How to create a plot of garden fragrances: the wisdom of growing herbs
Smells play a significant role. If you don’t like the natural flavor of the other people, they will never be with you because you cannot persuade myself constantly to breathe that makes you feel uncomfortable. The easiest way to fill your life with positive energy – grow herbs. What can be more beautiful than a Symphony of aromas that will surround you in the morning. An additional benefit of herbs is that the make different medicines and balms. And spices eat. We will tell you how to create a garden of fragrance, and which plants to choose.
The contents
Brief historical summary
On the territory of the monasteries of Western Europe in the old days was created patios square shape. The tracks in these yards were placed crosswise, and the landing had strict geometric shapes.
There are often diluted medicinal herbs, which were prepared by different drugs. Later they began to plant and plants with wonderful aromas to create incense.
The monastery gardens with aromatic and medicinal plants and can today be seen in Europe. They keep their wonderful traditions
Planting was divided at the cardinal points, which correspond to the sector of patio. Sometimes herbs were seated on their properties and subsequent applications: medicinal, beautiful, fragrant and so on. Thanks to traditions of monastic gardens originated ridges, and later the idea of an enclosed aromatic courtyard.
Today, the practice of creating a secluded fragrant corners are not forgotten. They are still organized in a well-lit, but as a rule, the closed part of the garden. For them, carefully select the plants, guided by the principle of continuous or flowering, or rule complement and reinforce one flavor with another.
Why do I need such a garden?
The sense of smell is one of the most important channels through which we receive information about the world around us. During the day we many times inspired and expired air, getting the necessary information.
The sense of smell gives a sense of freedom to man. We have a great opportunity, following the familiar smell, immersed in memories and dreams
The magical power of scents lie in their ability to affect certain areas of the brain that generates our mood. Unbeknownst to ourselves we associate the resulting scents with the emotions and events that we are associated with them.
Using this ability, you can affect the mood, to stir the needed emotion. Even the most cloudy and gloomy day under the influence of the right flavour may not prevent the tide of vivacity and positive.
The advantages and disadvantages of such decision
Fragrant garden – the original idea of landscape design. Usually it takes the form of several areas, which exude a sweet or refreshing scents.
The benefits of aromatic parts is as follows:
- such a relaxation area in your yard can provide the necessary therapeutic effect: cheer up or relax, to relieve stress;
- your vacation will acquire a special plot originality, it will be unlike any other;
- odors not only create mood but also have therapeutic effects;
- if the media choose colors, then you can experience not only aromatic, but also visual enjoyment.
Since we enumerated advantages, I will not forget to mention the disadvantages. Rather, what should be pay attention while creating your sweet area.
The disadvantages of this idea is not so much:
- Everyone has their own ideas about beauty. For example, men may not share women’s love in the intoxicating sweet scent. And their addiction will take the woman in the garden, in the family can cause serious problems. To avoid this, the decision on creation of odorous area should be taken together. You do not buy a perfume that are known to irritate your «the second half»? One of the compromises was to divide the area into male and female areas. Let the woman sniffs your favorite lilies and roses, and the man enjoys mint, spruce and pine.
- Fragrant zone shouldn’t make too closed. This will increase the odor concentration to the critical values, which in turn can spoil the holiday and have a negative impact on health. Let the wind help you to distribute the flavors, making them a pleasant.
- You must carefully select the plants for planting. Moreover, some of them provoke an allergic reaction, they may affect certain functions of your body. For example, Jasmine, cloves and lovage increase the overall excitability. Think, will it affect negatively on your health.
As you can see, the shortcomings not insurmountable. It is sufficient to consider all these nuances and cons of this idea will simply disappear.
To create a garden of flavors, there are practically no obstacles, except for individual intolerance of a particular smell, but it can always be deleted
Determine the form of the dominant smell
Before thinking what plants we will be planting on the private land, need to know what we want to get a result. Decide the type of fragrance that creates a certain culture:
- Tender: rosemary, sage, lavender, mint.
- Spicy: fennel, nasturtium, Azalea, carnation.
- Sweet: elderberry, clover, heliotrope, honeysuckle.
- Honey: musk rose, hawthorn, barberry.
- Fruit: geranium, hyacinth, Magnolia.
- Pink: some sort of honeysuckle, peony, rose.
- Exquisite: iris, sweet peas, lilacs, Wisteria.
Of course, you understand that the proposed grading is quite arbitrary, however, it is considered traditional and therefore given here.
Rose aroma forms the basis of many perfumes, but you should definitely discuss with other family members, whether they will object to make it dominant in the garden
The choice of plants for scented gardens
Now, when you prefer a specific scent, you can discuss specific herbs, often forming a fragrant flower beds.
Thyme, creeping thyme, Bogorodskaya grass
Thyme is often called Bogorodskaya grass, because it is inconspicuous, but very fragrant plant used in Russia to decorate the iconographic image of the virgin. However, thyme was valued in pagan times, when it was believed not only to heal people but also to revive.
Fragrant thyme was prized in Ancient Greece and Rome: its dry twigs burned and fumigated with smoke of the room, banishing sickness and all evil. His strong spirit may indeed kill odors and healing properties and balsamic effect.
Sensitive and insecure people therapists recommend thyme as a source of energy and positive emotions. Moreover, thyme contains substances that restore men’s health
Decoction of thyme bathed the ancient Romans, believing that thus they are charged with energy. In addition, it was added to food as flavoring. Scientist Theophrastus, who founded the botanist, has devoted a treatise thyme. In Europe, this spice was spread by the monks benedectine who grow it in their gardens.
Today thyme is used in cooking and medicine. It is used in the production of alcoholic beverages and for preserving foods. Thyme is rich in essential oils, and therefore has such a strong smell. Oil of thyme is used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
From the variety of species and varieties of thyme for a plot it is best to choose covers the thyme. He is growing, and in June-July blooms purple flowers. Thyme is often decorated with Alpine slide and the space along the track.
Sage – bright and contrast
Rare aromatic garden is complete without sage. It has many varieties, long bloom and often used to create contrast transitions in the design. Most popularity this plant has reached in the Renaissance. However, it is still popular as a spice and in medicines.
Use it in cooking, and consumed in dried, and fresh. It participates in many cooking mixes thanks to its bright and pleasant smell.
Of course, like any other medication, drugs with the sage are shown not all. It should be remembered and never to self-medicate
The air contained in the sage, made him famous in cosmetics and perfumes. As a perfume it may be present in some varieties of tobacco, sausages, tea or some varieties of cheese. Add it when cooking pickled herring.
Sage has healing properties: astringent and styptic. With its help heal a wide range of diseases of internal organs. Externally it helps in the treatment of purulent wounds and bruises. With him make inhalation because it has antibacterial properties.
Lavender – a visitor from the Mediterranean
Sky-blue or violet flowers of lavender are well known to us for many images of this plant. In Russia, it sank in the Mediterranean. The ancient Romans, taking a bath, they used it as flavoring.
Lavender is a great disinfectant, it can relieve spasms and soothe. Bathroom with her adopted before bedtime, relieve fatigue and stress. Moreover, it is widely used in perfumes and cosmetics, used in soap, and oil of lavender helps with burns, abrasions and small scratches.
Bunches of fragrant lavender was used in Ancient Greece by dwellings gave a fresh floral spirit
It lavender like to add in various dishes of Spanish, Italian and French chefs. It is a great complement to sauces, lamb dishes and fish specialities. In dried and comminuted form, lavender is used as a spice and a pleasant addition to tea.
To grow lavender in the Central part of Russia is not so easy. Need to know some tricks. In particular, for planting it is necessary to choose only resistant varieties. In winter the lavender need to cover, but this should be done especially carefully so that the delicate grass is not soprema. Lavender loves good illumination and favorably perceives a dry climate. But the excess moisture is disastrous for it.
Unpretentious and charming, mint
Perhaps that is mint is the oldest plant, the properties of which were evaluated by human dignity. This herb is mentioned in the cuneiform tablets of Assyria and Egypt. She has been talked about Avicenna and Hippocrates. Its essential oil is used in medicine and perfumery, in the food industry.
Mint added to various alcoholic beverages. Used as a fragrant seasoning for different dishes. In cooking it is used in dried and fresh form. Mint is widely used in official medicine. It is made not only cough lozenges.
It is part of ointments, drops and tablets because it has analgesic and vasodilating properties. Mint is used in the form of decoctions and essences, it saves you from strong headaches and from problems with the digestive system.
Mint is great in salads and sauces, in marinades and in baked goods. Drinks with added a wonderful peppermint acquire a very special taste
To grow mint is not too difficult: it is fast growing and undemanding. If you want to avoid unnecessary propagation of this herb is to plant it directly in pots. In this case, the roots will not be able to spread.
Rosemary — sea freshness
Thin leaves that resemble the needles, and a nice spicy flavor in this description, it’s hard not to know rosemary. It is also home to the Mediterranean. Its Latin name means «sea freshness». Today he is known not only in Europe.
The smell of rosemary – it’s like a mix of essences of lemon, eucalyptus, camphor and pine. It is part of a variety of compounds, popular in cooking. This, for example, French condiments «herbs of Provence». On the basis of preparing vinegar and various sauces, which are flavored meat dishes.
The resinous rosemary retains its flavor even after prolonged cooking. There are many ways to cook sweet and tasty dishes, just by adding a little olive oil and a couple of leaves «sea freshness». It is important not to overdo it, because the fragrant leaves can smash a bunch of dishes that are usually undesirable.
Rosemary — this spice is recognized and widespread. In the wild, and it can now be found in southern Europe
In the spring and early summer rosemary is covered with delicate flowers of blue color. The problem of its cultivation is that it is not able to move the Russian winter even in a sheltered look. He needs zero temperature. But in terms of insulated balcony or veranda rosemary will survive. And in the summer it can be safely transferred into the ground.
Honey plant hyssopus officinalis
In Europe, Asia and even in North Africa, hyssopus officinalis and today can be found in the wild. In Russia, it grows in steppe and forest-steppe zone. In the times of Avicenna and Hippocrates it was described as an excellent expectorant. Today hyssop insist with the figs and honey and eaten as a cure for colds.
Essential oil, hyssop, the crushed leaves can clear the room of infection, they are used as effective means to combat lice. In July — August of this honey plant is covered with flowers. At this time, and begins his collection. Well dried hyssop can be used within two months.
In the early days of Christianity, the hyssop was used as a seasoning during lent. Them together with salt spiced bread
Hyssop can be planted in a light fertile soil in the form of seeds or cuttings. In the North-Western part of Russia and in the earth is better to use for this purpose, seedlings grown from seed at a temperature of 18-20oC in the dark and in conditions of constant humidity. Seed germination was observed after two weeks from the date of sowing.
Before you transplant seedlings per meter square of soil it is necessary to make 1 tablespoon of fertilizer type «Effect» and up to 2 kg of manure humus. The beds should be dug with a bayonet spade, level and a little trample down. The seedlings are planted in rows, leaving between 30 cm and between rows – 60 cm.
Oregano, winter marjoram
Winter marjoram oregano is called because of its resistance to frost and frost. It is a melliferous plant that grows everywhere in Russia, except perhaps the Extreme North. Oregano prefers to grow in open rocky terrain, flood plains, edges of forests and open glades. It is widely used in medicine.
Most often, the oregano used as a spice. In cooking, its leaves are added to meat dishes, vegetables and potatoes. The presence of oregano in tea or sauce makes it taste richer, fuller opportunities of food or drink.
Very good oregano, composed of homemade cakes. If it is used in the preparation of marinades, all homemade preserves better preserved
Oregano prefers a rich soil with neutral acidity. Cultivated as a honey plant and a source of air. Oregano propagated through seedlings. The plantations require replacement after 3-5 years. This grass is characterized by a pleasant smell and a tart, slightly astringent taste.
How to care for «fragrant garden»?
No special care is not required. All plants require care, feeding and watering. If you are only planning on landing, make sure you thoroughly dig the site, say goodbye to all the weeds and arch the soil complex fertilizers, which will benefit all intended for planting herbs.
If you are planning to build a flower bed that will smell good, you can make it even and long blooming. To do this, choose flowers with different flowering periods. In the beginning of the season you can make lilies, hyacinths and daffodils. Then the relay will pick up tobacco, peas and mirabilis. He will finish the season Phlox, meadowsweet and the cloves.
Sorry that the video is unable to convey the smell, but the appearance of the garden you will appreciate: