At Dubbo’s sensory garden, in a secluded niche around the gecko lizard sculpture, is a serene, subdued hideaway reminiscent of a Roman forum before the senators arrive

Don’t let first appearances deceive you. While no one would suggest we have created a ‘lemon’ or failed feature, it does lend itself to quiet contemplation.

However the image of cool contemporary functional pathways, Lilly Pilly hedges, screening Bloodwood Eucalypts and Cootamundra Wattles takes on a new life once you palm your hand around a giant ‘Meyer’ lemon fruit.

The flower is pretty, sweet and yes the fruit is possible to eat.

The surprise is that many plants here release a beautiful aroma once you scrunch a bunch of leaves in your fingers.

Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus) in the herb garden cut into wedges will enhance the flavour of English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea.

Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla) grows spikes of white flowers behind the Lilly Pilly hedge (Syzgium australe ‘Elite’).

Throw a sprig of Verbena into a bowl on your coffee table at home and rip the leaves apart to release an aroma to spice up any lazy summer’s afternoon. 

Lemon Scented Gum (Corymbia citriodora) towers on a solid girth grey trunk above the Gecko lizard sculpture.

It is so impressive I half imagine our stone lizard scrambling up before laying flat to avoid attention.

And yet the highlight of our Sensory Garden visit still awaits.

From south-east Queensland and almost impossible to find in its natural habitat, we have three Lemon-Scented Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora).

While ours are a mere two metres high and covered in fluffy summer white flowers (small petals, prominent stamens), they can reach ten metres.

Rip a leaf off the Myrtle bush, crush it between your fingers and watch your day take off.  

Try it.