When you’re planning a garden, there are lots of factors to take into account. Which varieties of flowers are you interested in seeing? You’ll need to choose the ideal combination from a wide range of colors, textures, and flora. And do you want to take advantage of the finest annuals’ initial advantages over the best perennial plants and blooms year after year? You should probably familiarize yourself with the various rose varieties and select one or two of them. There are also flowers there that draw hummingbirds and bloom there that draw butterflies. Both varieties of flying beauties will enhance the beauty of your outdoor area.
Best Outdoor Plants for Your Garden
Fragrant flowers, which are mainly used in aromatherapy, can improve moods, boost levels of positivity, and lessen stress, in addition to giving color and beauty to a garden. It is more remarkable to go up a finely planted path when all of your senses are engaged, including scent. What’s also fascinating is that due to the variety of chemical compounds and the unique interactions between them, no two flowers may have the exact same perfume.
The vibrant flower bed is a treat for the eyes, but nothing compares to having a garden full of lovely blooms that smell divine. These flowers, like lavender and jasmine, will delight the senses and make your garden the envy of all your friends and neighbors. You should have a look at these fragrant plants if you enjoy the aroma in your garden.
Selecting complementing fragrances can help a fragrance’s impact in your garden to be as great as possible. Avoid placing a delicate, sweet-smelling flower next to one with a strong, fruity aroma. Additionally, spread out your fragrant plants across your yard to avoid overcrowding any one region. In the same way that having several scents in a garden can be detrimental, having too much of one perfume can also be harmful because it will draw pests to the area and possibly destroy the entire flower bed.
Read on to learn more about the best outdoor plants for your garden:
Gardenia
An evergreen shrub called a gardenia is covered in stunning white blossoms that have a feminine, floral aroma. They thrive when planted in light to moderate shade, preferring morning sun and afternoon shadow.
Gardenias grow best in acidic, well-drained soil with a pH lower than 6.0 and two to three inches of mulch made of pine straw, compost, or crushed bark to retain moisture. To promote prolific and quick development, treat them sparingly with an extended-release, acid-forming azalea fertilizer in the ratio 2-1-1 in the spring and once more six weeks later.
These plants can be grown in colder climates with the right care, despite being both cold-sensitive and deer-resistant.
Magnolia
Evergreen magnolia trees offer a creamy, fragrant, sweet smell as well as enormous, waxy, white blossoms. These flowers need protection from the hot afternoon sun more than anything else, whether it is full sun or partial shade.
Magnolias thrive in rich, moist, slightly acidic, well-drained soils that range in pH from 5.5 to 6.5. Lay a two to three-inch layer of organic mulch, such as pine needles, before planting. Before the plant has established, wait to fertilize. Then, during the first three growing seasons, apply a mild, infrequent application of a balanced fertilizer (composed of equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), which will hasten its growth.
Magnolia trees should only need an inch of water each week; after they are established, they tend to be more resistant to drought.
Sweet Alyssum
An herbaceous, low-growing plant, sweet alyssum can be found as either mat-forming annual forms or transient perennials. Typically, people use them as bedding plants. They produce a honey-like, sweet aroma and white, red, violet, yellow, lilac, and pink blooms. Sweet alyssum can tolerate in part shade in warmer climates but needs at least six hours in full sun to thrive in cool climates.
Sweet alyssum can be used as a temporary groundcover or live mulch. It prefers soil that is both moist and well-drained. Ensure the soil dries out in between watering and gives them an inch of water per week. Additionally, avoid over-fertilizing, as this can result in more leaves than aromatic blooms.
Freesia
Herbaceous plants called freesias grow from corms. They produce single or double flowers in pink, crimson, orange, white, blue, purple, and white. Freesias can take little shade, but they prefer full sun. Depending on the cultivar, they emit a delicious citrus aroma with smoky overtones.
Freesias favor organically rich, somewhat sandy, moist soil that drains well. Once a year, just before its flowering season, garden-grown freesia will benefit from the use of a general-purpose fertilizer.
Freesia can be cultivated as an annual or as a houseplant in colder climates.
Honeysuckle
Wide-reaching vines and arching bushes with warm, citrusy, sweet fragrances and undertones of honey make up the honeysuckle family. They can be taught to climb your house, trellis, pole, or fence while bearing flowers in the colors of orange, yellow, white, and vivid pink. Despite preferring full light, honeysuckle may survive in the moderate shade with reduced blooms.
The ideal soil for honeysuckle has a pH range of 5.5 to 8.0 and is well-drained, rich, and acidic to mildly alkaline. In the spring, use organic plant food, a slow-release shrub and tree fertilizer, or low-nitrogen fertilizer. Additionally, add two to three inches of composted manure to your soil to enrich it.
Hummingbirds and butterflies are known to be drawn to honeysuckle plants.
Dianthus
Dianthus comes in a variety of creeping ground coverings and flowering stems that are 24 inches long. Their pink, purple, red, and white blossoms produce stunning cut flowers. The petals of dianthus have a perfume that is warm and spicy, reminiscent of cloves. Despite preferring full light, dianthus can withstand some shade.
The optimal conditions for this plant are deep watering, separated by allowing the soil to dry out, and well-drained soil with sufficient air circulation. During the growing season, use a phosphate-rich tomato fertilizer or a balanced fertilizer a few times.
Dianthus blossoms are delicious and draw hummingbirds and butterflies.
Phlox
Phlox are available as low-growing or creeping shrubs that are excellent for use as ground coverings and tall and medium-sized shrubs. There are many different types, from lilac-blue and purplish-pink to pink and white striped. They have a delicious vanilla or honey-almond aroma. Varied phlox species demand different amounts of sunlight. Full light is excellent for tall phlox, while partial shade is best for woodland types.
They need nutrient-rich, moist soil that requires routine irrigation, especially during the summer. Apply two inches of mulch and a thin coating of compost every spring to conserve moisture and keep weeds at bay. Apply a balanced fertilizer as well right before the first bloom.
Lilac
Lilacs are multi-stemmed, deciduous shrubs with a powerful, sweet aroma and overtones of vanilla. They are available in lilac-purple variations. For optimal blooming, they need at least six hours of direct sunlight.
Lilacs should be grown in soil that is rich in humus, fertile, well-drained, neutral to alkaline, and close to 7.0 in pH. Use a balanced fertilizer in late winter, water when the top inch of soil feels dry, and cover the soil with a layer of compost and mulch every spring to keep the soil moist and prevent weed growth.
Peony
Purple, red, white, yellow, and pink flowers adorn the peony, a lovely flowering plant. They blossom best with six to eight hours of direct sunlight, and their smells can range from rose-like to lemon.
These bushes thrive in fertile, humus-rich soil that has a neutral ph. When planting, amend the soil with compost and a small amount of fertilizer. Other than in circumstances of poor soil, you won’t need to fertilize again for a couple of years.
Lily of the Valley
Low-growing, spreading lily of the valley plants with white or pale pink blossoms and a clean, watery, floral aroma. They favor plantings in full or moderate shade.
The soil should have good drainage and range from neutral to slightly acidic. Keep it moist, being careful not to let the plant dry out, and add aged manure or compost to your soil.
Orange berries are also produced by lily of the valley; however, be aware that as the plant is poisonous in all forms, they cannot be consumed.
Common Jasmine
The common jasmine is a fast-growing climbing shrub that prefers full sun to partial shade and has clusters of fragrant white blooms. The pleasant smell will catch your attention even from a distance of a few feet. The soil must be wet and well-drained for this plant. After blooming, don’t forget to cut older shoots to promote new growth, which will result in more blooms.
Roses
Roses are the traditional complement that your backyard garden needs. Roses are timeless beauty that transcends time. Anyone can be calmed by a calming, uplifting, and rejuvenating scent.
The rose (Rosa) is a traditional favorite among scented flowers. After all, there is a good reason why she is called the queen of flowers. Due to the rose’s long history as a beloved garden flower, there are several types and endless variations in its color, shape, and even how frequently they bloom.
Roses are a wonderful addition to any garden when cared for properly. There are also many types of roses without perfume, so use caution. So be sure to verify up front to make sure you are buying a fragrant variety of rose if you want to buy one to treat your nose. The perfume of garden roses is usually less potent than that of older, traditional kinds and specially cultivated fragrant roses.
Scented Geranium
Even though these flowers are known for their lovely blooms, scented geraniums are responsible for their well-known fragrance. Glands produce the aroma that the plants have at the base of their leaf hairs. The oil and smell are released when you crush the leaves.
Some claim that the perfume smells like apricot, apple, lemon, mint, or strawberry, depending on the cultivar. The fragrant geranium blooms from late spring through summer and prefers full sun to light shade.
Sweet Pea
The sweet pea is another flower that gardeners adore for its lovely aroma. This plant has a sweeter-smelling scent. The sweet pea is truly linked to peas because it is a member of the legume family. In fact, the sweet pea can be mistaken for any other pea plant when it is not in flower. There will be no doubts about why this climbing plant is one of the most well-liked ones in the yard once it develops its flowers and abundantly exhibits them in all its glory. The sweet pea’s seeds, however, are marginally toxic, unlike those of its relatives that are edible. From June through September is when it blooms, filling the garden with a seductive honey-sweet fragrance.
Lily
The lily (Lilium) is another traditional scent-producing plant. It is planted in both contemporary city parks and conventional farmer’s gardens. Lilies exist in a variety of different color combinations, from spotted and striped to entirely monochrome, and their form and color seem to have no end. The Stargazer lily, a hybrid Oriental lily that is frequently grown as a houseplant, is likely the lily with the strongest perfume. Its aroma is regarded as mildly spicy, and even though some people can find its potent scent overpowering, it is loved by people all over the world, including (unsurprisingly) a lot of perfumers. However, choosing stronger lily cultivars with a less potent but still alluring aroma in gardens is advised.
Final Words
Here are the best outdoor plants that scent great in any garden. You can read the reviews and explore your options to find the best outdoor plant for your needs. We have prepared this list to make it easier for you to decide which plant is good for your garden. Keep reading our blogs to learn more about the best gardening tips and reviews about different gardening products and techniques.
FAQ
How Can I Make My Garden Smell Nice?
By enclosing the area with fences, plants, or arbors, you can maximize the scent in your garden. Alyssum, honeysuckle, and phlox, which have sweet aromas, are examples of flowers with similar fragrances that can be grouped together.
What is a Strong-Scented Shrub?
Gardenias are renowned stunning, fragrant shrubs. When designing a fragrant garden, be sure to select aromas that go well together, create an enclosed space to assist trap the perfume, and select plant kinds that do well in your hardiness zone.
What Flowers Smell Like Funeral Homes?
There probably is a lily nearby when someone says, “This location smells like a funeral home.” There is a great significance behind this intensely scented blossom, which is frequently thought of as the standard funeral flower. Lilies imply that the deceased’s spirit has gone back to its tranquil, innocent form.