Scent walk

I am currently studying on a course which aims to establish a deeper connection with flowers.  One of the tasks was to go on a 'scent walk' before writing about the experience.  I thought I might share...

My favourite time to do a scent walk is just after the rain has stopped.  Everything seems more vivid then.  This afternoon the sun came out as the rain departed and off I went hunting for scents.  Just stepping out of my back door I am immediately hit by the chives insisting that they are smelt first.  Much more subtle oregano tries to get a look in but with only a gentle success.  Taking footsteps alongside my cut flower border and this is a myriad of scents but winning through are the Stocks.  They are strong and bold and very much of the moment.  I notice that the borage in the next row has bowed its head in reverence and so it should. 

Moving away from the cut flower border it is the hawthorn blossom with its musty drift that captures my attention as it arches it branches across my path.  The ever present ferns lap at the branches and release some more subtle but earthy fragrance.  Into the wooded area and the very last of the English Bluebells tickle my nose to remind me that they were once so powerful a matter of weeks ago.  I feel a sense of sadness as it is one of my favourite scents and I will have to wait another year to be captivated by them once more. 

The hedgerow is full of honey bees and I smell the white clover before I see it.  A foxglove dangles her slight fragrance above the clover as if keeping watch.  Moving into the field the wet grass fragrance dominates and I have to stand still for sometime to smell anything else.  From the edges I detect a delicate fragrance and it takes me a moment to figure out what it is.  Deep in the thick grass is a Dog Rose just coming into flower.  If I wasn’t concentrating on scents I would have trampled right passed it.  Lifting and separating the grass I give the rose some more space so that its delicate fragrance can start to shine more brightly. 

Re-tracing my steps I return to the house just diverting slightly to take in the scent from the poly tunnel.  In here sweet pea completely dominates although you can pick up ripe strawberry as well.  Meaning delicate pleasures sweet peas offers up my favourite scent of all.  How can something so delicate release such a potent floral scent?  As they flicker in the gentle breeze the scent moves among the other plants in the tunnel just pausing once near a forgotten lavender that punches the air with its unmistakable scent. 

The rain has brought everything to life and the scents are no exception.  As I close the door on the chives I nod at the oregano to thank it for trying so very hard to be noticed.