Heavenly scent
It’s a new year, and while there may be a lack of garden colour at the moment, there are plenty of fragrant plants to make up for it! Why?
Well, in nature, most winter flowers are yellow or white; bright colours (reds, oranges, blues, purples and so on) tend to be absent. To attract pollinating insects therefore, the flowers have to work hard – and producing a scent is one way they do this. Mostly, we recognise these as lovely fragrances and, with careful choosing, it is possible to have a succession of perfumes all through winter.
Our ability to smell is 10,000 times more sensitive than taste.
Which witch-hazel?
Witch hazel (Hamamelis sp) flowers are carried on leafless stems around now. Many are noted for their fragrance.…
