Smelling the right Smells outdoors

Gardens can be planned so that the scents that they generate serve well those that smell them.  From a psychological perspective the best scents for your garden to produce (also, the best garden-based scents to include in your house generally) are:

• Floral smells, in general, because they boost our mood. Any odors that improve our mood also lower our stress levels.  We are also less anxious when we smell florals, especially jasmine and hyacinth.
• Orange scents as they have been tied to lower tension levels. Smelling lemon is relaxing to smell, and so is the scent of mango (lucky dog if you can grow them in your garden).
• Lavender, since it is a relaxing scent which has also been linked to increasing trust levels.
• Rosemary, as it has been tied to improved memory and cognitive performance. When we smell rosemary, we are also likely to feel more alert.
• Peppermint because smelling it has been associated with improved memory performance, greater alertness/energy level, and feeling that you have not feeling as tired after a demanding physical task (and actually performing that activity more skilfully).
• Eucalyptus since smelling it makes us feel energized.

Additional information on smellscaping your world is provided here.