GARDENING
Making scents of beautiful garden aromas
A
garden full of scents is not always from the perfume of the flowers and blossom but often from the leaves that contribute to its mystery.
Many components - colour, height, form and movement – make up a garden but smell is often overlooked. We often plant something because its fragrance reminds us of another place and time. Scent can take us back to a forgotten moment in our past and to remind us strongly of people and places. Phlox always reminds me of my grandmother and her garden and it is sometimes by accident that we put a fragrant plant into the garden for other reasons. A hidden unexpected perfume can be intriguing and arouse a curiosity to our surroundings so a carefully chosen plant that might not be so visually stunning can be incorporated because of the scent alone. Scent is the secret weapon of the winter garden. With so few pollinating insects around, the plant must work exceptionally hard to attract them. Mahonia, winter flowering clematis, Viburnam bodnantense, Daphne, Hammamelis are all perfect for attracting the pollinators. In the summer there are many fragrant plants, none more so than the rose but it is those plants trying to attract night pollinators, including moths, that are the most fragrant in the evening. Nicotiana sylvestris - the flowering tobacco plant with pure white tubular flowers above the foliage - is perfect at the back of the border so too is the sweet rocket, Hersperis, which really can earn its keep for its heady evening fragrance.
Night scented stocks as the name suggests and phlox show off their strongest fragrance on a warm summer evening. Over the months I’ve pointed out the virtues of highly scented plants and no English garden is complete without sweet peas or the sage smell of Salvia hot lips. It is not always about the flower though and for any curious gardener keen to incorporate fragrant foliage, herbs can contribute to the show and awaken the senses. Try chocolate mint, pineapple mint and strawberry mint and if you introduce them next to a pathway or near a bench you can appreciate them when passing by. Along with roses, many climbing plants are perfect to cover bare walls and fences. Other than Honeysuckle, Trachelospermum is one of my favourite plants for its sweet smell over a long flowering period. Philadelphus or mock orange is interesting as its cup-shaped white flowers remind us of orange blossom from our holidays in warmer climates. Think about adding more scents into the garden. It will entice you to linger longer and fully appreciate and enjoy what the garden has to offer, not just on long summer evenings but all year round.
Karl Strawbridge
Wagon House Gardens The Jinney Ring Craft Centre, Hanbury, B60 4BU Tel: 01527 821421
August jobs in the garden Prune back long new growth on wisteria Dead head perennials regularly to promote more flowers Trim lavender once flowering is over to maintain a compact plant Water any newly planted areas in dry spells Pick sweet peas to stop them going to seed
10 Completely Bromsgrove
