Top 7 Fragrant Plants for Your Garden

02-09-2024

Enhancing your garden or balcony with fragrant plants can bring a delightful aroma to your outdoor space. As summer unfolds, it's the perfect time to enjoy the beauty of nature. With the warm sun, colorful blooms, and the soothing buzz of bees, your garden can become a tranquil oasis. Incorporating aromatic plants into your garden, patio, or balcony can create a calming retreat.

Some plants release their fragrance when brushed, while others infuse the air with their scent throughout the day or evening. Many of these aromatic plants are easily found at local garden centers and nurseries.

Fragrant Plants for Your Garden

Including fragrant varieties such as roses, lavender, or geraniums can add both visual and olfactory appeal to your garden. Not only will your garden look beautiful, but it will also be infused with lovely scents. Our garden center in Winterswijk has a diverse selection of aromatic plants. Some may be familiar, while others might be new and exciting. Come and explore our top 7 fragrant plants for your garden.

1. Roses

Modern roses are admired for their long blooming periods and disease resistance, but they often lack the classic rose fragrance. Thankfully, traditional rose varieties are available that will fill your garden with their classic scent. Options include:

• Hybrid French Roses (Rosa gallica), such as musk roses (Rosa moschata) and Japanese rugosa roses (Rosa rugosa).
• Gallica Roses, including the Apothecary’s Rose Rosa Gallica 'Versicolor', known for its June bloom and pleasing aroma.
• Musk Roses, available as shrubs or climbing types, known for their repeat blooming and fragrant flowers.
• Japanese Rugosa Roses, hardy shrubs with a single blooming season.

2. Lavender

Lavender's scent brings to mind warm summer days and far-off places. It is ideal for container planting on patios or as a low hedge near your entrance. The aroma is released when the plant is brushed, and its grey-green foliage persists through the winter. Lavender is also perfect for drying and using in sachets or culinary dishes. It thrives in sunny, dry environments.

3. Scented Geranium (Pelargonium)

Scented geraniums, like lavender, release their fragrance when their leaves are touched. Simply rub a leaf between your fingers to enjoy its scent. Popular varieties include:

• Lemon Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens or crispum), which has a lemon scent and purple blooms.
• Pelargonium 'Roses of Attar', known for its rose-like aroma and pink flowers.
• Pelargonium odoratissimum, which features an apple-like scent and small white flowers.
• 'Chocolate Peppermint', offering a peppermint fragrance, mauve flowers, and chocolate-brown leaf markings.

These geraniums are perfect for pots on balconies or patios.

4. Anise Hyssop (Agastache)

Anise hyssop has leaves with an anise-like aroma. This perennial blooms for a long period, showcasing small lilac or white flowers, and attracts butterflies and bees. It is quite hardy and grows well in both pots and garden beds. Place it in a sunny spot for best results.

5. Lilac

The common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) can grow into a shrub reaching up to five meters in height. Dwarf varieties (Syringa patula) remain smaller, and there are also lilacs trained as standard trees. Blooming in May and June, they emit a captivating fragrance. Lilacs do well in sunny or lightly shaded areas. Their branches also make lovely cut flowers for arrangements.

6. Honeysuckle (Lonicera)

Honeysuckle is a charming climber that releases a sweet scent in the evening. Its flowers, available in various colors, attract bees and butterflies, making it an excellent choice for a garden that supports pollinators. It grows best in moist, nutrient-rich soil and can thrive in both full sun and partial shade.

7. Sweet Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)

Sweet Rocket might not be as widely known but adds a distinctive touch to your garden. This perennial blooms from May to September with white, pink, or lilac flowers that emit a stronger fragrance at night. It grows to about 80 centimeters tall and prefers a moist, partially shaded location.

Visit local garden centers and nurseries to discover a variety of fragrant plants. Enhance your garden or balcony with these lovely options. Whether you prefer fresh roses or aromatic lavender, you'll find the perfect plants to suit your space. Stop by your local garden center to experience and select the ideal fragrant additions for your garden.