The smell of a garden is important to many plant lovers. There is something intangible, almost magical about the addition of fragrance to a planting scheme, enhancing the beauty of the flowers by wafting through the garden and adding a pleasant fragrance to the air. Hence, our sense of smell, as well as sight, are simultaneously stimulated with the aroma of flowers. We often associate the fragrances of certain flowers with those we enjoyed as children, so a fragrant garden can also awaken memories.

 

Those who love herbs will know that leaves can also smell aromatic. Many plants like lavender are grown for their delicious scent produced when rubbed, as are scented Pelagonium and mint.

The fragrance effects us, both transporting us back in time as it brings back special memories and elevating our moods and emotions.

Why does Fragrance Trigger Memories?

It is the way our brains process scents that makes them so powerful in evoking memories and emotions. Aromas, unlike sights, sounds, or tastes, are first processed by the amygdala and the hippocampus – the two parts of the brain that are responsible for memory and emotion.

 

The reason for this phenomenon can vary depending on the science behind it, but many gardeners love the fragrance as much as flowers. It is therefore very important that you plan and plant for fragrance when you are enjoying your garden.

 

What Makes Flowers Fragrant?

In order to ensure their reproductive success, plants and flowers develop scents that attract pollinators. Blooms with bright colours tend to have less scent because they are attractive to pollinators through their colour. The white and yellow blooms don’t stand out to insects as much as the brighter tones do, so they tend to be the most fragrant.

  

Tips for year-round Fragrance

To ensure your garden has fragrance year-round, choose and plan for plants and trees which give fragrance in each season.

 

Try some of my favourites:

 

Spring:

Edgeworthia chyrisantha ‘Grandiflora’

Choisya ternata

 

Summer:

Lavender intermedia ‘Grosso’

Rosa ‘Boscobel’

Philadulphus ‘Belle Etoile’

 

Autumn:

Rosemary officinalis

Abelia grandiflora

Cercidiphyllum japonicum

 

 

Winter:

Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postil’

Viburnum bodnantesnse ‘Dawn’

Hamamelis intermedia