Small Steps Sensory Planting
Richmond, London
Small Steps is a charity that helps physically disabled children under 5 and their families. This is their first permanent home designed by JTP architects. The brief was to design the entrance using sensory planting and a water feature. There are lots of herbs to provide scent, with lavender, sage and rosemary placed to scent the way up the ramp and honeysuckle and jasmine climbing the wall to twine around the balustrade and provide scent at entrance level. The bespoke water feature made to CRGD design creates movement and sound, and the brightly coloured flowers and planters lift the spirits. Most of the plants were provided free of charge by Petersham Nurseries, and the planting was carried out by the staff, who took time out of their teaching and caring duties to shovel top soil and manure in the pouring rain, as well as helping plant the lovely bright orange planters. Can you guess the charity's favourite branding colour?
‘There would be nothing that we would have done differently – Catriona understood that we wanted something sensory for our children and created just such an entrance of different smells, textures and visuals that combines so well together. The delight for us are the planters – so specifically created and so ‘Small Steps y’! The icing on the cake is the vibrant water feature that brings additional auditory delight and visuals too. Our children love the tinkling sound of the water. The surprise has been seeing how the planting has established. Catriona had the vision to know what would work well and how it would look. We appreciate it all – it is a joy. ‘
— Anita Coppola MBE, Head of Small Steps.