What perennials are most fragrant?

15 years ago

What perennials are most fragrant? I'm looking to add some to my garden and want very fragrant, pleasant smelling perennials.

Thank you!

Rosemary

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Comments (11)

woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
15 years ago
Regal lilies!
triciae
15 years ago
Here's a few:

Oriental lilies, lavender (sub shrub), phlox paniculata, dianthus, peonies, convallaria (Lily of the Valley, viola odorada, rosemary (sub shrub), & roses work in a perennial bed.

/tricia
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Lily-of-the-valley is of the knock-your-socks-off family, provided you plant in a controlled area so you won't be overrun with it. A few LOTV stems in a bouquet with Lilac will help satisfy your urges towards beauty and scent. I also suggest freesia for a bulb, and agree with more lilies. Is there such a thing as too many lilies? I think not. Sweet alyssum is great for an annual along walkways or bed borders, or even in pots at the base of larger specimens. And you can just till them under next season. Not sure how long your growing season is but I have to suggest one of my favorites, a plumeria tree. You could grow it in a large pot with wheels as I do here, if you have room in your garage or basement to overwinter it. I'd be happy to ship you a cutting of a pretty pink cultivar which I don't know the proper name of, but which knocks my socks off annually from May till October in Zone 10/13. If you're interested, let me know! I'm including a link with some plumeria basics for you which I found helpful. I hope some of these suggestions fire your imagination. Your garden already sounds like an enchanting perfume oasis but like the composer of an unfinished symphony, you can always stuff in a few more notes to round out the whole work! Here is a link that might be useful: The Plumeria Place
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My most prolific bloomer is California Sally which puts out basketball sized inflos all summer. My Samoan Fluff pot is totally white in August. Guillot's Sunset is another heavy producer. White with red stripe on back flowers the longest in California (May to Feb). Others are Charlotte Ebert, Thornton Lemon drop, most Moranges especially Kimi. You are correct in that location and age of plant plus growing conditions have a big impact. Fragrance is another story. Like perfumes, everyone has likes and dislikes. In the eighties I took a surf trip to Kauai and camped under a big Celadine. Each morning, the sun rose to the smell of Celadine and fresh coffee. Pure Heaven to me could not be better. My Kauka Wilder is another I can bury my face in and daydream to the islands. Jeannie Moragne and Vera Cruz rose are wonderful. White with red stripe on back is very spicy. Aztec Gold and Penang peach are peachy. I also notice that many plants are more fregrant in the evening, some in the morning and others all day. Some that are labeled with a scent, when I smell i cannot find any standout smell. I grow Mystery and First Love gardenias and double tuberroses for that island magic smell. I would say Celadine and White with red stripe on back are the two best basic starts because both are easy to grow, are lei flower quality, and smell unlike each other, yet most people love both scents. Bill
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OK, I've got a true native candidate, one which is a little obscure, but only because it's not well known yet. It's Prairie Phlox, Phlox pilosa. Wonderful fragrance -- you walk by a blooming clump and it just transports you to heaven. Sweet without being heavy and overpowering, but strong enough that you can catch the scent on the breeze across the yard. Like lilacs, sort of. P. pilosa starts blooming in late March and quits about mid to late July, depending on rainfall. That's an incredibly long season for a perennial. And it just covers itself up in bloom. You can tell it's one of my faves. :) It's pretty common in middle TN, I believe, as I've seen it both in the Basin and on the Rim. It may occur statewide in suitable habitat (meadows that are moist in spring, 75% to 100% sun). I first became acquainted with this delightful species here in TN, so it's evocative of the state for me. Marty
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Kristine - that sounds divine!!! Pictures when you have them!! Needmoremulch - wow - rose damask fragrance? Looks like a keeper. mmmmm :) Totoro - in my old house, I planted DD, and I could smell it from 8 feet away....and I hated, hated the smell. I had to get rid of it. I like the smell of myrrh...but that one was disgusting. I bet if I grew it in a pot (it was in the ground), the fragrance would be more manageable. Carol
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katefisher
15 years ago
Monarda aka Bee Balm. When I walk by mine in the summer all you need to do is tip your nose in their direction or lightly brush the leaves and that wonderful scent accosts your nose.

I am trying Pineapple Sage this year. Smells good but so far I've had to rub the leaves to get the scent. I grow lots of herbs in my garden (naturally good smelling) to nibble on while I garden and just enjoy the smell.

Kate
bean_counter_z4
15 years ago
Some tall bearded iris smell nice--like grape juice;)
a2zmom_Z6_NJ
15 years ago
agastache. "Tutti Frutti" does indeed smell fruity.
mxk3 z5b_MI
15 years ago
Oriental lillies !!!! (I often think if Heaven has a scent, this must be what it smells like....)

Surprisingly, Rodgersia blooms also have a lovely scent.
nancyd
15 years ago
Phlox, certain roses (check them first) and absolutely oriental lilies. On a warm muggy night, you can smell those babies from across the yard. For spring, plant a lilac shrub in your yard.
Posey Planter
15 years ago
Hi Rosemary!

Valerian Officials has pink or white flowers and blooms for at least a month and has a musky-sweet perfume that carries on a breeze.

Many Trumpet or hybrid Orienpet (Oriental+Trumpet) Lillies are tall, exquisitely beautiful and strongly scented.

Roses? Griffith BuckÂs Applejack is inclined to be a large bush and is suitable for a hedge. ItÂs my favorite all-around-rose for its delicate pink buds that open to semi-double form reminiscent of a wild rose. It has a strong old-rose/clove fragrance. Traffic stops when itÂs in bloom as people stop to ask,"What is that?!" Also (but rarely) during cool, misty weather, the leaves give off a green apple scent like a sweet briar rose.

Since you are asking for perennials, in my experience, Pineapple Sage and Rosemary are not winter hardy to Zone 5. Of course, you could grow them in pots and take inside for the winter. I maintain a Rosemary standard that way.

Regards,
PoseyPlanter
tepelus
15 years ago
Some daylilies are fragrant, one that comes to mind is Siloam Double Classic, and my Hyperion (a historical cultivar) has a light, lemony scent, to me anyway.

Karen
terrene
15 years ago
Buddleia and some of the new Echinacea hybrids and cultivars are fragrant.
tiffy_z5_6_can
15 years ago
Cimicifuga aka Bugbane. Nice!!

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What perennials are most fragrant?

Comments (11)

woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada

triciae

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katefisher

bean_counter_z4

a2zmom_Z6_NJ

mxk3 z5b_MI

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Posey Planter

tepelus

terrene

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