Scratch ‘n’ sniff leaves
Scented-leaf pelargoniums have leaves that release an extraordinary fragrance when rubbed between your fingers. They are gorgeous in terracotta pots in summer; place a variety of perfumes side by side so children can discover the different scents, which include cola, rose, mint, lemon, orange, hazelnut, cinnamon, cedar, and coconut. Perennials with fragrant leaves (for instance, salvias and agastaches) and aromatic shrubs (such as lavender and rosemary) are also perfect for a scratch ‘n’ sniff border.
SABINA RÜBER
Butterfly magnets
Fill the garden with butterflies by growing flowers laden with nectar. Honey scented Buddleja (commonly known as the butterfly bush) lures lots of different species, including Peacocks and Red Admirals. ‘Pink Delight’ is the colour of bubblegum and ‘Bicolor’ is orange and purple. They are two-metre shrubs, but there are dwarf forms available. Heliotrope is also great for small spaces, being a compact bedding plant; butterflies love the indigo flowers that smell of cherry pie, and purple top (Verbena bonariensis) – although 2m tall – is so airy that it can be planted anywhere in borders, giving glimpses of the plants behind; the wiry stems carry little violet flower clusters that feed butterflies into November.
Colour kaleidoscope
A fast way to splash colour through the garden is sow the brightest poppies. Vivid letterbox-red with black blotches, ‘Ladybird’ is one of the best, and glossy orange California poppies are easy in gritty or sandy soil. If your children only think in pink, plant the thornless magenta rose ‘Zéphirine Drouhin’, which smells of lemon sherbet, and grow pink muhly grass for candy-coloured plumes that billow on the breeze. And you will need to put your sunglasses on to look at the glaring-yellow flowers of pineapple broom (a deliciously scented wall shrub), ‘Bill Mackenzie’ (a climber with flowers that look like they’ve been carved out of lemon peel), and coneflower ‘Herbstsonne’ (a perennial 2m wall of sunshine daisies).
A poppy field in the CotswoldsTim Graham/Getty Images
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