Scents and Sensibility Garden
In 2025, Liz Zorab designed a microgarden called the Scents and Sensibility Garden, for display in the horticultural village at the Royal Welsh Show. Inspired by her grandsons, the youngest of whom is autistic, and reflecting the joy of gardens and nature.
The colour palette for this border is pink, burgundy, purple and white. The darkest pinks look almost red, which together with the white flowers (and silver leaves), and green of the foliage, suggest the colours of the Welsh flag.
Designed with full sun and shade sides, the sunny side features sun loving plants, while the other side has some plants that prefer shade. The border measured 130cm by 260cm, internal measurements.
Most of the plants used in the Scents and Sensibility Garden can be propagated at home either by seed, cuttings or division, except where PBR (Plant Breeders Rights) is granted. In which case, you will need to check to see whether you can propagate the plant for home use.
Thanks to
The roses are from David Austin Roses. The bush of the same variety growing along the rose arch at Byther Farm has performed well for the last three years, it provides a heady fragrance and gentle colour.
The border has a mulch river of crushed whelk shells from Shell on Earth. Mulching materials also include wood chips and also, sheep’s fleece from a dark brown, almost black sheep from the Buchanan family. These provide a variety of textures and tactile sensations, as well as dark and light at soil level.
Sight
The border includes interesting combinations of plants. This offers diverse plant shape, colour and size. Visual layers and textures come from the different plant and leaf shapes as well as the mulches.
Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Rubenza’
Cosmos are easily grown from seed as annuals. Once the plants are 15-20cm high, pinch out the growing tip to encourage bushiness. This means that there will be more flowers. Plant out after the risk of frost. Deadhead very regularly to encourage continued flowering.
Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Psyche White’
Matteuccia struthiopteris
Matteuccia struthiopteris, commonly known as the shuttlecock fern. It grows to 150cm height and also spreads readily.
Coleus ‘Redhead’
Coleus ‘Redhead’ has a height and spread of 50cm. Grow in full sun or partial shade in moist, but well-drained soil. Usually grown as annuals. You can take cuttings in summer and protect from frost over the winter, to plant out after the last frosts the next year.
Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Cupid’
Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Cupid’ provides height and also colour with spires of tiny purple flowers. Check out other vertical accent plants that can provide height in garden borders and beds.
Verbena hastata ‘Blue Spires’
Knee high spikes of purple flowers.
Verbena bonariensis
Geranium ‘Stormy night’ (PBR)
This herbaceous perennial forms large clumps of deep purple-brown-bronze leaves, it also has bright purple flowers held above the leaves in early summer. 50cm height and 45cm spread. Grow in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Check out more plants with purple leaves and the best flowering variegated plants.
Allium ‘Millennium’
Allium ‘Millennium’ is a clump forming perennial that has dark green, strap-like leaves, additionally it has clusters of purple-pink flowers in a globe on top of fine stems in summer. Height 50cm and 30cm spread. Prefers moist, fertile soil in full sun. It may be toxic if eaten by pets.
Sound
Sounds in the garden are often overlooked. While some install a moving water feature to add the gentle sound of trickling water, there are other sounds to encourage too. The sound of wind through moving leaves, and buzzing of flying insects can be relaxing. Within minutes of the plants arriving at the site for the border, bumble bees and hoverflies had found the flowers.
And, by encouraging wild birds to the garden through a variety of habitat, bird song can have an significant impact. The sound of birdsong implies safety, after all, birds become quiet or fly away when there is danger.
Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldschleier’
Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldschleier’ is also known as tufted hair grass
Garden leek and elephant garlic
Taken from the vegetable garden, these lovely heads of flowers are leeks and elephant garlic. They grow to 90cm -120cm tall and attract flying insects, like bees and hoverflies.
Taste
Some edible plants were included as an example, although sampling was not encouraged or invited due to the sheer volume of people visiting the border.
Origanum
Marjoram produces masses of flower heads, with white, pink and also mauve tin flowers. The leaves are fragrant and used for culinary purposes.
Sweet basil
Easy to raise from seed or even simpler to purchase from a supermarket and divide up the clump of young plants.
Coriander
Known as Cilantro in USA. They leaves of young plants make great ground cover and add interest through fragrance.
Welsh bunching onions
One of the perennial vegetables that can replace their annual equivalents and save the annual workload of growing new plants each year.
Menta ‘Berries and Cream’
Touch
Soft or furry leaf textures, and crunchy surfaces.
Mentha longifolia ‘silver-leaved’
Also known as Silver mint.
Alchemilla mollis
Alchemilla mollis is so common that is it often overlooked. The stems of flowers are ideal for flower arrangements. It will self seed and can also be divided in autumn or winter.
Senecio candicans ‘Angel Wings’ (‘Senaw’) (PBR)
Angel Wings has an unusual feeling to the touch. Soft, yet almost rubbery. This perennial has large silver-white leaves. It grows to 50cm height and 30cm spread. Grow in full sun in very well drained soil. Because this plant has PBR, you cannot reproduce it to give or sell, so you will need to buy this plant.
Smell
Fragrant leaves and flowers provided a treat for the olfactory sensors in this ‘Scents and Sensibility’ Garden. Fragrant roses fill the air with their perfume, while fragrant leaves release their scent when they are brushed against or rubbed between the fingers. Check out more flowers with scented leaves that can work as alternatives to those below.
Rosa ‘Scepter’d Isle
From David Austin roses, the ‘Scepter’d Isle grows to 125cm height and spread. It is repeat flowering and has pale pink flowers that are paler on the outer petals and yellow stamens. Grow on any soil in full sun or partial shade. It has a strong myrrh fragrance.
Lavandula ‘Victory’
Grey-green foliage with purple flowers topped with pink-purple wing-like bracts. Height and spread 60cm. Grow in full sun on well-drained soil. Cut back after flowering, but do not cut into the woody material as it will not regrow from the brown stems.
The border also included another lavender, but the label did not supply a variety.
Agastache ‘Blackadder’
Agastache ‘Blackadder’ has a licquorice fragrance to the leaves and attracts pollinators to the garden. It is often a visiting place for bees and butterflies.
Nepeta alba
A tall, white form of Nepeta, with tiny, delicate flowers arranged in whorls around the terminal spike. The leaves are fragrant, almost pungant when brushed against or crushed. Grows easily from seed.
Mentha × piperita f. citrata
A scented mint with eau de Cologne smell.
South-facing side
Although the border was not facing due south, there was a sunny side and a shadier side. Some plants thrive in a sunny spot and therefore may struggle to grow in a cool, shady position.
Fuchsia
This is a hardy fuchsia and can be propagated easily from cuttings.
North-facing side
Some plants prefer the cool and shady position of a north-facing site and also may fail to thrive in too much sunlight.
Asplenium scolopendrium
This fern is also known as Hart’s tongue fern.
Asplenium trichomanes
Commonly called Maidenhair spleenwort, it only seems to grow on the shaded, north side of our garden. I particular it grows in mosses and crevices of north-facing walls.
Environmental impact
Sustainability and environmental impact has been considered. The plants in this border will be returned to the beds that they came from in the designer’s vegetable garden. And, new plants replanted in the forest garden and ornamental gardens. The sheep’s fleece will be composted, together with any wood chips that are stuck to it. Additionally, the washed shells can be reused in the ornamental back garden at Byther Farm in Carmarthenshire.
More information
This blog post was created to help you find out which plants were used in my ‘Scents and Sensibility’ Garden at Royal Welsh Show 2025. Additionally, for more ideas for your garden, read about plants to soften the edges of paths and borders.
- Scents and Sensibility Garden - July 19, 2025
- Plants to soften edges of paths - July 18, 2025
- Bulbs for summer and autumn - July 4, 2025