 Fragrant Gardens
by Beverly Burmeier
Many of us browse garden magazines and books for lovely photos of plants and flowers – scenes we try to emulate in our own landscapes. But fragrance is one aspect of gardening that pictures can’t capture. Even more, scent often conjures memories of past gardens we have known and loved.
Preserving fragrance seems to have taken a back seat as hybridizers seek bigger blooms, unusual colors or hardier plants. Still, it’s possible to let your nose guide you through a delightful assortment of garden scents, keeping in mind that pleasing fragrances can be very individual.
Nature has created a host of scented plants in all sizes, from trees to ground covers. Here is a starter-list of popular plants to tantalize your olfactory sense.
Shrubs
• Viburnum — easy care, hardy, fast growth (up to 15 feet tall), evergreen with small white flowers in bunches.
• Mock orange — fragrant white flowers in late spring or early summer; large, flowing shrub.
• Butterfly bush — fragrant colored flowers in spring; arching, open-branching growth; drought-tolerant.
Perennials
• Daylily — easy care, hardy, blooms in light shade, many varieties and colors.
• Iris — rhizomes are easy to establish, drought-tolerant, many varieties and colors.
• Hosta — easy care, cold-hardy; plant in shade; fragrant white, lilac or blue spiked flowers in late summer.
• Lavender — blue, pink, or white flowers in spring on aromatic grayish foliage; full sun and good drainage needed.
• Dianthus (pinks) — plant in fall (may bloom throughout winter) for delicate flowers in colors ranging from red to pink to purple.
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