Awaken the Senses: Wellbeing in the Fragrant Garden - May workshop

Date: Sunday, 17th May 2026
Time: 14:00 – 15:30 (1.5 hours)
Location: Festina Lente, Bray
Theme: A sensory journey through scent, wellbeing, and seasonal garden inspiration

• Warm tea & coffee on arrival
• Welcome participants, introduce the workshop goals

• Guided walk through a fragrant area of the garden
• Encourage mindful smelling, touching, and noticing the emotional impact of scent
• Highlight early fragrant plants blooming in March in Ireland:
• Hyacinths, Daphne, Sweet Box (Sarcococca), Violets, Scented Narcissus, Primroses
• Evergreen herbs: Rosemary, Bay, Thyme, Sage

• Brief talk: How scent affects the brain and emotions (calming, uplifting, grounding)
• Learn about fragrance and wellbeing: mood regulation, memory, stress reduction
• Introduce the concept of aromatherapy using garden plants

• Share a quick guide on fragrant plants that bloom in late winter/early spring
• Tips for designing a year-round sensory garden
• Handout or display: “Top 5 Plants for Early Spring Scent in Ireland”

• Choose from dried flowers and herbs (lavender, mint, rose petals, rosemary, hyacinth petals)
• Add essential oil drops if desired
• Make a small scented sachet and mini herbal posy
• Label your creation with a personal intention

• Taste seasonal herbal tea
• Explore the hidden fragrance of seeds
• Guided mindful tasting: explore aroma, temperature, flavour
• Reflective question: “How do you feel in your body and mind right now?”

• Handmade scent sachet and posy
• Info card: “Fragrant Plants for Early Spring”

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Festina Lente