Elsie McCarthy Sensory Garden

The Elsie McCarthy Sensory Garden is located in Glendale, Arizona. This unique garden was developed to stimulate the senses of sight, sound, smell, and touch, making it particularly accessible for visually impaired visitors. The garden is the first of its kind in Arizona specifically designed to create a fully immersive experience for those with visual impairments.

The garden's history is rooted in the legacy of Elsie McCarthy, a long-time Valley resident and avid gardener who continued her passion even after losing her eyesight. Through a bequest in her will, McCarthy donated funds to establish a scented and tactile garden for the visually handicapped, with the sole requirement that it be dedicated to her father, Robert Henry Bourdon.

Visitors to the garden can explore five distinct areas: the Wisdom Garden, the Celebration Garden, the Contemplation Garden, the Reflection Garden, and the Story Totem Garden. Each area features unique elements and water features designed to engage different senses. The main entry contains a tactile map, allowing visually impaired visitors to feel the garden's layout and understand its design.

The Celebration Garden showcases four labyrinth rocks with unique maze designs etched into each block, inviting visitors to trace the patterns with their fingers. The Story Totem Garden features a sculpture called "Seeing Beyond" by artists Joan Baron and Robert Miley, which incorporates a tile mosaic with water trickling through its center.

The garden boasts a diverse array of plant life, including trees, shrubs, and groundcovers selected for their sensory qualities. Visitors can experience the textures and scents of various plants such as Desert Museum Palo Verde, Mexican Bird of Paradise, Desert Lavender, Cherry-Red Sage, and Purple Prickly-Pear, among others.

Throughout the garden, specific plants and trees have been chosen for their unique textures and scents. Water features provide auditory and visual stimulation, while evening lighting creates dramatic visual effects. These elements combine to make the Elsie McCarthy Sensory Garden one of Glendale's most distinctive locations.