- Author: Jeannette Warnert
“Fragrant plants give me happiness,” she said. “Even when plants are dormant, rain and dew make them smell nice.”
A wine business professional, Valentin transferred to Fresno 11 years ago. She is a supertaster, born with the ability to taste certain foods and flavors more strongly than most, a skill that she used to discern the hundreds of distinct flavors and aromas in fine wines. Now retired, the skill allows her to guide others in the enjoyment of aromatic gardening.
Plants produce fragrant flowers and foliage not just to perfume the garden for us to enjoy, they reap the benefits, she said.
“Volatile oils and chemical compounds produced in leaves of some plants can be toxic to insects,” Valentin said. “The smell alerts pests – including insects and small animals – to avoid the plant.”
“Cut back to a node, dip in rooting compound and place in well-watered, rich soil in a nice sunny spot,” she advised.
One sample was Cleveland sage, an evergreen shrub in the mint family with small, very fragrant leaves. “It's so strong and astringent, it reminds me of Ben Gay and Tiger Balm,” she said.
Valentin suggests clipping stems and bringing them into the shower, where heat and steam release the perfume.
Another sample was citronella, which is marketed as a mosquito repellent, a claim Valentin said is untrue. Regardless, the plant, part of the geranium (pelargonium) family, releases a grassy, floral, lemony scent when cut or crushed. Related plants have been bred in dozens of scents, including chocolate mint, cinnamon, eucalyptus, peppermint, orange, balsam and apple.
Herbs are another important part of an aromatic garden, including rosemary, lavender and thyme.
“Thyme is a must in your fragrant garden,” Valentin said. “Creeping thyme or woolly thyme can be planted in rock crevices or between paving stones. They will tolerate light foot traffic and release their pungent smell as you walk on them.”
She shared a recipe for freshening the home that doesn't involve artificially scented candles or commercial “air fresheners.”
Place in a pot:
- 8 cups water
- 3 sprigs rosemary
- 1 lemon, sliced thin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
Heat on the stove to fill the house with a lemony, slightly astringent, wintery aroma.
The list of fragrant plants is enormous. Here are a few to start with that do well in our climate, and require minimal water and maintenance:
- Bee balm
- Butterfly bush
- Cleveland sage (and all sages)
- Honeysuckle
- Lantana
- Lavender
- Manderilla
- Pelargoniums
- Rosemary
- Star jasmine
- Thyme
- Author: Jeannette Warnert
When perusing online seed shops this winter for plants to add to the garden, consider buying some aromatic native specimens to boost the restorative capacity of nature in your own backyard.
Studies have shown that spending time in nature is an antidote for stress: It can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and improve mood. Carefully chosen native California plants add an earthy, herby aroma to their visual beauty, enhancing the positive impact of the outdoors.
In addition, native plants help save water, reduce maintenance and pesticide use, and invite beneficial pollinators. Whether your garden is in containers or a yard, native plants will deliver the healing power of nature and help protect the state's biodiversity.
The California Native Plant Society offered a presentation on aromatic native plants that is now available on YouTube. In it, Santa Clara County native plant enthusiast Arvind Kumar suggested a selection flowers and shrubs that can add lovely fragrances to outdoor spaces. Kumar named:
These suggestions are just a sampling of California native plants that can be added to gardens or grown in patio or balcony pots to offer soothing scents and appeal to local pollinators and birds. The Sequoia Chapter of the California Native Plant Society, which serves Fresno, Kings and Madera counties, has a list of native plants that do well in the Central Valley with helpful information about their size, water needs, deer resistance and blossoms. However, this list does not include whether the plants are aromatic, so selecting from the list will require some trial and error.
Resources:
California Native Plant Society, Sequoia Chapter
Sequoia Chapter Native Plant List (pdf)
Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health, Yale Environment 360
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