We all know how much time and effort is required to keep a garden looking its best, but how can a garden help us to feel at our best? Catty O’Donnell from The Creative Gardening School explains how to create a peaceful garden space in which to relax and offers one lucky winner the chance to win a sustainable garden hamper.
Smell is the most evocative of the five senses, which means it can be used as an effective way to relax the body and mind. By following this plan, you could create a peaceful garden space that’s a delight to your nose and to your wellbeing.
Create a sensory oasis in your garden:
Follow these steps to establish a peaceful garden space with amazing scent.
1. Choose an area that has a solid structure behind it, for example a wall or a fence. This will provide a sense of safety and enable you to grow climbers for year-round scent. Suggested climbers are:
- Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)
- Honeysuckle (Lonicera Serotina)
- Climbing roses (e.g. Rosa Gertrude Jekyll)
2. Place a bench in your chosen area and then create a curving bed on either side of it to “enclose” the seat.
3. Start planting the curving beds to either side of the bench. Firstly, select some aromatic evergreen plants as these will release essential oils when their leaves are crushed. A few recommendations:
- Juniper (Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Star’)
- Bay (Laurus noblilis)
- Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’)
- Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Miss Jessops Upright’)
- Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
- Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
4. Next, plant a few small deciduous shrubs. The below suggestions are wonderful early season performers.
- Lilac (Syringa microphylla ‘Superba’, which flowers in both spring and autumn)
- Daphne (Daphne ‘Perfume Princess’)
- Philadephus (Philadelphus Virginal)
5. Finally, add flowers that boast a beautiful colour and scent for a festival of fragrance. These flowers work well:
- Pinks (Dianthus plumarius ‘Widecombe fair’)
- Lillies (Lilium longiflorum ‘Easter Lily’)
- Night scented stocks (The scent of Matthiola perennis ‘Alba’ is released day and night)
- Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus ‘Matucana’)
About The Creative Gardening School:
Garden designers Liz Rentzsch and Catty O’Donnell are the force behind The Creative Gardening School, a horticultural school set in the beautiful grounds of Chenies Manor in Buckinghamshire.
The school teaches gardening classes in a fun and friendly way. All are welcome – beginners and seasoned gardeners alike – and the focus is on how to enjoy garden work. Liz and Catty strongly believe that gardening has the ability to change the way we feel, as well as to bring people together.
Win a sustainable garden hamper:
Try your luck in a prize draw to win this sustainable garden hamper, worth £56 from The Creative Gardening School. The hamper includes:
-
- Bamboo lined planter
- Ceramic bird house
- Kent & Stowe trowel, fork and gardening gloves
- Biodegradable seed pots
- Seeds for edible and ornamental plants
- Carrot tea towel
- Peppermint tea bags
To enter the prize draw, simply fill in the form below:
To find out more about classes at The Creative Gardening School, visit thecreativegardeningschool.co.uk.
Find more flower variety recommendations for gorgeous scents.
The post How to create a peaceful garden space + WIN a garden hamper appeared first on The English Garden.