the mysterious metallic signs hanging from above.

“We are incredibly happy with the sensory garden. We wanted a space that would create a calm environment and offer a diverse opportunity for learning, and this has been achieved! It is now a wonderful space for all our children and staff to enjoy, explore and learn.  Thank you to all involved”.

Ciara Munnelly, Deputy Headteacher, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.

We’d like to thank the suppliers and contractors who assisted and helped us deliver this local school project.

• Palmer Landscapes / Adam Palmer – supplied of soil, bark mulch and plants (and assistance with the works)
• SP Smiths Painting Contractors Ltd – supplied the paint and brushes
• Beauparc / LSS – supplied the skip
• MTG Plant – supplied the excavator

It has been a delight to support the local community around us and we are keen to continue enhancing the lives of others in the places we work.