Oliver is a visually impaired young boy from Badenoch and Strathspey. The story of how Oliver’s Botanical Expedition to Inverness Botanic Gardens started back in Summer 2020 when he received a “Touch and Tell” Green Health Home Pack. Co-ordinated by the Highland Green Health Partnership this was just one of over 2000 Packs delivered to households across the Highlands to support community well-being during Covid 19 lockdown. Oliver’s Pack contained a variety of natural, sensory, items such as – a mini sheepskin rug, lavender, lichen, seeds, compost and pots to grow his own salad and flowers. His letter to us shows how much he enjoyed everything, and he hopes other visually impaired children will benefit from these Packs.
Oliver and his family were happy to share how much he’d got from the Pack and a tour of Inverness Botanic Gardens was planned. He and his family had not visited before and with the help of a Gardener he could explore a unique natural space, experiencing a whole range of new and exotic senses not found in his back garden!
At the Botanic Gardens Oliver experienced the Jungle (Also known as the Banana Bank), dipped into the middle of guava fruit, picked and ate a peach, tried headstands for the first time, explored the fruit cage and discovered the strawberries weren’t quite ready! Lunch at the Botanics Café rounded off a fun-filled morning and he and his mum and dad hope to be back to carry on Oliver’s Botanical Expedition very soon!
