The beauty of any garden is something to behold, but why stop at just one of your senses? Fragrance is a wonderful addition to any garden, and you can plant a fragrance garden to completely indulge yourself. This article will provide you with details on how to plant a fragrance garden that will last all season.
Early Spring Flowers for Fragrance
Early spring is a time where we all look forward to new growth and the upcoming gardening season. Start your fragrance garden off right by planting some early spring flowers.
Hyacinth is a fragrant flowering bulb that comes in a variety of colors and is easily grown. Plant hyacinth in early fall for spring blooms and plant in March for July blooms. Hyacinth is a perennial, but it is not very hardy and can be treated like an annual.
Daffodils are another fragrant flower that is planted in early fall for spring flowers, and this plant likes a lot of sun. Daffodils like well drained soil, and the bulbs should be dug up, dried for a week, and stored for the next planting.
Sweet Peas are an annual plant that smells great. This plant is a vine that needs full sun, well drained soil, and a place to climb on. Water these plants early in the day or they may grow fungus.
Summer Flowers for Fragrance
Summer is the time when many part of your garden will be in full bloom, and your fragrant flowers should also be blooming. Add these essential flowers for summer fragrance in your garden.
Sweet Alyssum is a groundcover that produces a sweet scent. This summer time flower is better known as baby’s breath, and it likes non acidic soil. This fragrance plant likes full sun, and will bloom from spring to late summer.
Bouncing Bet is another fragrant flower for summer time; these flowers like sun and partial shade, and they enjoys rocky soil. Bouncing bet is a perennial that produces small red, white, and pink blooms. This plant is drought resistant and produces a sweet smell.
Garden phlox is a perennial flower that has an enticing fragrance. They like full sun or partial shade, and they need a lot of water. These fragrant flowers grow in clumps, and they need air circulation to deter mildew.
Fall Flowers for Fragrance
Fall is the end of the growing season for many, but it does not have to be the end of your fragrance garden. There are many fragrance producing flowers for fall gardens.
A sweet smelling vine flower is Sweet Autumn Clematis, and it will provide you with fall fragrance in your garden. This plant likes well drained soil, and it enjoys full sun to partial shade. It makes a nice addition to a fragrance garden because it smells sweet, and it blooms in the late summer and fall.
Swamp milkweed has a vanilla fragrance, and it blooms in summer and fall. This flower attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, and it enjoys wet soil and full sun.
Planting a fragrance garden that last you the whole growing season is a great way to enjoy your senses. Try planting these fragrant plants in your garden to add a whole new level to the beauty and experience.
Stop to Smell the Roses, Hyacinth, Lavender, Honeysuckle
There is a simple reason the phrase “stop and smell the roses” became popular – – they smell fantastic. I suppose it also means to slow down and enjoy the beauty around you; however, I just like how fragrant roses smell. Fragrance gardens are gaining in popularity as gardeners desire to entice all of their senses when enjoying the fruits of their labor. If you want to plant a fragrance garden, you will want to follow these fragrance garden tips to make sure that your garden comes up smelling like roses.
In order to plan a fragrance garden, you will need to know several key elements about fragrance gardens. The best place for a fragrance garden is a spot that gets plenty of sun but that is protected from winds. Most fragrant plants and flowers grow best in partial to full sun; however, if you do not protect your fragrance garden from wind the sweet smells you long for will be carried away. Plant your fragrance garden near a wall, hedge or under an arbor or trellis to block the wind. Furthermore, when you plan your fragrance garden make room for benches, chairs and pathways so that you can relax and enjoy your garden. A fragrance garden is meant to be enjoyed thus it should be planted near windows or areas where you can wander by and stir up the luscious scents. If you do not have room for a fragrance garden, do not despair fragrant plants grow wonderfully in window boxes and patio planters. You can create a fragrant oasis in a very small area.
Once you have established where to plant your fragrance garden, you must choose the type of flowers, plants and trees you want in your garden. Fragrance is released either by blooms or from oils in foliage that are released when the leaves are bruised or crushed. Therefore, you must learn more about fragrant plants than just which scents you prefer. A good way to learn about fragrant plants is to visit a fragrance garden at a nearby botanical garden (such as the United States Botanic Garden or one of the many botanical gardens in the United States). There you can “test drive” fragrant plants, flowers and trees to determine which scents you prefer for your own fragrance garden. If you are unable to visit a fragrance garden, I found two websites that have lists of fragrant flowers, plants, vines, trees, etc. that will guide you when planning your fragrance garden. Our Garden Gang has a list of fragrant flowering plants including specific measurements for growing. Rose File has an extensive list of fragrant plants as well as a detailed journal entitled “A Year in the Nose Garden” containing excellent fragrance garden tips.
One last tip for planning a fragrance garden – – use a mixture of annuals and perennials to continue the fragrance all year long.
