In the world of gardening there are a number of topics that I would term rewarding to one’s senses. Many are proud of the taste and quality of their homegrown veggies, herbs, berries and fruits. Others might love the sight of the collection of flowers they grow and forage for bouquets. Perhaps he sets the summer record for flavors of Dahlias to gaze upon while she grows the largest hanging baskets known to human civilization. Some love the sounds of a new water feature or even simply the buzzing of bees visiting a perennial garden. I am not trying to turn gardening into a neighborhood competition (although that can be fun!), I am merely striving to help elevate your gardening game. I think we could agree that some aspects of gardening are important to all of us while others perhaps not as much. In all my years as a plant enabler, it seems to me that nearly EVERYONE loves fragrance!
Now first of all, I would offer that fragrance belongs anywhere and everywhere in a garden setting. But having said that, if you are focused on introducing some fragrant plants into your outdoor spaces, I would try to concentrate on a few areas to start with. Container gardens can be sited anywhere and can include many fragrant annuals like Stock, Heliotrope, Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet), Alyssum, some Snapdragons, some Petunias and many more for sure. Maybe you like some chocolate? The flowers of Chocolate Cosmos exude pure chocolaty goodness! Heck one can even play scratch and sniff with wonderful herbs like Pineapple Sage or the vast array of scented Geraniums that we enjoy for the summer season. Many of us open a window in the heat of the summer or leave the sliding door open in the evening, so why not have a lovely smell wafting indoors from the garden? Entryways, higher traffic areas, focal points, garden paths or even a sitting area, an appropriate specimen can be planted just about anywhere in sun or shade to sweeten the breeze. Creating a tactile space for not only the eyes but also the nose is what this is all about.
In the midst of our glorious summer sunshine here in the PNW, quite a few plants come to my mind that exude the smells of summer. Have a peek and investigate a few of these for starters…
Gardenias: I think many are familiar with Gardenias and the lovely fragrant white flowers they produce. Perhaps many have grown them traditionally indoors, which is always an option for more tender flavors. In my lifetime a number of “hardy” Gardenias have been introduced, stretching their planting range up into our milder region of Western Washington. These evergreen beauties will bloom off and on for most of the summer, not only sporting deep green foliage but also displaying their traditional white flowers. Gardenias love rich, acidic and well-drained soil in full sun. They also require extra food, so to keep yours looking sharp get into the habit of utilizing an organic Rhododendron-type food every 4 to 6 weeks in the growing season (April to August). For pruning keep in mind these bloom on new wood, so a clip or shear coming out of winter ideal. This often removes any discolored foliage and makes room for fresh growth and finally buds for the summer. Like I mentioned before, a number of good “hardy” flavors of Gardenia have been introduced over the years, including ‘Double Mint’ (3-feet tall by 3-feet wide), ‘Frostproof' (5-feet tall by 4-feet wide), ‘Kleims Hardy’ (3-feet tall by 3-feet wide), or even ‘Big Beauty’ (7-feet tall by 7-feet wide). These and many others could be grown as foundation plants, in containers, or even clipped as a fragrant evergreen hedge.
Clethra: I am sure that I have brought this shrub up before, but in this space of fragrance for summer it deserve another mention. We call this “Summersweet”, the perfect common name for this heavily scented deciduous shrub. These have clean green foliage that turns lovely shades of yellow to orange in the fall, and either pink or white fragrant flower spikes pop up for a few weeks in the summer. They are super easy to grow in full sun to partial shade, and even in mostly shade, and will also take some wet if that is of help to you. These bloom on new wood formed in spring, so coming out of winter pruning to shape is ideal. Varieties like ‘Ruby Spice’ (pink and about 6-feet tall) or ‘Hummingbird’ (white and 5-feet tall) are two of the best I have seen, but other worthy options are out there if you look around.
Daphne: Daphne is perhaps the poster child for fragrant shrubs, with numerous species and cultivars available for not only summer but winter, spring, and fall as well. In all honesty, these can be more difficult to grow, but it really comes down to water. If you have good drainage and don’t water much, they are great. If you have clay and/or a sprinkler system that waters a lot… not so much. I am always honest and some have struggled for me over the years while others have thrived – but it was always about location and water to me. One of the best varieties in our area, for many reasons, is ‘Eternal Fragrance’. These are manageable in size (about 4-feet tall and wide) and enjoy full sun to partial shade. The best part is the bloom – small boxwood sized green foliage is covered with pink buds that open to white flowers time and time again throughout the spring, summer and fall. This is one that has smelled up (in a good way!) my backyard for the last 15 years – simply spectacular! But remember, high and dry is the way to properly grow Daphne of any kind.
Perennials: In the world of summer perennials there are plenty of options for fragrance. I would mention a couple in particular in this space, Garden Phlox and Dianthus. Phlox is a lovely upright plant for sunny borders, with lots of options for both color and size. They all offer scintillating smells. Dianthus is a much lower evergreen perennial (think like a Carnation) with spicy fragrant flowers available in a multitude or color combinations; including white, pink, red, purple and even peachy-orange. These are perfect for sunny borders or rockeries, with blooms starting in early summer and continuing through the summer and fall if you do a little deadheading.
I simply cannot mention fragrance for summer without adding roses to this discussion. Not only are these one of the longest blooming shrub choices for sunny summer color, but the vast majority will knock your socks off (or nose in this case) with superior fragrances. Check out your options here as roses can get very specific with scents and dial in on the ones that make you happy. In particular look at English roses, especially those from David Austin. Now we are talking some serious rose fragrances! Anyone up for myrrh with a hint of pear?
This is merely a sampling of fragrance options, or a wee whiff in this case, as I could pontificate on many others as well. Surely I will revert back to more fragrant plants down the road, but my hope is that you can close those eyes and breathe in the beauty of a fragrant garden. While these were just a sampling of summer fragrant goodies, you can find many botanical treasures that fill the air with delightful scents for almost any time of the year, even winter! A visit to the local garden center will offer some summer fragrance now, then just keep visiting month after month to gather those preferred smells for the rest of the year. My ultimate hope is that you consider some of these options, plant appropriately and then intoxicate your senses with your very own touch of fragrance.
