Close your eyes in a garden, and you notice things you'd otherwise walk straight past, like the rustle of grass, the scent of jasmine on the evening air, the softness of a lamb's ear leaf under your fingers. That's the joy of a sensory garden: it's not just something you look at, but something you experience with all five senses. You don't need a huge plot or years of gardening experience to create one; just a few well-chosen plants in a border, some pots by the back door, or even a single fragrant climber can be enough to start bringing a garden to life in this way. British Garden Centres has put together a guide to help you build a garden that engages every sense.

Fragrance

Fragrant plants are the backbone of any sensory garden. Lavender, rosemary and jasmine fill the air with scent and need little upkeep once established. Roses give a rich, classic fragrance, but need fertile, well-drained soil and regular watering and feeding to do well. Jasmine and honeysuckle release their sweetest scent in the evening and are happy in full sun or partial shade. Sweet peas are heavily scented too, though they'll need something to climb and well-drained soil in a sunny spot. Mock orange (Philadelphus) is worth trying if you want something different this year, as its citrus-scented flowers are a highlight of early summer.

Sound

Sound is often the forgotten sense in a garden, but it's worth planning for. Grasses such as Miscanthus and Stipa rustle in the breeze, and bamboo adds a soft clatter on windier days. A water feature brings a trickle of sound that can help drown out traffic noise and encourage a bit of calm. Planting for pollinators, like lavender, echinacea and open-flowered dahlias, brings the hum of bees into the mix too. Wind chimes hung on pergolas or trees can add a nice musical touch without taking over.

Texture

Plants with interesting textures give a garden another layer to explore by touch. Lamb's ear has soft, velvety leaves, while cordyline is spiky and architectural. Heuchera has smooth, sometimes ruffled foliage, and ornamental grasses bring flowing leaves and feathery flower spikes. Silver sage has large, felt-like leaves, and ferns add delicate, feathery fronds.

Hostas contribute broad, ribbed leaves, thyme has small, densely packed foliage, and Lady's Mantle has soft, scalloped leaves that catch raindrops well. Sea holly, with its spiky, almost metallic foliage, is another good addition if you want contrast alongside the softer textures.

Colour

A good pop of colour makes the biggest difference to how a sensory garden looks and feels. Tulips, dahlias and pansies come in a huge range of hues and are an easy way to build up colour through the seasons.

Roses come in pink, red, white, peach and yellow, and lavender varieties range through purple, blue and white. Fuchsias bring vivid pinks and purples in summer, and hydrangeas offer large flower heads in pink, blue or white. Dahlias add reds, pinks and oranges. Lupins, delphiniums, foxgloves, crocuses and peonies are all worth considering too, whether for borders or pots.

Edible delights

Edible plants add a rewarding extra dimension, for adults and children alike. Mint, basil and chives are useful in the kitchen and release scent when brushed against, so they earn their place on more than one sense. Strawberries and raspberries give you something to actually taste straight from the garden.

Other fruit like blueberries and apples are worth growing if you have the space, and vegetables such as tomatoes, peas and carrots bring the garden to the plate. Edible flowers like nasturtiums, calendula, and violas look good in a border and can be used in salads too.

Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres, said: “Sensory gardens are a fantastic way to use your outdoor space to awaken and indulge our senses, nurturing our wellbeing in the process. With fragrant blooms like roses and jasmine, textured foliage such as Lamb's ear and cordyline, vibrant colours from tulips to dahlias, and edible delights like mint and strawberries, you create the sensory experience you are looking for in your outdoor space.”