Description:
Murray & Associates, Landscape Architecture were commissioned by Dundalk Urban District Council in 2001 to prepare a landscape masterplan and management proposals for the development of a Sensory Garden on the site of St.Leonard’s Garden in Dundalk town centre. Located within the urban fabric of Dundalk the proposed development of the Sensory Garden offered an uncommon opportunity to develop a high quality urban green space within the town centre. Construction commenced on the public garden in early 2007 and the redevelopment was completed in approximately 6 months.
The design proposals endeavoured to achieve the following:
- To provide a high quality urban space which is respectful of and also reflects the cultural history and archaeology of St.Leonard’s Garden.
- To provide a sensory garden which is richly detailed and executed in a stimulating manner.
- The brief outlined by Dundalk Urban District council particularly cites full accessibility for visitors to the park requiring assisted mobility.
The Site
St.Leonard’s Garden occupies a green space within Dundalk town centre located at a short walking distance from the main commercial, business and administrative centre of the town. St.Leonard’s Garden is adjacent to Roden Place at the convergence of Chapel Street and Seatown Street.
St.Leonard’s Garden occupies the site of a ruined Abbey and disused cemetery of the same name. There are a number of artefacts on the site which reflect its history, archaeology and sense of place. These artefacts will be retained and in part relocated to appropriate areas of the Garden.
Landscape proposals
The development of a sensory garden is executed through the detailing of surfaces, structures and planting of the proposed masterplan. The circulation pattern of pathways is regularly or rationally organised approximating a grid formation and relating in an abstracted manner to the structure of the former abbey. Against this geometry the texture of planting, paved surfaces, structures and artefacts allows for provision of colour, sound, texture, taste and aroma.
At present the boundaries of St.Leonard’s Garden is defined by the existing walls. At the boundary of the gardens with Seatown Street new railings, beech hedging and semi-mature specimen trees are proposed to define the Garden. The park entrance ramp will also be defined by a gateway. The entrance ramp will be fitted with a metal hand-rail which is textured on the surface.
Detailed Design
Careful consideration is given to the treatment of surfaces in the sensory garden in order to generate a ground plane which is textured and fully wheelchair accessible. The main circulation route through the park is organised by an axial path which begins at the ramped entrance and terminates at the mass rock which commands a prominent position and termination point of the park. From the main pathway a series of spaces and secondary paths are organised. The paths are surfaced with panels of bound gravel and rumbled paving. Different sound and textures are generated by the sound of gravel and by these changes in surface.
The pre-existing location of the Mass Rock is retained in the sensory garden. The approach to the Mass rock is defined by semi-mature specimen tree planting. This creates a defined and visually permeable congregation space. The rock is raised on a plinth.
The stone font is relocated in the north east corner of the Garden. The existing area is shaded by two large mature trees which lends this area to the formation of a shaded, humid part of the sensory garden and to the introduction of water elements. The surface of the area occupied by the stone font will be aligned with the thyme lawn at the approach to the Mass rock. This space is defined by climbing plants, ferns and other shade tolerant plants, and the existing, partial, renovated stone wall boundary. The entrance to the font area is defined by a rain curtain water sculpture which pre-figures the stone font in the spatial sequence and generates sound.
The spaces within the Sensory Garden are in part defined by tree planting and raised planters. The raised planting areas serve two functions, namely to overlay the sensory garden on the existing dissused cemetery and also to bring the aromatic and scented planting closer to hand height for park visitors, particularly wheel chair users. The raised planters, of varying height will be constructed of block and faced with stone or similar.
The planting in St.Leonard’s Gardens will be of the following types: Semi-mature tree planting of evergreen oak (Quercus ilex), native oak (Quercus robur), horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) beech (Fagus sylvatica) andbirch (Betula sp.).
Aromatic and medicinal plants are used in raised planters and as ground cover to generate aroma and texture in the sensory garden. Herbs and aromatic plants relate to the history of the site and to traditional planting in monastic gardens for example lavender, rosemary, mint, thyme, camomile, and bay laurel.
Flowering shrub planting generate aroma, colour and texture and to an extent define the pathways and spaces within the sensory garden. Large blocks of planting are used for elements of colour particularly appealing for park visitors with impaired vision. This planting includes ornamental grasses, Perovskia, Ceanothus, Hebe, box, rose and jasmine.
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