Garden Crypt

By Nikki Phipps

Our earliest and fondest memories can oftentimes be related to the powerful fragrances found in a flower garden. Fragrant plants and flowers work well in nearly any type of garden, and when plants are chosen carefully, any garden can be a fragrant garden. In a fragrant mood garden, each plant has its own unique smell. If you were not already aware, scent can be the most potent of all senses, with the power to alter your mood in a variety of ways. With this in mind as you plan your own fragrant garden, let your nose decide the floral arrangements for you. Just remember that different scents appeal to different people.

The first step in designing fragrance in the garden is choosing the best site. Generally, creating a private, enclosed place where the fragrance of your plants can be better appreciated is preferable. This allows the fragrance to collect and intensify. Lilac is one of the most popular fragrant plants, blooming at various times during the spring, depending on the variety. Roses are another popular choice in fragrant gardens, especially the old-time varieties. Herbs are always a great choice as well and the possibilities are endless. Don’t rely on just one plant to provide aroma in our garden. Choose a variety of plants that captivate your sense of smell everywhere you walk and wherever you sit.

When you need refreshing and energy, try putting a little breakfast table by a lemon tree, surrounded by lavender and rosemary. The green herbal and citrus scents enhance wakefulness. If you’re planning a quiet, private garden, a mix of mild-scented flowers like lily-of-the-valleys, lilacs, and roses might be just what the doctor ordered. For a calming and relaxing mood, plant some chamomile, scented geraniums, and roses. To excite your senses, Jasmine, thyme, and orange trees make a lovely fragrant backdrop. For a colorful, yet fragrant experience, try a variety of plants bulbs in the garden such as tuberoses, hyacinths, freesias, and daylilies. Count on year-round fragrance by adding aromatic foliage to the garden, such as lavender, verbena, or scented geranium. Long after the blooming season ends, scented leaves fill the air with a distinctive perfume of their own. Foliage is best placed where it will be touched, like along paths where you brush against leaves as you walk by or between pavers where you crush leaves lightly underfoot. Thyme and chamomile are great along a walkway or placed between paving stones.

Fragrant gardens have the power of changing your moods. Since everyone has different tastes (or senses of smell), the moods will vary from person to person. Regardless of who visits, the typical fragrant garden will bring about feelings of relaxation and happiness in. Some plants evoke fond childhood memories, while others simply create peaceful feelings. Whatever the case, the mood-altering power derived from fragrant gardens is easy to create and can be a refreshing experience from life’s everyday stresses.

Find this and other flower gardening information at Gardening Know How.