One of the sweetest things about gardening has to be the beautiful fragrances of flowers, herbs and even the fruits we cultivate. In addition to their exquisite beauty and heady scents, the fragrance of blooms can also trigger lovely seasonal memories.
Mock orange (Philadephus spp.) blossoms, with their intensely sweet, citrusy smell, always remind me of those first glorious days of summer vacation. There were Mock orange shrubs just outside one of the back doors of the house I grew up in, so I associate that delicious smell with the delightful feeling of freedom that goes along with the summer vacations of childhood.
I still love Mock orange and I think some of my favorite plants are those that are especially fragrant. I have lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) planted around my home to let the scent drift inside on warm May days. I find it remarkable how intensely they perfume our yard in mid-to-late May and very much add to the enjoyment of our landscape during those fleeting two to three weeks of bloom.
Varieties of Korean lilac such as ‘Miss Kim’ (Syringa pubescens subsp. Patula ‘Miss Kim’) can keep those amazing scents going a little longer in the spring, as they bloom slightly later than regular varieties. I find their bloom time is even shorter than regular varieties but their fragrance is even more intense. I have not yet planted any of the re-blooming varieties so I’m not familiar with how they might perfume the landscape even later in the growing season.
Another spring favorite is Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis). These diminutive, white, delicately scalloped, bell-shaped flowers spread easily in the shade. They are especially sweet but must be brought indoors to truly enjoy their delicate scent, which is prized by the perfume industry.
Certain varieties of peonies (Paeonia) have an intense and heady fragrance which can also be enjoyed when they are displayed inside in a vase. Their scent is described as honey-like or rose-like.
Roses (Rosa) are probably one of the best known flowers for their perfume-scent. When I was younger, I was not a fan of the fragrance, but I have grown to like it over the years. Many new cultivars are unscented, so do some research before you buy if you would like a variety with a classic and strong rosy scent.
Other intensely scented bloomers during the summer include Oriental lilies (Lilium). I’ve grown ‘Stargazer’ in the past for their remarkable fuchsia-pink blooms that are very fragrant. Other Oriental varieties are also heavily scented.
Don’t forget about cottage garden favorites like Dianthus with its intoxicating scent of clove, annual stock (Matthiola) and Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens). Some varieties of Heliotrope, like ‘Marine’ attract butterflies and have a vanilla scent.
There are also favorites like Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Bearded Iris (Iris germanica) and Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia Maritima).
Herbs are another wonderful, easy to grow way to add delicious scent to your garden. Lavender (Lavandua) is famous for its fragrant blooms and foliage and can be dried to bring its scent inside. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is especially fragrant, particularly in the summer heat, as is oregano (Origanum vulgare) and mint (Mentha). You may want to keep members of the mint family in containers to keep them from spreading. Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is another incredibly fragrant herb with its licorice smell and Anise Hyssop has lovely lavender blooms and a licorice scent as well.
