The nose knows
By Mitch Graham
At this time of year Tupare hosts many visitors out to enjoy the garden at its leafiest. Peaceful and petal-pretty.
As we stroll between the rhododendrons and roses, or sit under the shady maples among the hydrangeas and hostas, our senses come alive. Especially our sense of smell.
Rain earlier this week gave us the scent of land – damp, earthy and alive. Before the rain arrived, the air was hot and muggy and the cicadas were making a real din. I was reminded of a tale Richard Matthews has of growing up at Tupare. He recalls the hot sun bearing down on the asphalt drive and tennis court, creating a shimmer and smell. This strong memory of his home and his father’s engineering and roading business is always with him.
On one of those hot days last week we were clipping a camellia hedge, and with each snip came a dust of musty Christmas perfume. But I soon realised this wasn’t from the cut leaves, but the pollen of a fir tree above, which had fallen and collected on the hedge. Go no further than a fir tree if you want the scent of the festive season.
Many plants pleasure our sense of smell. Fragrance from flowers is well known and so too the leaves of shrubs as we brush past them on the garden paths.
At this time of year the flowers of the native cabbage tree smell like vanilla ice cream.
The port wine magnolia has just finished flowering. At times, when the air is still, the scent can be somewhat overpowering.
This week Tupare has deutzias flowering in the borders. Some of the arching stems with small pink flowers are at nose level and give a subtle perfume.
Among the herbs are strongly fragrant foliage plants. Lemon verbena leaves give off a refreshing citrus scent when picked. We also have a backhousia shrub near the house that provides a distinctive aniseed fragrance.
And of course when you pick rosemary leaves, you’ll be reminded to prepare roast lamb for New Year’s dinner. Then perhaps walk it off with a stroll around Tupare in the cooler evening air.
Photo: Rhododendron maddeni in fine form at Tupare.
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Mitch Graham (left) is Garden Manager - Tupare for the Taranaki Regional Council This column was published in the Taranaki Daily News on 9 December 2011 |
