Fragrant Garden Plants
When planting fragrant garden plants, keep in mind how strong their scents are. You want to be able to smell them, but at the same time, you don’t want them to be overwhelming. Situate your lightly scented plants along walkways where people will brush against them often. You want them to notice the scent as they pass but not be overwhelmed by it. When choosing scented plants for gardens, it’s important to know what you’re looking for. Flowering plants are usually the ones with the most impressive fragrances, but they cover a very wide range. If you want scented garden flowers that will come back year after year, you should consider the following perennial fragrant garden plants:
Bee balm Lily of the valley Iris Primrose
If you want something bigger, try some fragrant flowering shrubs like butterfly bush and lilac. Vining plants like honeysuckle, wisteria, and sweet pea can completely cover an unsightly wall and turn it into the centerpiece of a scented garden. Some plants, like evening primrose, catchfly, and night-scented stock, are the most fragrant in the evening, making them perfect under windows where their scent will drift inside at night. There are plenty of annual fragrant garden plants as well. Marigold, pansy, and nasturtium are all good scented plants for gardens. Nothing says you have to stop at flowering plants either. In fact, some of the best-smelling plants for gardens include herbs. Herbs are known for their fragrance, especially if they’ve just been trimmed. Plants like basil, rosemary, thyme, and sage all produce very pleasant scents.
