natures essence

[StuartDH]

OK, here's a difficult one - what's your favourite and worst smell in nature?

For me, the best smell has got to be ozone - that really fresh air smell that you get when you first step out the car on a cold winters morning having just left the urban sprawl behind. One of those moments that makes you realise how much junk is in the air in the area that you live

The worst has got to be the stinkhorn fungi - I can't get closer than about 5ft without turning green <-- without the smile

Let us know what your favourites are and then we can go seeking them next time we're out and about

While we can't add them to the site just yet, you can be sure that we'll be one of the first to use scratch and sniff web pages, just as soon as someone gets round to working out how to make them

[Jo Pedder]

I think my favourite smell has got to be woodlands in autumn, there is such a rich scent when you are trouncing about kicking up the leaves, particularly just after or during rain.

Least favourite is the obvious one - dog poo, particularly when you are trouncing about kicking up the leaves, in woodlands in autumn, particularly just after or during rain!

Other favourites, that many would not agree with, include:

Soil, otter spraints and cow sheds (NOT on a hot day, or when cattle has been bought in for winter – reminds me of where I was brought up, before you ask!).

[nightshade]

the narrow steep-banked lanes in devon that lead down to the sea, on a very hot day the flowers and the grasses almost choke you with a perfumed earthy smell, butterflies and bees droning then just a breath of cool sea air
thats the good one
fox musk or tom-cats pee,bad if not worst

[Fourwings]

My favourites, I have two, the smell of the air directly after a good rainfall & the smell of Hawthorn (may) blossom in the Spring.

As for the worst, try breaking the stem of woody nightshade, it smells foul, or the smell of Oxeye daisies as they begin to wither, they smell remarkably like rotting flesh , though on the plus side they do attract loads of insects at this stage

[mirandashell]

My favourite smell - a buddleia in flower. Oh and fresh coffee!

Least favourite smell - definitely cat poo!