FOR YEARS care home manager Amanda Timms has wanted to create a garden out of a thousand-yard stretch of concrete.

This summer she got her wish.

Yesterday, Swindon’s mayor Maureen Penny cut the ribbon on a new sensory garden at Downs View Care Home, Badbury.

The garden has been over four months in the making and features flowers, herbs, a water feature, sculptures and a small menagerie of animals.

Amanda Timms, who has been registered manager at Downs View for nine years, said: “The garden used to be a concreted space.

“Now, we’ve got a couple of different spaces in the garden, with different sensory planting.”

The home, in Badbury, is home to 50 people suffering from different forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

The outdoor space will help many of those staying at the care home, Amanda said: “The garden is really important: they need outdoor space.

“Some of our residents get very frustrated and all they want to do it get outside. Now, they can do that.”

The garden is completely enclosed, making it a safe space for those staying at the home – as well as any younger children that come to visit their older relatives.

“Our residents can go out into the garden and have their own space,” Amanda said.

The space is now home to rabbits, budgies and a tortoise. The care home’s residents will help look after the animals.

Manager Amanda said of the new animals: “They’re great therapy for people with dementia. Looking after animals just has a very calming effect on people.”

Staff and residents at the care home now planned to take some time to relax in their new garden.

Amanda said: “It’s such a nice, calm environment. You can sit and listen to the sound of the wind chimes.”