Carter School's Sensory Garden wins national design award

BOSTON – The William E. Carter School in the South End has won a national award for its innovative Sensory Garden and Outdoor Classroom.  The American Horticultural Therapy Association recognized the garden with the Therapeutic Garden  Design Award at its national conference recently in Lexington, Kentucky.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Boston Public Schools officials joined families and supporters of the school to dedicate the 16,450-square-foot garden in October 2007.  It was designed to create sensory appeal and learning motivation for students who are educationally challenged by severe cognitive and developmental disabilities.  The garden, funded through public and private sources, features wheelchair-accessible pathways through tall grass, plants and flowers, leading to interactive installations, swings, and water features.

Watch a 7-minute video about the garden, hosted by Roger Swain from the PBS program Victory Garden:

You may also watch a full-length 25-minute video about the project produced by the Mayor's Office of Cable Communications.

Formed in 1973, the American Horticultural Therapy Association has helped horticultural therapy gain acceptance as a unique and dynamic human service program. AHTA’s members include more than 800 individuals and organizations located across the U.S. and abroad.  For more information, visit www.ahta.org.