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  • Amateur Gardening

    WORDS OF WISDOM

    Jul 05, 2022 4 minutes

    In this extract from AG 23 May 1970, Christopher Lloyd, of Great Dixter fame, looks at fragrant plants

    Full of fragrance

    Christopher Lloyd looks at plants whose perfume fills the air

    A GREAT many plants are aromatic. We pinch a leaf of thyme, mint, lavender or lemon-scented verbena as we pass by and immediately a pungent aroma assails us. But a few plants will come to meet us with their foliage scent; their essence is floating on the air ready to take us by surprise. We feel particularly grateful to them for not requiring that premeditated act of pinching on our part.

    The balsam poplars typify the sort of plant I mean. All poplars have a pleasing smell that characterises the genus, but in these, and . Their scent is strongest in spring, but easily detected right through the year.

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