15/04/2026
The forgotten space in aged care and disability homes is having its time in the sun. As we work through the new Aged Care reforms, we are finding that gardens are becoming core design assets in new projects, not just fresh air spaces. Rising expectations for wellbeing‑centred environments are pushing providers to demonstrate quality‑of‑life outcomes. And gardens can deliver exactly that: sensory stimulation, mobility confidence, social connection, and calmer dementia‑friendly spaces. For specialist design accommodation gardens enhance autonomy and reduce behavioural distress. And the added good news is that gardens enable providers to meet the higher expectations and standards relatively affordably. Below is the sensory garden at the award-winning Brightwater Huntington’s Disease Campus in Piara Waters, designed by KPA Architects.