The Uk’s first Biosonification Garden
When Alan Partridge unveiled his very own garden design at RHS Hampton Court in 2025, it made headlines across the country. Afterwards, Alan generously gifted his Sound Bath Garden to the people of Norfolk by way of Pensthorpe, where it could live on and be enjoyed. Alan Partridge, played by Steve Coogan, designed The Alan Partridge Sound Bath Garden in collaboration with Norfolk-based design company Carey Garden Design Studio.
Now, we’ve taken Alan’s original garden and reimagined it in collaboration with award-winning Carey Design Studio and pioneering sound artist Justin Wiggan, giving it a bold new chapter and a permanent home at Pensthorpe.
From Sound Bath to Sound Garden
Alan’s original vision was a garden where people could relax, reflect and enjoy the benefits of sound and nature. Building on that legacy, we’ve evolved the concept into East Anglia’s FIRST permanent biosonification sound garden – a space where plants themselves create music.
How it Works
Every plant in this garden is alive with music – you just can’t hear it, until now.
Through the art of biosonification, tiny electrodes are placed on the leaves of selected plants, detecting the micro-currents that flow as they breathe, drink, and respond to light. These signals are then translated into digital notes using MIDI, the same universal language musicians use to create melodies.
The result is an ever-changing living orchestra, where nature composes its own soundtrack:
? Signals to Symphony
Each plant has its own voice – some bright and harp-like, others deep and resonant like a cello. These voices merge into a 20-minute collective symphony, enveloping listeners in harmony and movement. No two performances are ever the same, because the plants are constantly responding to their environment.
? Seasonal Soundscapes
The garden’s soundscape changes four times a year – autumn, winter, spring, and summer – each one attuned to the natural rhythms of the season. In autumn, you might hear warm, golden tones of renewal; in spring, bright harmonies of growth and optimism. Return each season and the garden will sound completely different.
? Solfeggio Frequencies
To deepen the wellness aspect, each soundscape is tuned using ancient Solfeggio frequencies – tonal patterns used for centuries in meditation and healing. These frequencies are known to evoke specific emotional responses:
528 Hz – Autumn: transformation, healing, and renewal.
396 Hz – Winter: grounding and reflection.
639 Hz – Spring: harmony and joy.
741 Hz – Summer: vitality and abundance.
By weaving these tones into the biosonification process, the garden becomes more than a sound installation – it’s a living, breathing wellness experience, aligning body, mind and nature in perfect balance.
? An Invitation to Pause
Follow the path and stop at each numbered point to hear individual plants “sing.” Notice how each sound changes as you move through the garden – colour, movement, light, and sound blending together. Stay for the crescendo at the end, where all six plant voices unite in a collective harmony that seems to breathe with the rest of Pensthorpe.
A Garden for Everyone
Even if biosonification isn’t your thing, the garden remains a stunning, tranquil space. Sculptural design, immersive planting and a rich soundscape make it a beautiful place to explore and unwind – while continuing Alan’s legacy in its new home.
? Opening October half-term 2025. Hear nature like never before.
The Team Behind The Garden
Carey Garden Design Studio
Joe and Laura Carey, the husband-and-wife duo behind the award-
winning Carey Garden Design Studio in North Norfolk, are known for their creativity and vision in the world of horticulture. As multi-RHS gold
medalists, they create gardens for both private and public spaces across the UK. In 2025, they designed a
garden for Audible in collaboration with Steve Coogan and his iconic character Alan Partridge. Here at Pensthorpe, they have reimagined their gold medal-winning RHS garden, which now features a walk-through sound journey designed to bring the concept of biosonification to life.
Justin Wiggan
Justin Wiggan is a pioneering UK sound artist whose work explores the hidden connections between sound, nature, memory, and wellbeing. With over two decades of practice, he has developed a unique language of biosonification – transforming the unseen signals of plants, water, light, and even the human body into immersive soundscapes.
“When we listen to plants, we hear
more than sound. We hear the slow breath of nature translated into music. Biosonification allows us to tune in to
the unseen life force around us, to stand still and realise: these plants are not silent – they are expressive, they are active, and they are part of our emotional landscape. By sharing their voices, I want visitors to feel connection, calm, and a sense of harmony with the living garden.”
– Justin Wiggan
Team Pensthorpe
Every detail of this garden was brought to life by the Pensthorpe team and our fantastic volunteers – a group of people who care deeply about Pensthorpe and the wildlife that call it home.
What began as a concept on paper soon became months of hands-on work: unloading lorries, positioning cables, preparing soil, planting
hundreds of grasses and perennials by hand, and tuning every element to the rhythm of the reserve around it.
From the horticulture team shaping the borders to the maintenance team laying pathways and irrigation, the biosonification garden became a true team effort. It’s the same group who curate our sculpture trail, and welcome visitors every day – and they poured that same pride and attention into every plant, stone, and sensor.
