Guest post by Emira Mears

With summer in full swing most of my garden work these days is about maintaining: watering, weeding and reseeding the odd head of lettuce. For the past week or so these chores have been particularly lovely as a few of my scented flowers are in full bloom. Now many of my plants have scents of course — I can’t walk past my tomatoes without rubbing my hands along their lovely leaves, I’ve got many different lavender plants, herbs and my much cherished roses — but the ones that have sprung into bloom lately are the real scent heavy hitters. Casablanca lilies in particular, and a recently acquired budlea that doesn’t do too bad a job of smelling up the garden. I have to admit that scent isn’t really the first thing I pay attention to when picking flowers, herbs and veggies to plant. And in fact, the lilies that I’m so enjoying right now are not something I would normally buy and plant, but came as gift bulbs from a friendly neighbor up the way. And, while I still can’t say I go crazy over their visual addition to the garden, I will definitely plant them again. Their abundant scent really helps to transform me into the “gardening state of mind” as I’m out there taking care of details. Together with the feel of the dirt and the progress of all my leafy babies out there, I find my mind becoming occupied with my plants instead of the worries or thoughts of my day. And, while I’m definitely not the first to discover this whole scented-flower-thing, I’m becoming quite the champion of it. I think next year I’ll work on creating pockets of scent around the garden, and trying to ensure that I’ve got more fragrance throughout the year.

Before I leave this scent topic I do feel I need to afford special praise to my honeysuckle. The honeysuckle was among the very established plants that came with this garden and I fell in love with it instantly. And if its rambling green tendrils and gorgeous bursts of flower weren’t enough to recommend it, the evening scent of it as I wheel my bike past it on summer nights really is a dreamy delight.