A garden for the blind

Flowers in the garden are bright, colourful, and strongly-scented

A new "sensory garden" has opened in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

The garden has been designed for blind and visually impaired people as well as wheelchair users.

The Harold Bennett Sensory Garden was created on the site of a garden for the blind in the Abbey gardens which was first planted with fragrant herbs over ten years ago.

St Edmundsbury Borough Council has been working with the West Suffolk Voluntary Association for the Blind to improve the garden.

New features include a pergola running around three sides with climbing plants trained over it, chosen for their bright colours and fragrance.

Wisteria, thornless roses, and lavender are some of the strongly-scented varieties of flowers featured in the garden.

There are also tactile differences in paving stones, handrails and ramps to help people move around the garden easily.