Christmas is fast approaching, and perfume houses will soon be tempting us to buy fragrances for our nearest and dearest.
Christmas is fast approaching, and perfume houses will soon be tempting us to buy fragrances for our nearest and dearest. No doubt they'll do a roaring trade, but to my mind natural perfume can't be beaten. Fragrant plants and flowers add another dimension to a garden; it's one thing looking out onto the garden from a window, but quite another walking through it and exposing all your senses to the plants around you.
When I blogged about fragrant plants in May, I asked readers about their favourite plants for scent. Mary Elizabeth chose lilac: "absolutely gorgeous. If a plant doesn't have scent then it doesn't come into my garden. Without scent the garden is sterile."
"The smell that takes my breath away is lovely wisteria … truly divine" said Sarah, while ScotiaLass chose Skimmia 'Rubella', honeysuckle, philadelphus and the old cottage garden pink 'Mrs Sinkins'.
Lili went for spring-flowering viburnum ("the smell is exquisite"), while Diane recommended jasmine. Others favoured lilies, geum, nicotiana, lily of the valley, and pansies.
Roses are a big favourite with many, often because of their fragrance. In the Gardeners' World 2010 Awards you voted for your favourite roses for scent, with 'Gertrude Jekyll' taking the top spot, with nearly a quarter of all votes cast. In second place came 'Zephirine Drouhin', closely followed by 'Fragrant Cloud'.
This is the perfect time of year for planting bare-rooted roses, which make excellent gifts. With only 40 shopping days left until Christmas, I'd get your skates on if I were you, but do consider choosing something with 'living' fragrance, rather than the bottled sort.
A bowl of fragrant hyacinths anyone?
See more comments...
