10 Scented Plants That Will Make Your Garden a Fragrant Paradise
By
Editorial Staff in
Nature
On 23rd May 2015
Plants add color and texture to a garden, but they can also turn it into a fragrant paradise. By adding scented plants you can give a new dimension to your garden.
Scented gardens are an amazing experience and will definitely make you spent more time outdoors. There are so many fragrant plants out there, from shrubs, vines to beautiful annuals. Most of them are a true gift of the nature with their lush foliage, mesmerizing flowers and irresistible perfume. We encourage you to add scented plants into your garden and enjoy their fragrance throughout the seasons.
#1 Bridal Bouquet Abelia (Abelia mosanensis ‘Monia’) is one of Spring’s most fragrant plants. You can smell the fragrance from 15 feet away. Abelia’s pink buds will open into tiny white trumpets in late spring and will spread their mesmerizing smell till early summer. Abelia can grow 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide and prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.
#2 This is a no-brainer. We are all very well aware of how beautiful English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) smells. The smell of lavenders’ leaves and stunning purple flowers is one of the things that make this plant such a popular choice not only for herb gardens, but for every garden including balconies. The highly aromatic leaves and flowers are widely used in culinary, medicine (dried or made into oil), as insects repellent and for decoration purposes.
#3 They call her the Queen of fragrant flowers. Gardenia (Gardenia augusta) is a popular evergreen shrub that produces white rose-shape flowers throughout the warm months. You can grow gardenias in your garden or in your home as a house plant if you live in a cold-winter climates. Plant your gardenia in the shade in moist, well-drained soil.
#4 Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) is one of the most favorite plants for every gardener. It is a breathtaking 4-foot shrub that mesmerizes with its small candy-colored flowers that come out from mid to late summer. But the garden phlox is not only a fast growing and good looking perennial, it has one of the sweetest scents ever. The fragrance comes from the flowers and is most potent during warm sunny days.
#5 Hyacinth (Hyacinthus selections) is a favorite spring bulb that will fulfill your garden with a potent, mesmerizing scent. It is probably one of the most fragrant spring flowers. Hyacinths thrive in any well-drained soil in full to partial sun. Plant them in autumn. You can grow hyacinth in containers as well. They come in different colors – purple to pink, red, white, and yellow.
#6 This beautiful hardy flower was named after the Greek goddess of the rainbow. And iris does come in all kinds of flowers, in almost every color of the rainbow. Its characteristic flowers consist of three upright “standard” petals and three drooping “fall” petals. But the beautiful colors and flowers aren’t the only reason why iris is a favorite member of any garden – the perfume it spreads is as much fascinating. Irises come in different heights, colors and scents. Their fragrances can vary from anise to floral to fruity. Plant iris in part or full sun.
#7 Lilac (Syringa x ‘Declaration’) is yet another plant with stunning fragrant flowers. When the star shaped purple or white flowers appear in early spring they immediately start to share their sweet spicy smell. Lilac is a deciduous shrub that makes a beautiful addition to every garden. It can reach 6 to 8 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide. Plant it in a sunny location in cooler climates and light shed in the hottest climates.
#8 This little beauty called Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria selections) has the most lovely smell ever. Its small bell-like flowers will fill the whole garden with the sweetest perfume when they appear in spring. If you love its smell then let the plant spread so it becomes even more potent. Lily-of-the-Valley makes a great ground cover and will spread pretty fast. It also makes a beautiful cut flower – just make a small bouquet and put it in a vase so your whole apartment would smell amazingly.
#9 Oriental Lilies are a true classic when fragrance is in question. If you want a scented garden then the more lilies the better. Their irresistible scent is most potent in the afternoons, when the sun has warmed the flowers. There are many popular varieties of fragrant oriental lilies, like the white ‘Casa Blanca’, yellow ‘Conca d’Or’ or pink ‘Star Gazer’. Plant your oriental lilies in full sun and well-drained soil and enjoy fragrant afternoons in your backyard.
#10 Peonies are the ultimate flowering perennials. They will honor your garden with beautiful flowers and adorable scent for many years, with a very little care. But have in mind that not all varieties of peonies are fragrant. Check whether a variety is scented before you buy it. Some of the best fragrant varieties are ‘Shirley Temple’ Peony with its beautiful big flowers, the double flowered variety ‘Felix Crousse’ Peony, ‘Big Ben’ Peony with its rose-red flowers and many more. Bring the beautiful perfume of your peonies into your home by arranging them in vases as cut flowers.
