MISSOULA — A Missoula shelter for children in crisis now has an outdoor sensory garden where kids can practice mindfulness by engaging their senses and interacting with nature.
Pro Sweep Plus, a local outdoor maintenance company, designed and built the sensory garden on the lawn of Watson Children's Shelter at no cost to the organization. Matt Watts, president of Pro Sweep Plus, and his colleagues planted around 2 dozen varieties of plants, including fruit trees, ornamental grasses, pollinator plants, and colorful flowers.
"What we were looking for is bringing together an outdoor facility that kids could explore and get more familiar with the ecological process of our environment," Watts said.
Watts said the project was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.
Check out the garden here:
"To see the ecological process of the birds and the bees pollinating and the benefits of the fruit or the vegetables that they can grow in the garden can bring a sense of calming," Watts said. "And I think when all else is chaos, they can come here for a sense of relief."
Andrew Vashchenko, Watson's director of development, said the shelter received everything it needed to bring the garden to life without spending a dime.
"All of the materials used, all the labor just completely free to us as an organization, and just so thoughtful," Vashchenko said. "The kids are going to have such a wonderful time playing in this garden this spring and summer."
Vashchenko said the impact of the garden is expected to extend well beyond the current group of children at the shelter.
"And building something that's going to last for years and years and years to come, and so truly hundreds if not thousands of kids in the future are going to love this garden during its lifetime," Vashchenko said.
Some of the children have already explored the garden. Organizers say they are excited to watch simple containers become vibrant beds of food and flowers.
