Crivens! Royal Blind and the Broons open Edinburgh Sensory Garden
Royal Blind has launched the exciting new sensory garden at its Edinburgh facility with the nation’s favourite characters, the Broons.
Having written about this very garden in the latest Broons’ publication – The Book o’ Gairdenin’ Wisdoms, the family joined the residents of Braeside House for its official opening.
The garden is specially designed to allow blind and visually impaired individuals enjoy the various elements of the outdoors by appealing to alternative senses. As described by Gairdener Broon, the area comprises “a grand water feature wi’ a pond an’ a waterfall an’ a stream – things ye can hear.” Plants with rich scents and textures are scattered throughout alongside “lots that ye can hear rustlin’ in the wind like long grass an’ trees”.
Marking the occasion, Braeside House resident Archie Watt (89) took the advice of Paw Broon himself and completed the garden “wi’ a very simple bird table”, as illustrated in the new book, which is hoped will encourage songbirds into the space.
Broons’ writer, David Donaldson, will also be creating an exclusive strip of the family’s ‘big day oot’ to the Braeside garden, including some of the individual residents they met, to commemorate the launch. The strip will be also be produced in Braille and donated to the residents of Braeside House.
Commenting on the launch, Chief Executive of Royal Blind, Richard Hellewell, said: “We are all delighted to see the sensory garden open as a result of some truly generous donations by friends of Royal Blind and of Braeside House. And to be launched by the nation’s favourite characters – the Broons – and their creators, who took inspiration from our concept for a storyline, seems a perfectly fitting conclusion to our journey.
“It is important to us to provide a range of facilities at Braeside House that allow residents to experience and enjoy the world around them. Many were in fact with us to celebrate the start of construction, so today’s opening marks an especially significant occasion.”
David Donaldson, scriptwriter of the Broons, added:
“We have been working with Royal Blind and Scottish Braille Press for a number of years to ensure each new title is published in alternative formats at the same time as the mainstream version.
“When we heard about the plans for the sensory garden, we were really inspired. It is an ideal concept to explore with our Granpaw Broon character, through his role as gardening correspondent in the local paper- the Auchentogle Bugle.
“Since publishing the new Book o’ Gairdenin’ Wisdoms, we have been working with Beautiful Scotland to create a brand new category dedicated to sensory gardens. The Best Sensory Garden award is launching next year, sponsored by non other than the Broons’ Auchentogle Allotment Association.”
