Val Bourne lets us in on the plants she simply must hug and sniff when she’s in the garden
There are certain plants in my garden that I can’t walk past without reaching out to give them a soft stroke, or a gentle pat. Some are aromatic and their fragrance lingers on the air and on your fingers, soothing the mind in nanoseconds. Others move and sway seductively, silken Sirens swirling in the sun or catching the raindrops. You can’t resist running your fingers through their optic-fibre mane and for amoment they stand stock-still, before they begin to gyrate once again.
Some, more plant sculpture than flower, are hard and metallic to the touch. The lightest prod sends a shock wave, right through your fingertips.
Aromatic Sun Seekers
Plants with oily, pungent foliage have built-in sun protection so they’re perfect for your sunniest position. Given full sun, the foliage packs a far more powerful punch and the flowers have highly concentrated, sugar-rich nectar to please the pollinators. My go-to plant for my sunniest seat is a potted lemon verbena, Aloysia citrodora. I run my hands through the foliage and the ultra-clean citrus fragrance instantly cheers me up. This lemon-scented subshrub arrived in Britain in 1784 and the foliage was used in 18th century herbal teas and puddings. Overwinter this one in a frost-free greenhouse, conservatory or warm windowsill. Give it a quick trim in late-spring, to stop it getting too leggy, and the new foliage soon appears. Dainty purple and white flowers appear in hot summers.
Lavender is the most soothing, soporific plant in the universe. English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, is the hardiest type and the short, stubby flowers follow June’s roses. It’s upright in habit, so it makes the perfect hedge and, if trimmed back to six or nine inches, up to 20cm, in mid-August, English lavender will endure for up to 20 years. If you’re drying the flowers, always harvest them during Wimbledon fortnight. My all-time favourite is ‘Melissa Lilac’, released by lavender specialists Downderry Nursery in 2003. The splayed habit, felty silvery foliage and flowers are exceptional.
Culinary sages, forms of Salvia officinalis, are often relegated to the herb or veg garden. However, their blue flowers and quilted foliage make good additions to sun-baked borders. ‘Berggarten’ has enormous grey-green leaves and huge flower spikes, so it
