I know that if odour were visible, as colour is, I'd see the summer garden in rainbow clouds.

The quote by Robert Bridges, "I know that if odour were visible, as colour is, I'd see the summer garden in rainbow clouds," speaks to the profound connection between the senses, particularly smell and sight, and how they can complement each other. Bridges imagines a world where the scents of a summer garden could be as visible as colors, transforming the garden into a vibrant display of rainbow clouds. This evokes the idea that the beauty of nature is not just in what we see, but also in what we experience through our sense of smell, which, though often intangible, has the power to deeply affect our perception of the world.

Bridges’ comparison of odour to colour highlights the richness of the sensory experience. If we could see the scents around us, it would reveal an entirely new layer of the garden’s beauty, adding complexity and depth to our perception. The rainbow clouds serve as a metaphor for the diverse and multidimensional nature of the garden’s aromas, where each scent contributes to a larger, more harmonious sensory experience. The quote invites us to imagine how the unseen elements of nature—like fragrance—could become as vibrant and rich as the colors we readily appreciate.

The phrase "summer garden" is significant, suggesting that the scents of flowers and plants during this season are particularly potent and evocative. Summer is often associated with lush, fragrant blooms, and by linking these to the visible spectrum, Bridges emphasizes the transcendent quality of the natural world. His quote suggests that nature's hidden beauties—its smells—are just as important as its visual appeal, and perhaps even more emotionally stirring if we could fully experience them in a visual form.

The origin of this quote is found in Robert Bridges’ poetry, which often explored the sensory experiences of nature and the deep emotional responses they provoke. Bridges, a prominent English poet and poet laureate, frequently sought to express the intangible and transcendent aspects of human experience. This quote, with its beautiful and imaginative metaphor, captures the power of nature's sensory offerings, and the desire to enhance and celebrate our connection to the world around us.