[missycat]

I am helping to set up a sensory garden for children aged 3-5yrs and want to ensure that plants give good value for money and are safe for the children to handle (not poisonous, no  irritant sap/hairs).
We already grow edible plants but would like some scented,  touchy-feely or visually interesting plants for the boundary fences and close to paths.
Can anyone suggest possible candidates?
Thanks

[Yorkie]

Herbs are the obvious ones but you've already got those.  Buddleia perhaps?

Found these two different resources on t'interweb

http://www.videojug.com/film/an-introduction-to-sensory-gardens

http://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/information/factsheets/sensory_ip.html

[Aunt Sally]

Lambs ear plants are fury




Honesty seed pods rattle when ripe

[Goosegirl]

Stipa tenuissima is lovely, flows with the breeze and touchable like newly-washed hair - seeds around a bit but ..., also Pasque flower (Pulsatilla) - lovely seed heads, Lad's Love (Artemisia abrotanum a.k.a. Southernwood) - crush the leaves and it's a lovely scent, scented rockery-type dianthus, Juncus ensifolius a.k.a. "Flying hedgehogs" - a small rush-like plant from Johnson's seeds, sunflowers (how high???), clematis - again with lovely seed heads, Alchemilla mollis - lovely when the raindrops settle on the leaves but seeds around a bit, purply-leaves heucheras - when the sun shines through their leaves it shows up their colour like jewels and they send out sprays of flowers in summer and again in autumn, Rosa primula - the Incence rose - smells of incense after rain, cotoneaster horizontalis - looks great especially after it has frost on it, Sedum spectabile - great for butterflies, garlic chives - edible and hoverflies love the white flowers... I couild go on!!! Check suitability for small kids first as I don't know that side of it.

[missycat]

Thank you for the replies, I'll work through all your suggestions to check suitability and availability.
We can't start planting yet as the hard landscaping isn't  complete and we can't have access to the area until the builders vacate but I can start on a proposed planting scheme.
I'll try to post pictures at a later date.

[Bizzi Lizzi]

Lavender!  Perfect in every way.

[Bizzi Lizzi]

How about some camomile.

[viettaclark]

Curry plant! Stinks of curry, has silver foliage and yellow flowers. Grows quickly and easy to keep. Looks v. pretty next to lavender......

[Aunt Sally]

How about Chocolate cosmos, the flowers smell of chocolate.

[blackisgreen]

lemon balm, lavenders,rosemary,chives,fenneland of course lemon verbena

[Bizzi Lizzi]

Different varieties of mint.  You can really get some smashers.

[chrissie B]

there are loads of different smelling basil , ive had a fewin my garden just for the smell nice little flower and loads of seeds to collect for next time
chrissie b