The garden experience
Anyone that owns a garden knows full well what a garden experience can be like. While a garden assures that it can reach and heighten all your senses, the most affected will be the sense of smell. Of all the aromas that a garden emanates, the ones from which the most pleasant come, are flowers. Some fragrant flowers have such strong scents, they fill the whole atmosphere. Not every flower on the planet let’s off a scent.
Have you noticed the behavior of people who interact with flowers and plants in a garden? Typically, they will go right up to the flower to get a closer look. They’ll probably touch the leaves to feel the texture. They may touch the flower’s petals as well. Then, they will go for the grand finale, saving the best for last. Leaning right into the flower, they’ll take a good, long sniff. We use all our senses to perceive a garden. At first, we use our eyes. Then we can’t resist the feel of something, so we touch flowers and plants. All this piques our curiosity more. Finally, the fragrance hits us.
Plants, and primarily flowers, have a scent for a specific scientific reason. Flowers that have sweet-smelling features attract pollinators. Besides this, sweet smelling flowers draw us in to admire them even more.
List of the most fragrant must-have blooms
Rose
If a rose had any other name, it would still smell as sweet! Roses are undoubtedly the reigning monarchs when it comes to fragrance. Of all the sweet smelling flowers in the world, the popular choice comes down to this royal flower. There is a common misconception that roses have been bred so much for their ideal form and color, they have lost out on aroma. While this is the case, it has been acknowledged that there is a growing demand for roses with their unique and classic scent.
Recognition of this relevant aspect has led to many nurseries selling varieties of fragrant flowers. The aromas that roses exude are somewhat like anise. Scents can be fruity and appealingly musky too. The flower is attractive because of the array of colors it comes in. Combined with its very powerful smell, this is a much-sought-after flower. Roses are versatile flowers that grow in many soil conditions and climates. Particularly, some scented rose varieties die right down to the roots and grow again on their own. Roses grow resplendently in well-drained soil and need at least six hours of sun to be healthy.
Geranium
The scented variety of the wonderful geranium is a feast for the eyes and the nose! What is distinguishing about this fragrant flower is that its lovely aroma is produced by its leaves. Glands at the base of the hairs of its leaves give out the smell. When the leaves are crushed, an oil is released along with the fragrance. Gardeners claim that these sweet smelling flowers give off several smells, according to the kind of plant. Scents range from fruity ones like apricot, apple, lemon and strawberry to mint. Flowers require full sunlight and partial shade to bloom. They are at their optimal growth from late spring right into summer.
Hyacinth
Hyacinths grow in a dense crowd of flowers. They have a beautiful aroma along with their colors of lilac, blue, yellow, orange, white, and the common pink. The singular quality of this sweet smelling flower is that each color variety has its own light, distinctive scent. Flower bulbs are normally planted in fall. These blooms need well-drained soil and sun with partial shade to thrive. The smell of these blooms gets a bit stronger in spring. Try the eye-catching Delft Blue variety as well as the Pink Surprise, which gives a sweet odor and has soft, lovely petals.
Wisteria
This is a climber that grows the most glorious violet and lilac flowers. Some varieties come in pink and white too. Clusters of dense groups of flowers resemble hanging bunches of grapes. When wisteria begins to bloom, it creates a sweet smell. Wisteria has a habit of being an invasive plant. Chinese and Japanese wisteria are some of these. These are the varieties that have the scent. Non-invasive wisteria does not produce any fragrance.
Jasmine
Jasmines are one of the sweetest smelling flowers in the world. Native to tropical regions, jasmine creates a sweet, yet powerful scent. White and light yellow blooms are used in the manufacture of perfume. These flowers are used extensively in aromatherapy and in ceremonies. If you have had jasmine tea, you will know how sweet the flower smells.
Heliotrope
The heliotrope is an exquisite deep purple flower that has a delicious almond aroma. This annual flower loves the light of the full sun. It can tolerate the shade of the afternoon too. The flower loves the hot summer months to grow in. Flowers are planted so that they grow from summer to fall. They add a bright burst of color with the most awesome fragrance.
Frangipani
Largely a tropical flower, native to the Caribbean, frangipani has an intense scent, especially at nighttime. The scent is sweet and serves as an attraction for sphinx moths for pollination. These flowers come in white and yellow mostly, but there are lighter pink and red varieties available as well. Frangipani can withstand great degrees of heat.
Lavender
Lavender is a herb that sprouts the sweetest smelling flowers. The scent is so intoxicating that it is widely used in the production of essential oils for aromatherapy. The scent is known to have calming qualities. Lavender plants are tall blooms that look pretty when they line a path or a walkway. Lavender flowers grow well in full sunlight and soil that is drained properly.
Sweet pea
Sweet pea is a graceful pink flower that has a strong fragrance. It blooms in spring as well as winter. These flowers are used in spas to promote an aura of relaxation. They add spunk and a great aroma to a garden.
Magnolia
Magnolias are large, white flowers and are among the best sweet smelling flowers on the market. Flowers grow to full bloom in the summer, after planting bulbs in springtime. The soil must be rich and properly drained, with flowers getting full sunlight. These are expansive flowers, so give them room to spread themselves. Some flowers grow to a width of 40 feet, but that only carries their appealing fragrance to more spaces. A great variety to have is the Big Leaf Magnolia.
Phlox
A pure variety of phlox is called “David” and smells particularly sweet. The flower comes in fluffy blooms of pink, white, salmon and purple and adds an attractive boost to your garden. Phlox has varieties that are self-seeding, so they will grow back on their own in the following season. They tend to get mildew on them, so see that they receive a lot of air circulation. Phlox love sunlight, but grow well in the shade in hot weather too.
Dianthus
If you like sweet smelling flowers that are laced with a spicy aroma, you will love the dianthus bloom. It is a flower that has a low growth and at a glance, looks a lot like a rose. The flower has unique fringed petals. Common color varieties are pink and white. Some with a vanilla-like fragrance are the Fruit Punch Sweetie Pie variety. The bloom grows to full capacity in complete sunlight.
Sweet Alyssum
As its name suggests, this fragrant flower has a great sweet aroma that you cannot miss. The plant has very dainty, white flowers and is low-maintenance. All the flower needs to thrive is a bright space and soil that is well-drained. This is a cheerful flower that will give you a scented carpet of flowers for the entire summer. Try out the Snow Princess variety.
Gardenia
This is one flower that is great value for money. Gardenia flowers are intensely fragrant and white. They bloom twice a year, in late spring and late summer. They need soil that is drained properly, yet moist. These flowers are sensitive to cold climates, but they grow well in containers indoors in the winter. The flower has a spicy and warm fragrance. They thrive in soil that is acidic and well-drained, with organic material.
Lilac
These shrubs give delightful violet flowers that smell as sweet as they look. Flowers grow in clusters with ease. They come in several colors, but the most sought-after are purple and white blooms. The flowers attract butterflies and are low in maintenance. They are very tough plants that need soil rich in humus. Ideal soils for lilacs are neutral to alkaline types that are drained well.
Lily of the Valley
The lily of the valley is a dainty flower that grows in rows of tiny bell-shaped blooms. The variety that blooms in spring has a very pure, sweet aroma. This plant with sweet smelling flowers needs soil which is moist. This is an invasive plant, so consider where you can plant it. It is also a poisonous plant, so keep your pets and children away from it. Lily of the valley needs moist soil to grow to its full potential.
Aromatic gardens
A beautiful garden has so much to offer, besides being a heady space for the senses. You don’t have to have a very large area to grow superb scented flowers. Many can be grown in containers on a window sill. Besides the natural scent of sweet smelling flowers, you also get the advantage of inviting an abundance of nature into your garden. Fragrant blooms attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees, amongst other creatures, and this will bring you tremendous peace and joy.