Islanders’ senses work overtime during tour of Candie Gardens

The free lunchtime event was inspired by a three-day cultural celebration of gardens organised by the French government’s Ministry of Culture entitled Rendez-vous aux Jardins, the theme of which this year was the five senses.

The group, led by Guernsey Arts’ community and public realm officer Jade Kershaw, began their walk on Victoria Terrace, before heading down to the gardens’ lower section and finishing near the glasshouses.

Miss Kershaw said that there was so much to hear, see and touch in the gardens, which made them the perfect place to host the event.

‘We are very keen on building our sensory offering in order to reach out more,’ she said.

‘This is a great way for people to be in touch with their senses and really become immersed in the beauty of the gardens.’

One of the activities she had planned for the group was to create maps based on what they could hear.

‘I wanted them to explore the sounds they could hear around them, listen to all of the different layers, and then draw whatever came into their mind.

‘The different textures and patterns you can hear if you really listen carefully are incredible.’

Friends Aude Regnard and Danielle Sebire were attending the tour on their lunch break, and had enjoyed its calming nature.

‘Being French I was curious to see what it was all about,’ Miss Regnard said.

‘It’s been nice to see the whole garden.’

Miss Sebire added that she had liked trying to visualise what she could hear, but was unconvinced by the drawings she had

produced.

‘I’m not the best artist

but it was fun to have a go,’ she said.

Fellow group member Gaby Betley said she was grateful to have had the opportunity to explore the gardens in a relaxed way.

‘I’m a tour guide so I don’t usually get to be the one listening and learning, it’s given me a different aspect of how to take everything in,’ she said.

‘The air is so clean and the colours are so strong, and you get a real sense of the history of the gardens as well.’