Why Garden for Fragrance?

“Awake, O north wind, And come, wind of the south; Make my garden breathe out fragrance, Let its spices be wafted abroad.” - Song of Solomon 4:16

Why grow a garden with fragrance as a focal point?  For me, it is mostly for the sheer enjoyment of it.  This summer a friend told me that growing basil among the tomato plants is supposed to give the tomatoes a sweeter flavor.  I planted one lone basil plant in the tomato bed, and its fragrance filled the vegetable garden all summer long. In spite of good intentions, I never did harvest the basil and make pesto or other delicious sauces, and I’m not sure if the tomatoes tasted any different.  But growing that plant was worth it for the enjoyment of that wonderful aroma every time I worked in the vegetable plot.

There are other reasons to garden for fragrance, of course.  Many aromatic plants are among the easiest to grow, are attractive to butterflies and other pollinators, and may be resistant to snacking deer.  Then you can harvest them and make all kinds of gifts and household items, like sachets, potpourri, household cleaners and decorative crafts. 

This blog is about growing scented plants and making things from them.  I hope you will like the facts, ideas and projects I plan to share in future posts.