Best Flowers For Fragrance

Oriental lily unfurls large blooms that exude a rich perfume. 'Sorbonne’ (shown) unfurls deep pink petals with a white edge. Oriental lily grows from a bulb that can be planted in fall or spring. Top-heavy stems grow to 3 feet and benefit from staking. Use care not to pierce the bulb when you insert stakes. Adding them at planting time helps avoid bulb damage. Flowers appear in midsummer and can scent an entire yard on a sultry summer evening. Look for varieties with blooms in pink, red and white. Hardy in Zones 3-9.

Grow an old-fashioned favorite by planting a crop of sweet peas. This pretty bloomer was a favorite in the Victorian era, when nosegays of sweet peas were cherished for their fragrance. 'Knee High Mix' sweet pea (shown) features a blend of perfumed types that open flowers in shades of pink, lavender, rose, purple, burgundy and white. Sweet peas grow best in cool seasons. Plants peter out when summer heat and humidity arrive. 'Knee High Mix' grows shorter vines, reaching 2 to 3 feet tall. Annual.

Korean spice viburnum is beloved for its wonderful fragrance that can perfume an entire yard in mid-spring. Flower clusters start with pink buds that open to reveal white blossoms. Korean spice viburnum also has good fall color with red leaves and is deer resistant. Spice Baby viburnum (shown) is a tidy size that suits even the smallest yard, growing 42 to 60 inches tall and wide. Hardy in Zones 4-8.

Dutch hyacinth is a fragrance powerhouse. Its stocky blooms open in mid-spring, around the time that daffodils are hitting their stride. The blooms release a rich, full fragrance that can fill the spring garden. Indoors, pots of forced hyacinths bring spring scents to life in the heart of winter. Plant bulbs in fall for a spring show in the garden. Choose flower colors in many shades, including purple, blue, pink, salmon, white and red. Hardy in Zones 4-8.