It struck me whilst walking around the estate the other day, that as well as visually changing, the scent on the estate varies through the year. This really adds to the enjoyment of a quiet stroll.
In the spring, the delicate scent of the bluebells as you wander through the woods is perfumed and sweet. Bend down to smell each individual flower and there is barely any perfume there. However, with a sea of blue at your feet, there is a definite sweetness to the air. The colour and the smell fill the senses. This creates an overall experience that is greater than the sum of the individual parts. For me, this is my favourite sensation.
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n the late spring and early summer, the irises push through and flower with the most beautiful scent and variety of colours. These are Rich’s top choice of flower. A few months later and the fresh cut grass on a warm summers day and the headier scent of the roses lends a richness to the accompanying visual experience. In the late afternoon there might be the smell of the barbecue adding to the mix.
By autumn there is a slightly earthier, woody, almost damp smell in the air as the trees shed their leaves. This clears the head while trudging through the park. Whereas in winter, it is the wood smoke from the log burner and the pine needles from the Christmas tree that fills the olfactory senses.
And when you have had enough of all the outdoor smells, whichever one is your particular favourite, coming inside to the smell of a freshly brewed coffee relaxes the senses.