The Scented Garden
A fragrant garden is both easy to achieve and incredibly rewarding. Here are the best ways to bring wonderfully scented plants into the garden, where to plant them, and most important which plants to choose.
Scent has a powerful affect on our emotions. The right scent can be calming or invigorating . Scent also helps to attract pollinators to blossoms, and is a great way to introduce another level of interest into the garden.
When placing fragrant plants in the garden it is ideal to plant close enough to pathways or high traffic areas so the fragrance can be appreciated. There are a huge range of scented plants to choose from with a variety of fragrances, so learning the type of fragrance you like can be helpful. A high proportion of winter flowering plants are highly scented, and sometimes just a sprig can fill a room with scent. There is a fragrant plant for every season. Read below for our favourites.
We have also included a list of scented plants. Filter based on plant type and fragrance type to find the right plant for your garden.
Scents Through the Seasons
Early Spring
Evergreen clematis (Clematis armandii)
Witch hazel (Hamamelis)
Sweetbox (Sarcococca)
Japanese Skimmia (Skimmia)
Dawn Viburnum (Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’)
Mid to late spring:
Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
Daffodil (Narcissus)
Peony
Lilac (Syringa)
Wisteria
Mid to late spring:
Gardenia
Oriental lily
Roses
Spanish broom (Spartium junceum)
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
Fall:
Bugbane (Actaea)
Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum)
Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora)
Scented Plant List
| Plant Name | Common Name | Plant Type | Scent Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abelia ‘Edward Goucher’ | Glossy abelia | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Abelia × grandiflora | Glossy abelia | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Abelia × grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’ | Gold-variegated abelia | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Abies grandis | Grand fir | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Actaea | Bugbane | Perennial | Scented flowers |
| Agastache | Hyssop, hummingbird mint | Perennial | Licorice |
| Agastache foeniculum | Anise hyssop | Perennial | Licorice |
| Artemisia | Sage | Perennial | Musky floral |
| Azalea | Azalea | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Azara microphylla | Boxleaf azara, chinchin | Tree | Vanilla fragrance |
| Calocedrus decurrens | Incense cedar | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Camellia sasanqua ‘Setsugekka’ | Autumn camellia | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Caryopteris | Bluebeard | Shrub | Musky floral |
| Cercidiphyllum japonicum | Katsura | Tree | Fragrant fall foliage |
| Chamaecyparis nootkatensis | Yellow cedar | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Choisya ternata | Mexican orange blossom | Shrub | Fragrant foliage |
| Cistus | Rockrose | Shrub | Fragrant foliage |
| Citrus x limon | Lemon tree | Tropical | Citrus |
| Clematis armandii Armandii Group | Evergreen clematis | Vine | Scented flowers |
| Clematis montana ‘Broughton Star’ | Anemone clematis | Vine | Scented flowers |
| Clematis montana ‘Elizabeth’ | Anemone clematis | Vine | Scented flowers |
| Clematis montana var. rubens | Anemone clematis | Vine | Scented flowers |
| Clematis terniflora | Sweet Autumn Clematis | Vine | Scented flowers |
| Clethra alnifolia | Summersweet | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Convallaria majalis | Lily of the valley | Perennial | Scented flowers |
| Corylopsis pauciflora | Buttercup winterhazel | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Daphne 'Eternal Fragrance' | Eternal Fragrance Daphe | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Elaeagnus × ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’ | Variegated hybrid elaeagnus | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Eucalyptus | Eucalyptus | Tree | Fragrant foliage |
| Fothergilla ‘Mount Airy’ | Witch alder | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Fothergilla gardenii | Dwarf witch alder | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Gardenia jasminoides | Gardenia | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Geranium × cantabrigiense | Hardy geranium, cranesbill | Perennial | Spicy |
| Geranium macrorrhizum | Hardy geranium, cranesbill | Perennial | Spicy |
| Hamamelis | Witch hazel | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Heliotropum | Heliotrope | Annual | Scented flowers |
| Heptacodium miconioides | Seven-son flower | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Hosta plantaginea | Hosta | Perennial | Scented flowers |
| Hyacintthus orientalis | Hyacinth | Bulb | Scented flowers |
| Iris pallida | Iris | Perennial | Scented flowers |
| Itea virginica | Sweetspire | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Jasminum officinale | Common Jasmine | Vine | Scented flowers |
| Juniperus chinensis ‘Kaizuka’ | Hollywood juniper | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Lathyrus | Sweet Pea | Annual | Scented flowers |
| Laurus nobilis | Bay laurel | Shrub | Spicy |
| Lavandula | Lavender | Perennial | Musky floral |
| Lilium ‘Star Gazer’ | Star gazer oriental lily | Bulb | Scented flowers |
| Lonicera fragrantissima | Winter honeysuckle | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Magnolia × loebneri ‘Leonard Messel’ | Pink lobner magnolia | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Magnolia grandiflora ‘Edith Bogue’ | Evergreen magnolia | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Magnolia grandiflora ‘Victoria’ | Evergreen magnolia | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Magnolia sieboldii | Oyama magnolia | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Magnolia stellata | Star magnolia | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Malus ‘Adirondack’ | Flowering crabapple | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Malus toringo ssp. sargentii ‘Tina’ | Dwarf sargent's crabapple | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Malus transitoria ‘Golden Raindrops' | Cutleaf crabapple | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Matthiola species | Stock | Annual | Scented flowers |
| Melianthus major | Honey Bush, Peanut Butter Plant | Tropical | Scented foliage |
| Melissa officinalis | Lemon balm | Perennial | Citrus |
| Mentha requienii | Corsican mint | Perennial | Mint |
| Mentha sp. | Mint | Perennial | Mint |
| Muscari armeniacum | Grape hyacinth | Bulb | Scented flowers |
| Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus | Pheasent's eye daffodil | Bulb | Scented flowers |
| Nicotiana | Flowering tobacco | Annual | Scented flowers |
| Oenothera pallida | Pale evening primrose | Perennial | Scented flowers |
| Osmanthus × burkwoodii | Burkwood's sweet olive | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Osmanthus delavayi | Sweet olive | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Paeonia | Peony | Perennial | Scented flowers |
| Pelargonium (scented-leaved group) | Scented Geranium | Annual | Fragrant foliage |
| Perovskia | Russian sage | Perennial | Musky floral |
| Philadelphus | Mock orange | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Pinus parviflora Glauca Group | Blue-needled japanese white pine | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Prostanthera cuneata | Alpine mint bush | Shrub | Fragrant foliage |
| Pseudotsuga menziesii | Weeping douglas fir | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Rhododendron ‘PJM series’ | Hybrid rhododendron | Shrub | Fragrant foliage |
| Ribes sanguineum | Flowering currant | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Frisia’ | Golden locust | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Rosa ‘Hansa’ | Double pink old-fashioned rose | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Rosmarinus officinalis | Rosemary | Shrub | Fragrant foliage |
| Salvia | Sage | Perennial | Musky floral |
| Sarcococca | Sweet box | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Sequoia sempervirens | Coast redwood | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Skimmia japonica | Japanese Skimmia | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Smilacina racemosa | False solomon's seal | Perennial | Scented flowers |
| Spartium junceum | Spanish broom | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Styrax obassia | Fragrant snowbell | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Syringa | Lilac | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Thuja plicata | Western red cedar, giant arborvitae | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Tillia species | Linden tree | Tree | Scented flowers |
| Trachelospermum jasminoides | Star jasmine | Vine | Vanilla fragrance |
| Tsuga mertensiana | Mountain hemlock | Conifer | Woodsy |
| Viburnum × bodnantense ‘Dawn’ | Pink dawn viburnum | Shrub | Scented flowers |
| Viburnum × burkwoodii | Burkwood's viburnum | Shrub | Spicy |
| Viburnum carlesii | Koreanspirce Viburnum | Shrub | Spicy |
| Wisteria | Wisteria | Vine | Scented flowers |
