I haven't found that mine were so very strongly scented, although there is a slight scent. Having said that it was positioned under a Jasminum officinalis and the scent from its flowers were stronger in the evening.

Lilies. And more lilies. Would have to be orientals, though.
Cheap too, if you consider that they will probably flower for several years.

I have just put in a pot of Lilium regale - about the only lily I will grow - next to our bench in the front. The problem with lilies, especially in London, is the scarlet lily beetle. We had to give up on lilies in our old garden. I am wondering whether the solution is to dig up the bulbs in winter and overwinter in the shed before replating in fresh compost every spring - and placing the pot(s) in a different area of the garden every year.

Also Hesperis matronalis (sweet rocket) - anyone have any experience with that? It is related to stocks and supposed to share some of their fragrance.

Hi,again, Andrew, have you tried Brugmansia? Wonderful scent after about 1900 hrs

Cajary - No, I haven't. Good idea. Will try. Thanks for the suggestion.

If you've got room for a climber, then I'd say that honeysuckle would be an obvious choice.

Lilium regale is good. Why won't you grow any others? They're fabulous.
I get a lot of lily beetle; the "patrol, pick and stomp" method of control seems to be holding them at bay for the moment. They've gone quiet, anyhow. Digging up the bulbs is a lot of work and I don't think it would stop them - I think they can fly in from other gardens, or overwinter eggs.

I really like Hesperis matronalis. They are nicely scented, though not all that strong. They are biennial, which is a bit of a hassle - I've heard they reseed themselves but haven't done so in my garden. They made a wonderful show one year, blooming at the same time as the scarlet oriental poppies - not to everyone's taste, maybe. So that's late May/ early June when the evenings still aren't all that warm for sitting out.

I'm assumimg you already have a Jasminum officinalis - if not, get one! Don't get a J. beesianum.

I'd agree that Brugmansias are good too - those huge pink or white-belled ones, preferably.

There used to be a good thread about plants that throw their scent out into the air on the Fragrant Plants forum. Can't find it but loads of other info on scented plants - mainly American contributors, I think, so the plants aren't always easy to find here.

A good variety of nicotiana should have a good evening fragrance - pick an old-fashioned white one, not the dwarf coloured bedders. Lasts until the first frosts, too.

Old-fashioned purple petunias are meant to have a good scent. Not the double/ fancy ones.

Philadelphus - fantastic perfume but only lasts a few weeks in June. I'd buy one in flower and sniff it carefully beforehand as I've ended up with one without much scent. Also look for a golden/variegated one as then it makes a better overall garden contribution.

I'm keen to try a plant called Cestrum parqui/ nocturnum but it is not readily available here, or very expensive.

BTW sitting out is optional!

Garden Nerd - Thanks for your helpful list.

As I said, I already have Nicotiana alata and night-scented stocks. I am also trying to grow Nicotiana sylvestris from seed but it is not easy as the seeds and seedlings are so very small. I have a Jasminum officinalis but it is only two years old and has not flowered yet. It is twining up to our raised deck area where it should meet two highly-scented old-fashioned climbing roses, once they grow tall enough.

On reflection, I doubt if I will be planting Brugmansia as (a) it is not winter hardy outdoors (b) we have a cottage garden so it is not really in keeping. I could of course be wrong on both these counts.

We did have a Philadelphus put in by our predecessors but it was not scented and I cannot see any purpose in an unscented Philadelphus so I removed it over the winter and replaced it with a witch hazel.

As for lilies - I don't really like the look of many of them. Regale, yes, and I did try Madonna, but it was ruined by the dreaded beetle and it wasn't really as scented so I haven't tried it again.

The other plant I put in over the winter - which will take a couple of years to do anything - is Rosa moschata, a species rose which flowers only once but apparently for weeks if not months on end beginning in mid-summer and wafts its fragrance around in the evening. We shall see.

Hi garden-nerd. Yeah, I really fancy trying Cestrum nocturnum. Smelt it for the first time in Turkey last year. Stunning!
There are nurseries in the West country that supply it but the P&P is pricey. I know it's not hardy and prefers the higher temps. Might try and sneak a couple of cuttings when we're on holiday this year. If you get one tell us how you get on with it, all the best

HI, garden_nerd. I've found a place you can get C. Nocturnum seeds. What do you think? worth a try?

Quoting the Chiltern Seeds catalogue: ZALUZIANSKYA CAPENSIS 'Midnight Candy' Scrophulariaceae Night Phlox. It looks nothing much in the daytime but has a very sweet scent at night. I found it almost too overpowering on my balcony last summer where I was too close to a large pot full of it. Will try it again in a pot on the ground or mix it with other annuals to dilute the scent a little.

Marianne in Sweden

I like Zaluzianskaya capensis too. I found it easy to grow from seed, and it is a pretty, dainty plant. It is a very strong fragrance but only at night, and only if you put your nose right up to it, it doesn't waft about. It might be nice in hanging baskets placed at head-height for those that do hanging baskets!

I am really looking for plants that waft their scent around at night (in order to attract moths, presumably). And preferably native plants - if possible. I've never grown the ordinary biennial yellow evening primrose. Would that fit the bill?

Is that the tall yellow thing that just comes up where if feels like it? I don't think it has an exceptional scent, if so.
Does R moschata flower once a year, or just once - ever? Sound like I should get one.

Cajary, what have you been up to? Nothing naughty I hope! Where'd'ya get the Cestrum seeds from, then? I'd really prefer a nice, juicy cutting for a quick start.

Hi garden_nerd, it's only naughty if you get found out!! Maggie taught us that!! That's why I wanted to find out out what you thought. Do you think it@ worth trying the seed, or should I wait to get a few cuttings this year? Mehmet will let me take as many cuttings as I want and I promise you, if they strike, I'll send you a couple. It means trying to keep them alive in wet tissue for 24 hrs. Do you reckon that will work?

One of the very finest - and it attracts moths as well is Cimicifuga - some now call it Actaea - long waving wands of white or pink flowers rising above dark foliage - not evergreen however.

Best regards

Chris

Don't forget honeysuckle ! I have Hall's Prolific and it smells wonderful :)

I don't think evening primrose is native to Britain, I believe it is North American. The best native (at least in Sweden) is nightflowering catchfly, Silene noctiflora, a white campion that is almost invisible during the day. The catchfly is elusive, there one year, gone the next. In the US it is an introduced invasive plant, not so in Europe. It grows wild in my woodland. Chiltern Seeds sell it but I am afraid that it will not be the true wild species.