3. The Sensory Garden – Part Two

Welcome to the coolest part of the garden, dominated by shades of blue, the sound of water, and the scent of lavender. The French city of Grasse started the perfume industry with lavender about 300 years ago. By opening the lids of the 6 terracotta bowls, you will “smell” the most popular fragrances (woody, citrus, grassy, floral, spicy, oriental). The main ingredients of perfumes are plant and flower extracts (rose, jasmine, lavender, vetiver)- Apparently, the first perfume to have a name was Hungarian Queen’s Water, in 1370, based on rosemary, later called Eau de Cologne, the oldest perfume still on the market. Perfumes contain between 10 and 20 per cent perfume essence and 90 to 96 per cent alcohol. On your left, in front of the water features, is a young carob tree. The carob tree, together with the olive tree, the vine, and wheat, has been an integral part of the Sicilian territory since ancient times; it has influenced daily life and left indelible traces in the area’s history. At times, it was the only food available to the local populations. The Arabs believed that all carob tree seeds had the unique characteristic of consistently weighing 1/5 of a gram. Therefore, they initially used these seeds, called carats (from the Arabic qīrāṭ or karat), as the unit of measurement for gold. The plant flowers in July-August until December and the shade of the foliage, keeping the foliage very dense, produces valuable areas of shade in arid locations. Carob seeds are an inexhaustible mine for a wide range of productions, from chocolate substitutes to the preparation of industrial gums. The majesty of the carob tree’s foliage, its versatile fruits, and its longevity have given rise to a series of legends and popular beliefs around this natural giant, especially here in Sicily, where its presence was more extensive. One such belief claimed that a treasure, a ‘truvatura’, could be found under the tree. After passing the carob tree, the path forks. Keeping to the left, you will pass through a small bamboo tunnel. Turning right, the wooden path will lead you to other varieties of fragrant plants and you will end the route in a patch of flowers and shrubs in shades of red. The visit to the haptic garden concludes with a BAREFOOTing tour, if you haven’t done so already, take off your shoes and walk the 10m left barefoot. Walking barefoot on grass and other natural materials is a very powerful sensory experience with therapeutic value. At the end of the route, you can wash your feet at the fountain. Then continue downstream to learn more about the insects typical of our region.

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