12 Plants That Helen Keller Loved In Her Feeling Garden (And How To Make Your Own)

Wow, Helen Keller really had a green thumb! Even though she was blind and deaf, she loved surrounding herself with beautiful, fragrant plants. Keller was so tuned into nature, and her garden was a real sanctuary for her. She especially adored flowers with lovely scents and interesting textures, like daffodils, poppies, and pansies. Keller said she felt so happy and connected to her plants, as if they were popping up to greet her. It’s amazing how she could experience and appreciate the garden in such a unique way.

Keller had a special “green circle” in her garden, with a privet hedge on one side and little evergreen trees on the other. She loved walking that path and reaching out to touch the different plants. Keller also raved about the wisteria vine, lilacs, dogwoods, and fragrant peonies and roses in her garden. It’s clear she had an incredible bond with nature and found so much joy in her sensory garden.

I bet Helen just loved the cheerful daffodils popping up in her garden each spring. She must have adored their sunny colors and lovely fragrance. There are so many beautiful daffodil varieties with delightful scents, like the double ‘White Lion,’ the pale orange and white ‘Sir Winston Churchill,’ or the pretty pink and white ‘Replete.‘

Keller mentioned loving the “crimson beauty” of Oriental poppies, so she probably would have adored the cold-hardy, fragrant Iceland poppies too. With their bright, colorful blooms, these flowers would have been a real treat for Keller’s senses.

Pansies were one of Keller’s favorites, along with poppies and pinks. She loved feeling their shapes and colors. Pansies come in so many fun combinations, and you could also grow the similar-looking but sweeter-smelling violas in her garden.

Pinks, or carnations, were another favorite of Keller’s. She must have loved their lovely spicy-sweet scent and their soft, frilly blooms. Pinks are such classic cottage garden plants, and they’re easy to grow in sunny spots. If you deadhead the first round of blooms, you’ll get a fresh batch of buds.

The sweet, heady scent of lilacs must have been a real treat for Keller. She mentioned the bushes blooming earlier than usual, so she was clearly excited to enjoy their fleeting springtime show. Lilacs need plenty of sun to bloom their best, and if they start underperforming over time, there are some tricks to help revive them.

Keller’s “green circle” path must have been so lovely, with the privet hedge on one side and the small evergreens on the other. I can just imagine her walking down that path, reaching out to feel the different textures of the plants. Privet hedges are still very common today – their lush, glossy leaves create such a nice, green wall.

Keller loved the blooming dogwood trees in her garden, with their beautiful, spreading branches. Dogwoods make such elegant focal points, with their showy spring flowers in white or pale pink. The shape and form of these small ornamental trees must have been a real delight for Keller to experience.

The heavenly scent and soft, velvety blooms of the wisteria vine must have been a real treat for Keller. Wisteria is a magnificent plant, but it can be quite aggressive, so it needs regular trimming and strong support. Still, the lovely fragrance makes the effort worthwhile.

Keller adored the fragrant white peonies in her garden, saying she had loved them since childhood. These big, lush blooms would have been a real highlight, with their divine scent and soft, velvety petals. Fragrant peony varieties like ‘Duchesse de Nemours,’ ‘Gardenia,’ and ‘Bowl of Cream’ would have been perfect for Keller’s sensory garden.

It’s no surprise that Keller loved having fragrant red roses in her garden. The rich, intoxicating scent of these classic blooms must have been heavenly for her. Varieties like ‘Mister Lincoln,’ ‘Lady in Red,’ and ‘Dark Cherry’ have particularly lovely, robust fragrances.