This paper presents an exploratory case study which illustrates the first stage of our multi-stage methodology for translating gardens into a multisensory and accessible tour for blind and partially sighted (BPS) visitors and gathering feedback to be used in a future project on producing a smart audio descriptive guide to assist BPS visitors to appreciate gardens in a multisensory way. The key research questions are: how can the multisensory potential of gardens be translated into an accessible experience for BPS visitors? and to what extent can a smart audio descriptive guide enable access to gardens and provide multisensory visitor experiences primarily for BPS visitors? Our multi-stage methodology begins with an exploratory case study in which a group of BPS visitors were led by a human guide on a tour of the historic Hillsborough Castle and Gardens. The first stage involved the tour guide and accessibility expert working closely together to plan the multisensory garden tour. Then the actual tour of the gardens was carried out with a small group of BPS visitors. In-tour questions for the BPS visitors stimulated reflection and feedback, and interviews were carried out at the end of the tour. The paper presents some of the more significant observations which emerged from the tour, and draws conclusions about the extent to which a smart audio descriptive guide could provide many of the benefits of a human guide, and its advantages and inherent limitations. Some of these findings are relevant to those planning similar visits in other garden venues, including for broadening the application for universal access.

本文提出了一个探索性案例研究，说明了我们多阶段方法的第一阶段，该方法将花园转化为盲人和弱视 (BPS) 游客的多感官且无障碍的旅游，并收集反馈用于未来的智能花园项目。音频描述性指南可帮助 BPS 游客以多感官方式欣赏花园。关键的研究问题是：如何将花园的多感官潜力转化为 BPS 游客的便捷体验？智能音频描述性导游能在多大程度上帮助游客进入花园并主要为 BPS 游客提供多感官游客体验？我们的多阶段方法从探索性案例研究开始，其中一群 BPS 游客在一名导游的带领下参观了历史悠久的希尔斯伯勒城堡和花园。第一阶段，导游和无障碍专家密切合作，规划多感官花园之旅。然后，一小群 BPS 游客实际参观了花园。BPS 参观者在参观过程中提出的问题激发了反思和反馈，并在参观结束时进行了采访。本文介绍了旅行中出现的一些更重要的观察结果，并得出了关于智能音频描述性导游可以在多大程度上提供人类导游的许多好处及其优点和固有局限性的结论。其中一些发现与那些计划在其他花园场所进行类似参观的人相关，包括扩大普遍访问的应用范围。