Fragrant Plants To Appeal To The Senses
A well-designed garden appeals to all of the senses. Who doesn’t love to see beautiful flowers or interesting foliage. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind or birds singing appeals to our ears. The soft touch of an ornamental grass inflorescence against our cheek.
The sense of smell is among the strongest of the senses. A pleasant scent can bring back great memories, help us relax, and free the mind to wander. Scent is often overlooked when designing a garden but the introduction of fragrant plants in containers, along a walkway or near a sitting area can bring a garden’s enjoyment to a whole new level.
Consider these fragrant plants when creating your garden design or even when just improving a part of your existing gardens.
Sweet Alyssum
Whether cascading from containers, window boxes and hanging baskets or tucked into a rock garden as a flowering ground cover, the sweet fragrance of this plant is lovely. It is a favorite of pollinators.
Honeysuckle
A favorite of hummingbirds, this vine boasts tubular coral colored flowers attract hummingbirds. This robust twining vine thrives in moist to well drained soils in full sun to part shade. Plant is on trellis or fence line for a summer full of blossoms.
Rose
It is difficult to get more classic than roses. With so many varieties and colors to choose from, the palette is practically endless. Choose carefully though, as beautiful as they all are, some roses are more fragrant than others.
Butterfly Bush
Attractive to all sorts of pollinators and also a very fragrant plant to us. Available in shades of white, pink, or purple withstands drought, blooms all season long. Also now available in dwarf forms that fit nicely into smaller gardens and are not invasive.
Phlox
Plant is a mixed border or in a mass for maximum affect, Phlox is available in white, pink, salmon, purple, red or combinations. It needs good air circulation or it will develop powdery mildew. Many varieties will self seed.
Viburnum
A garden without a Viburnum is like a meal without wine. This tough shrub has a pinkish-white bloom with a spicy scent. It is generally deer resistant and it’s fall berries attract lots of birds.
Wisteria
A traditional southern plant. Train on pergolas or prune as a shrub, this vine will be covered with sweet smelling purple flowers all spring long.
Daphne
The sweet smell that wafts through the air in February and March can be attributed to only a few plants, one of them being Daphne. An old garden favorite, Daphne is a plant no yard should be without.
Lilac
This lovely old fashioned plant has the scent of many perfumes, or vice-versa, is one plant that gardeners most look forward to in the spring.
