The natural fragrances I find in the garden do not have the same effect on me at all. I still love it when my fingers end up smelling like roses after I do my deadheading. I don't even mind the white Actea that blooms in the fall and fills the air with the most intense perfume.
Am I alone in this? I'd love to hear about your experiences with fragrance in the comment section.
Here are a few ways to get more out of the fragrant plants in your garden:
• Place fragrant flowers in an area you pass frequently.
• Edge a pathway so visitors will brush by fragrant plants.
• Plant fragrant flowers next to a bench or seating area.
• Many flowers are their most fragrant at night, so plant them near a deck or patio so you can enjoy them on warm summer nights.
Spring has lots to offer in terms of scent. Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for fragrant plants, trees and shrubs:
• Shop for variety as well as type of flower. Daylilies are not usually very fragrant, but my Mom had an old yellow variety that had an amazingly scent. Roses are another great example. Most modern roses have little or no smell. Check the plant tag or descriptives in nursery listings to make sure you are choosing a rose that smells divine!
• Herbs have aromatic foliage and sometimes have scented blooms. Lavender is a perfect example.
• Plan beyond spring and try to have at least a few plants in each season that will be fragrant.
Woodland Phlox in my own garden.
Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze' has fragrant, star-shaped white flowers in early spring. Unlike more familiar Phlox paniculata that blooms much later in the summer, this plant has fine, delicate foliage. Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze' slowly spreads to form a small clump. Divide in the fall. Moist soil and part to full shade are this plants preferences. Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-60 cm ( 12-23 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.
The path leading toward my four raised beds.
Dwarf Korean Lilac tree form, Syringa meyeri 'Palibin' in the near distance.
Fragrant Varieties of Common Lilac, Syringa vulgaris:
White: 'Ellen Willmott', 'Mme. Lemoine', 'Angel White', 'Primrose'
Pink: 'Belle de Nancy', 'Edward J. Gardner'
Lavender: 'Victor Lemoine', 'Katherine Havemeyer', 'Maiden's Blush'
Purple: 'Charles Joly', 'Sensation', 'Congo'
Blue: 'President Gehry', 'President Lincoln'
Other fragrant lilacs:
Dwarf Korean Lilac, Syringa meyeri 'Palibin'
A young Fringe Tree at Earthbound Gardens on the Bruce Peninsula.
White Fringe Tree, Chionanthus virginicus has showy white flowers that are fragrant. This deciduous tree is easily grown in average, well-drained soil and will reach a height of 20-25 feet. It requires full sun. USDA zones: 3-9.
Peonies at Keppel Croft Garden on the Bruce Peninsula.
Peonies from my own garden.
Not all peonies are fragrant, but many cultivars have a pleasant scent.
Fragrant pink peonies include: 'Eden's Perfume', 'Sarah Bernhardt', 'Mons Jules Elie', 'Mrs FDR', 'Madame Debatene', 'Myrtle Gentry' and 'Alexander Fleming'
Fragrant white peonies include: 'Festive Maxima', 'Raspberry Sundae' 'Duchesse de Nemours'
Read more about growing peonies here.
More peonies at Keppel Croft Garden.
Summary List: Late Winter/ Spring
Fragrant Plants for Sun
Annuals: Pansy, Wallflower
Perennials: Creeping or Moss Phlox, Sweet Violet
Bulbs: Hyacinth, Daffodils, some varieties of Tulip, Narcissus
Shrubs & Trees: Viburnum, Fothergilla gardenii, Witch hazel, Star Magnolia, Lilac, Crabapple, Fringe Tree, Japanese Flowering Cherry,
Fragrant Plants for Part Shade/Shade
Perennials: Woodland Phlox, Ostrich Fern, Lily-of-the-Valley (aggressive perennial)
Shrubs & Trees: Winter Daphne, Rhododendron, Azalea, Viburnum, Daphne, Fothergilla (part shade)
Fragrant Herbs for Part Shade and Shade: Sweet Woodruff
Read more about this garden filled with lavender and heather here.
It's summertime and the days are hot and languid. It's the perfect time to sit with a cold drink and enjoy some of the garden's most striking scents.
Lavender likes poor soil with good drainage. Read more about growing Lavender here.
Make a lavender sachet here.
For mid-summer fragrance it is hard to beat Oriental Lilies. Plant Oriental Lily bulbs in the spring or fall in full sun.
Old shrub roses at Earthbound Gardens on the Bruce Peninsula.
Old fashioned shrub rose at Earthbound Gardens.
Sadly fragrance has been bred out of many modern roses. Here are some of the many roses that still have a marvellous fragrance:
Fragrant pink roses: 'Louise Odier', ' The Generous Gardener', 'Madame Isaac Pereire', 'Heritage', 'Souvenir de la Malmaison', 'Harlow Carr' and 'Boscobel'
Fragrant white roses: 'Claire Austin', 'Moondance' and 'Bolero'
Fragrant red roses: 'Mr. Lincoln', 'Munstead Wood', 'Memorial Day'
Fragrant yellow: 'Graham Thomas', 'Honey Perfume', 'Julia Child' and 'Golden Celebration'
Fragrant climbers: 'New Dawn', 'Zephirine Drouhin', 'Madame Alfred Carriere', 'Constance Spry', 'Gertrude Jekyll', 'Buff Beauty' and 'Old Bourbon Rose'
Pinks, Dianthus have a rich, spicy fragrance. Plant them in full sun.
Summary List: Summer
Fragrant Plants for Sun
Annuals: Sweet Peas, Stocks, Petunias, Nicotiana, Sweet Alyssum, Moonflower, Heliotrope
Perennials: Oriental Lilies, Daylily, Lavender, Dianthus, Bearded Iris, Peony
Shrubs & Trees: Roses, Mock Orange
Fragrant Plants for Part Shade/Shade
Perennials: Hosta (some cultivars like 'Guacamole' and 'Honeybells' are fragrant)
Shrubs & Trees: Sweetshrub, Bottlebrush Buckeye (lightly fragrant)
Fragrant Herbs for Sun: Thyme, Chamomile, Rosemary, Monarda, Mint, Scented Geranium, Nasturtium, Lavender, Sage, Artemesia
The most fragrant flower in my garden is a shade plant. Read more about growing Actea
(or Cimicifuga as it was formerly known) here.
Phlox paniculata 'Blue Paradise' in Joe's Brampton garden.
It's fall. The days are shorter, but there is some welcome relief from the heat. Summer annuals are often at their fragrant best at this time of year. There are also a few perennials making their own contribution.
Phlox paniculata 'Franz Shubert' at Larkwhistle Garden on the Bruce Peninsula.
I don't find most varieties of Phlox paniculata are all that fragrant, but there are a few that have a light perfume particularly at night:
Phlox paniculata 'Starfire', 'Blue Paradise', 'Rembrant' and 'Franz Shubert'
Summary List: Late Summer/Fall:
Fragrant Plants for Sun
Perennials: Agastache, Phlox Paniculata (sun or part shade)
Shrubs & Trees: Butterfly Bush, Sweet Autumn Clematis (vine)
Fragrant Plants Part Shade/Shade
Perennials: Phlox Paniculata, Actea (or Cimicifuga as it was previously known)
There is lots of talk about limiting perfume in the workplace and other public spaces. What are your feelings about fragrance in general? And how do you feel about fragrance in the garden? I am curious to know!
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