Sweet Smelling Herbs, Did You Know?

Did you know sweet-smelling herbs have often been used in nosegays, posies, pomanders and potpourri? In medieval times, the sweet fragrance of herbs tied in a small bunch and carried on the body was a way of disguising less pleasant smells. Sometimes, the herbs were strewn on the floor to freshen the straw. Even today, a variety of dried flowers and leaves of herbs are used in homes to scent the air. Most of the herbs are easily available to grow in pots or gardens.

Bergamot

Bergamot's orange scent is often used to flavor tea.
A native North American woodland herb, bergamot has sweetly scented leaves with bright red flowers during summer and fall. The plant has a similar smell to bergamot orange, which is used to flavor Earl Grey tea. It is a good herb for attracting butterflies and bees, and makes a good border plant. The flowers dry well for using in potpourri, retaining both their color and fragrance. Young leaves have a sweet-smelling scent citrus scent.

Chamomile

Chamomile is a sweet-smelling, healing herb.
The sweet fragrance of chamomile was popular on lawns in Tudor England, where it released its scent when trodden upon. Long known as a healing herb used as a calming tea, and in beauty products, chamomile is sometimes known as the "physician plant" as it often improves the health of neighboring plants. The German chamomile has slender branch-like stems and sweetly scented leaves. It produces aromatic flowers.


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