Remember To Add Scent To Your Garden

Where ever you live, it’s time to plan for this year’s garden season.  I’ve talked about careful placement of statues, fountains and benches in other posts but I want to remind you to consider the scent of your garden as well.

This morning, I was wandering through some gardening blogs and came across a listing of a top 10 listing of fragrant roses.  My father always had roses growing in his garden in New York State.  Mom often brought some cut flowers into the house as a centerpiece which helped all of us learn to value them.  He also had a vegetable garden and grew amazing zucchinis, tomatoes, green beans and chard.  I was too young to do more than follow him around and talk about what he was doing but that is where my gardening roots began.

I have tried roses in Florida and there are some nice ones that you can grow but we have to constantly fight black spot and mildew.  Our humid summer weather means you can’t relax your guard so I don’t grow very many of them.  Instead, I’ve found that I like to include such herbs as rosemary and basil.  They are very easy to grow.  The rosemary makes a little bush (kind of like a boxwood) and every time you brush against them or even water with the hose, they release a wonderful scent.  It doesn’t hurt that they are always on hand when you are cooking as well.  Saute a little chicken with rosemary and it has wonderful flavor.  I like gardening that stimulates all of your senses without straining your budget.

If you decide to add herbs to your garden this year, please come back and share your experience.  Basil, Rosemary and chives top my list as easy to care for and use.  I tried oregano with limited success and mint hates our summer heat so it is seasonal at best.  I’m still looking for new favorites.