15 Fragrant Garden Flowers

Few plants symbolize fragrance like roses. This group of plants features shrubs, climbers, miniatures — and all sorts of other wonderful types. Flower color runs the gamut, including white, deep burgundy (almost black), lemon yellow and a host of other hues. New rose introductions like the Easy Elegance collection feature disease-resistant leaves with strong winter hardiness (Zones 5-9). Kiss Me (Rosa 'BAIsme’) unfurls richly petaled blooms reminiscent of old English garden roses — and redolent with fragrance. Other roses packed with perfume? A few that have stood the test of time include 'Autumn Damask’ (Zones 5-9), 'Madame Isaac Pereire’ (Zones 6-9), 'Double Delight’ (Zones 3-9), 'Mister Lincoln (Zones 5-9) and 'Roseraie de l’Hay’ (Zones 3-9).

‘Sweet Summer Love’ clematis is the hot weather cousin to sweet autumn clematis, a classic fall bloomer that opens sweetly scented flowers. ‘Sweet Summer Love’ clematis unfurls flowers all summer long — from July through September — that exude a sweet fragrance. On hot humid days, the scent hangs deliciously in the air. Blossoms start a cranberry hue and shift to purple as they age. Best of all, ‘Sweet Summer Love’ won’t invade your garden with unwanted seedlings (like its cousin, sweet autumn clematis). Plants benefit from a hard pruning (cut stems to 6" tall) in late winter. Vines grow 10' to 15' tall and 6' to 10' wide — a great choice for an entry arch or trellis. Hardy in Zones 4-9.

The classic corsage flower, gardenia delivers fragrance — and ‘Sweet Tea’ is no exception. Pure white, tennis ball-size blooms contrast beautifully with waxy, deep-green leaves. Plants grow 3' to 5' tall and wide, with a strong upright shape. The secret to a happy gardenia in the landscape is thick mulch, no soil disturbance (roots like to be left alone) and monthly feeding with an acid fertilizer, blood meal or fish emulsion. Grow ‘Sweet Tea’ as a hedge, or tuck it in a pot you can place beside your favorite outdoor seat to keep the perfume close at hand. Hardy in Zones 7 to 10.

Dutch hyacinth is a fragrance powerhouse in the garden. Its stocky blooms open in mid-spring, around the time that daffodils strut their stuff. 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 pink, purple, blue, salmon, white and red. Hardy in Zones 4-8.