Plants that add scent and emotion to your garden

Scent and the emotions

Fragrance has a strong effect on our emotions and is an important element in gardening.

Creating a scented garden is much simpler than you might expect. In fact you don’t even need an actual garden because some well planned pots and baskets placed in a yard, on a patio, on a deck or beside a door will do the job just as well.

Picture it now – the soft scent of roses drifting by as you walk through your garden; a wonderful whiff of lavender from the pot by your front door as you put your key in the lock; the sweet mell of lilac drifting from your border as you sit in the sunshine enjoying your morning coffee.

Shrubs

Lavender – Plant in a sunny spot, close to paths or steps as brushing against one will release its scent

Old English Roses – Plant in borders or in pots on the patio to fill the area with beautiful perfume.

Mexican Orange Blossom (Choisya) – This lovely green leaved shrub produces small orange scented white flowers early season.

Philadelphus Belle Etoile – beautifully fragrant single white flowers.

Lilac – Extremely fragrant and easy to grow shrub.

Climbers

Jasmine Officinale – small white flowers produce possibly the most intense and aromatic fragrance in the garden.

Honeysuckle – fast growing and sweetly scented creamy white to yellow flowers.

Trachelospermum jasminoides – evergreen climber with very fragrant blooms produced throughout the summer.

Flowers

Pinks or Dianthus – great for beds, borders and containers

Nicotiana (tobacco plant) Renowned for its strong evening scent.

Nemesia  A wide variety of beautiful flowers with a rich fragrance that adds a sweet aroma to your garden