Coronation Park Dementia Garden

On the site of the former Parkside School playing field in Cramlington you can find a lovely new garden to sit in and relax, but this garden is not your ordinary, bog-standard garden space. The garden has been designed to be dementia friendly, meaning people suffering from dementia will find it a stimulating, sensory experience that can help with the symptoms of the disease.

It is thought that by the year 2050, 2 million people in the UK will suffer from dementia or some form of memory loss so this type of space will potentially have a big impact on the health and wellbeing of many of us in the future. Research has demonstrated that being outdoors with the stimulus of gardens, plants, fresh air and nature can help to lift the mood of dementia sufferers and make them feel less agitated and confused.

This garden will help provide an opportunity for exercise and social interaction as well as being filled with plants and scents that may be familiar to sufferers. The garden is also a great resource for those who aren't suffering from the disease and will no doubt provide similar health benefits.

The garden is enclosed to prevent people wandering off and has lots of seating for rest as well as handrails and raised planting beds for less mobile visitors. The routes around the garden are circuitous to avoid disorientating dead ends and are laid in a yellow / buff surface which is easy to follow. Timber shelters provide shade from the sun and shelter from the wind and rain.

While primarily for human use the garden has not forgotten about our animal and insect friends. The garden is packed with colourful and scented plants and trees in a series of “borders” and “beds” such as the rose bed, cottage garden border, shaded border and bee and butterfly border.

The trees and plants in each of these areas have been chosen to suit the location and, along with the wildflower meadows, are excellent for encouraging pollinators. There are bird nesting boxes on the fence, bird baths and three bug hotels which will provide insects with a place to shelter throughout the seasons.

The idea for the garden came from Cramlington Town Council, with help from Cramlington Dementia Friendly Partnership, and was designed by Garden Designer, Natasha McEwan with my own company producing construction drawings and project managing it on site. It was opened in May of 2025 by Her Grace, The Duchess of Northumberland and is already proving popular with residents of the town.