Fragrance in the Garden

Scents for all seasons.

One of my sweetest childhood memories involves fragrance. We had an old lilac bush growing at the front door and every spring my mother would allow me to pick a bunch of flowers to bring indoors. This was after I took it upon myself one year to cut off every flower head I could reach and give them to her as a present. I can still see the tears in her eyes. Under the lilac grew deep purple violets. We made posies of them and they smelled heavenly. Wisteria grew over the garage and in early summer roses bloomed and filled the air with their musky perfume.

Growing fragrant plants is pure pleasure.


I now garden on a very small terrace in a very big city, but still try to capture as much perfume as I can from spring to late summer. Having a garden that is fragrant enhances our enjoyment of the things we grow. Sitting outside in the evening with a drink or cup of coffee, breathing in air that smells delicately of roses or night-scented nicotiana, is a balm to the soul. I do not have the space for big climbers such as wisteria, or shrubs like lilac, but here is a wish list of plants that I would grow if I could (including a few that I am able to grow now in my modest space).

1. Winter daphne (Daphne odora) is a thrilling source of cold-weather perfume. I have walked into a New York City garden in February to smell its intense, lemony-sweet fragrance everywhere. All daphnes prefer some shade, with dappled morning light and full afternoon shade best. Hardy from zones 7-9, I have also seen them happy in protected spots in zone 6b. They need plenty of moisture and superb drainage.


2. Roses seem to be the quintessential fragrant flower. I cannot think of another shrub that gives us flowers for as long as they do. I always look for a rose that is a repeat bloomer, so that once they start in spring I can expect flowers through November in my USDA 6b zone. Many David Austin roses are bred for scent, and my favorite is 'Abraham Darby' (seen above). Its lusciously double, pink petals are heavy with fragrance. They tend to smell strongest in the early evening and make very good cut flowers, too, bringing their scent indoors. 'Iceberg' is a reliable rose whose white flowers are perfect for an evening garden. My Iceberg climber came from the Antique Rose Emporium. Remember that roses need full sun to thrive, meaning no less than six hours for the healthiest growth. Prune in early spring and fertilize during their bloom-season, stopping about six weeks before your zone's first frost date.
3. Lilacs come to mind immediately when we talk about scent. With about 2,000 cultivars available now, it is easy (or not!) to create a collection of them. Blooming from early to late spring, their lovely flowers will last about two weeks, and then it will be over. I think they are worth the wait. We take for granted something we have all the time. They need full sun and benefit from light pruning immediately after their flowers have faded. Usually they do not require fertilizer, but mulching with compost is always beneficial. For an informal, fragrant hedge, plant lilacs six feet apart and keep pruned to the height you require.

4. If full sun is a challenge, Mohawk or Korean Spice viburnums are delightful early to mid-spring shrubs for gardens with dappled shade, afternoon or morning-only sun. They do not bloom in full shade. Appearing on the stems before the leaves, the flower clusters are richly-scented white snowballs with a touch of clove. Mohawk's buds are red and open to a creamy white. Viburnum farreri blooms earlier, has delicately pink flowers and is highly scented. Cold-tolerant viburnums require minimal fuss as long as they have good drainage.

5. Raulston allspice (Calycanthus x raulstonii 'Hartlage Wine') is an unusual and arresting choice for woodland to partially sunny gardens. Large, ruffled, scented burgundy-red flowers open in mid-spring. This deciduous shrub grows best in dappled shade. You can grow it in full sun if enough water is provided. If you cannot find this particular cultivar, look for the native Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus) which has a stronger scent and more subtle flowers.

6. Sick of rhododendrons and azaleas? Don't be. The deciduous Rhododendron austrinum is a riot of slender, gold-orange flowers whose scent invites you to push your nose into them. This is a stunning shrub for a semi-shady garden but it does very well in full sun, too. Native to Florida's panhandle and Georgia, it is hardy to zone 6. Another deciduous azalea, Rhododendron 'Pink and Sweet', has larger blooms, pale pink and apricot, and a delicious fragrance. Lightly acidic soil is best for this genus, and add lots of organic matter to keep these beauties happy.

7. If you have the space and a very sturdy support, you can grow a Wisteria vine. They can be pruned into standard forms, and some nurseries sell them this way, obviating the need for a strong trellis. Not every wisteria is created equal. Look for Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls': It is a cultivar of Wisteria frutescens, which is a hardy American native, not the invasive Asian vine, which is a pest. The flower cascades are smaller than the long bunches of old, but they have plenty of perfume to keep humans and bees drunk with pleasure.

8. Confederate or Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is unbeatable for summer fragrance in warmer climates (it is hardy from zone 8 upwards). Its white flowers are exotically and heavily scented. It can be grown in containers, in compost mixed with potting soil, and in the ground it requires good drainage. It is fairly drought tolerant. Help it twine by attaching tendrils to a trellis or arbor. It can be grown as an annual in colder climes, or overwintered in a cool room or garage.

9. Some consider Violets to be a weed but if you remember that the leaves and flowers can be eaten perhaps you will think otherwise. Violets are springtime. The native birdsfoot violet has lacy leaves and gorgeous flowers. It is summer-dormant so is best planted where another perennial's foliage can provide cover for it when resting. Common blue violet is another charmer, far more prolific and a good source for the posy that I mentioned earlier.

10. One of my favorite perfumes belongs to the woodland native, Doll's eyes (Actaea pachypoda). I first smelled the fluffy white flowers in the Native Garden at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and was captivated. Their scent is citrusy and strong, and like so many scented plants, becomes more conspicuous towards twilight. They are one of the most beautiful wildflowers of the eastern woodlands. Towards late summer the distinctive white berries make this plant doubly ornamental. But be warned: the berries are very poisonous. This is not a perennial for a garden where small children play. They like humus-rich soil, so compost-addition is helpful, as well as dappled shade.

11. Some of the best flowers for a fragrant garden are Hosta 'Fragrant Bouquet' and 'Royal Standard', two sweetly-scented plantain lilies whose late summer flowers are a pleasure long after spring is a cool memory. Happiest with some afternoon shade, or in dappled light, these trouble-free, cold-tolerant plants have tropical foliage and tall, pure white flowers. If you are lucky, they will be visited by hummingbirds.

12. One of my favorite flowers of all time, the Peacock flower or Abyssinian gladiolus (Gladiolus callanthus, sometimes still sold under the old name, Acidanthera) comes into bloom in early fall. Officially hardy to zone 7 it can be grown in colder climates in a very protected spot, or as an annual in zones below 6. Tall stems bear breathtakingly gorgeous white flowers with purple throats, whose perfume increases by the hour. These are bulbs that can be planted in spring for late summer and fall bloom.

13. Nicotiana sylvestris is a statuesque member of the tobacco family that is a spectacular filler for points in your garden where some low maintenance drama is needed. And then there is the scent, which is divine. Plant it near a window, or an outdoor table where you can smell it while dining al fresco. For unusual chartreuse highlights choose Nicotiana langsdorfii (below), which I find to be fragrant in the evening. Nicotiana has enjoyed mixed reviews. It can self-seed aggressively, and make itself unpopular. To avoid this unruly behavior, deadhead the flowers before they set seed.


There is a scent for every season. When planning a fragrant garden, think about it in terms of what you want to smell and when you want to smell it. If you have plenty of room, stagger the sequence of scents. And if you only have a tiny space, choose the fragrant flower you love best and love it once every year.

And remember: keep your windows and doors open!