Planting fragrant flowers is an excellent way to elevate any outdoor space. These scented blooms create a soothing environment and attract bees and butterflies. Whether you enjoy delicate aromas or flowers that fill your entire yard with fragrance, there are many choices available. In this article, we’ll introduce some of the best fragrant flowers to transform your garden into an aromatic paradise.
Rose
Roses are the go-to flower for delightful fragrances, offering scents from sweet and citrusy to exotic and spicy. Popular varieties like ‘Double Delight,’ ‘Fourth of July,’ and ‘Midas Touch’ bring both beauty and a lovely aroma to your garden. When picking roses for your garden, sniff them or check the plant tags to ensure you buy the most fragrant varieties.
Lavender
Lavender is another popular fragrant flower that you can plant in your garden. Its calming fragrance can help reduce stress, making your garden a peaceful retreat. English lavender and its hybrid, Lavandin (French lavender), are among the most aromatic, giving off a unique fresh scent with balsamic notes. Lavender naturally repels insects and is perfect for creating fragrant hedges, borders, or container plants.
Poet’s Jasmine
Poet’s jasmine is renowned for its heavenly fragrance and white star-shaped blossoms that bloom from purple and pink buds. This large semi-evergreen shrub from Asia fills gardens with its delightful aroma from late spring to frost. It requires bright sun and well-drained, fertile soil. The poet’s jasmine is low-maintenance and pollinator-friendly, perfect for creating a fragrant hedge or covering a garden wall.
Lilac
Lilacs are known for their heavily scented flowers, which mark the arrival of spring. Blooming in late May, these plants thrive in full sun and grow 12-15 feet tall. Although their blooming season is brief, the intense fragrance is worth the anticipation. Repeat blooming varieties can offer additional flowers in mid to late summer. Lilacs are a great addition to any fragrance garden and are completely non-toxic. Their vibrant purple and white blossoms can perfume an entire neighborhood.
Mock Orange
The citrusy scent of Mock Orange sets it apart from other shrubs. Its frilly white flowers resemble orange blossoms. Blooming from late spring to early summer, these sweet, fragrant flowers last for weeks and are perfect for cut flower arrangements. While it doesn’t produce fruit, its twigs and blossoms make a lovely, aromatic addition to mixed bouquets.
Peony
Peonies make a colorful addition to gardens, and their delightful fragrance adds to their charm. Their scent varies from light and citrusy to sweet and spicy. The double white and pink peonies are the most aromatic. These flowers thrive in full sun and are hardy. Peonies bloom from May to June, adding charm to gardens from spring to early summer. You can select a mix of early, midseason, and late-blooming varieties and enjoy their captivating aroma for more time.
Lily Of The Valley
Lily of the Valley is a charming little plant that brings a lovely, sweet fragrance to any garden. Its delicate white flowers resemble tiny fairy bells hanging above rich green leaves. This plant thrives in partial shade and spreads quickly, so plant it in a spot where it can roam freely. The scent is intoxicating and adds a magical touch to the spring air. However, be careful because it’s toxic to both animals and people.
Magnolia
Magnolia contains a compound called citral, which gives it a refreshing scent reminiscent of a bright sunny day. Magnolias grow best in the sunny, humid Deep South. However, since there are more than 80 varieties, you will definitely find one that’s well-suited to grow where you are. Daybreak is the most fragrant variety, with a rosy-pink flower that blooms mid-spring.
Tuberose
Tuberose is a beautiful perennial that is popular for its perfume. These beauties can grow up to 4 feet tall and fill the air with a sweet aroma from July to September. Tuberoses are native to Mexico and are valued worldwide, especially for their use in perfumes. Their large, white, trumpet-shaped blooms are a florist’s favorite for weddings. Thanks to their thick stems, they last for weeks in a vase and make a stunning addition to any garden.
White Frangipani
Frangipani, also known as West Indian Jasmine, is a stunning small tree native to Puerto Rico and the Lesser Antilles. Despite its name, it doesn’t produce jasmine flowers but boasts clusters of snow-white blossoms with vibrant golden centers. These flowers release a sweet, captivating scent that intensifies at night. The blooms last throughout the season, filling the air with their exotic scent.
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle has a powerful, sweet floral scent that can easily become the highlight of your garden. These tiny, pale blooms turn golden yellow over time and attract butterflies. While the flowers might be small, their fragrance is anything but—it’s strong and intoxicating. Honeysuckle can climb pergolas, trellises, arbors, and fences, offering a lush and green display with fragrant blooms throughout summer.
Wisteria
Wisteria is a showstopper, with its intoxicating, sweet fragrance that fills the air. The long, fragrant clusters of blue and purple flowers hang like a beautiful floral waterfall, creating a stunning and aromatic display. This vigorous climber looks amazing on pergolas or lattice walls, blooming in spring and late summer. While its scent is delightful, be aware that non-native varieties like Chinese and Japanese wisteria can be invasive, so it’s best to opt for American wisteria.
Freesia
Freesias are loved for their sweet, fruity scent that reminds many of fresh strawberries. These tubular flowers come in an array of vibrant colors, including white, orange, red, blue, yellow, and lavender. They’re perfect for adding a lovely fragrance to your garden, especially in spring and summer. Freesia bulbs are easy to grow and can even be forced to bloom indoors, so you can enjoy their delightful scent year-round.
Sweet Pea
The delicate floral and honey aroma of Sweet Pea is truly captivating. This annual climbing plant can grow up to eight feet with proper support. Native to Europe and the Mediterranean, its flowers emit a delightful scent reminiscent of honey and orange blossoms. These dainty blooms last up to five days in a vase and increase the more you cut them.
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly Bush is a charming shrub with honey-scented flowers that butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds can’t resist. Blooming from summer until the first frost, it comes in lovely shades of white, pink, or purple and can grow from 18 inches to 7 feet tall, depending on the variety. It’s perfect for planting near patios or windows, where you can enjoy the sweet scent and watch the pollinators.