I’m often asked about scented plants. They can pack a powerful emotional punch, reminding you of your mother’s favourite flowers or the blooms from your granny’s garden, so it’s not surprising they’re high on the wish list of lots of my clients.
I tend to think of scented plants in two categories – aromatic and perfumed. Aromatic plants typically need to be brushed past or touched to release their fragrance – chamomile or lavender for instance, and the scented essential oils can be concentrated in the leaves or stems – whereas perfumed plants will pump out their tantalising perfume for the enjoyment of all and sundry whether you ask them or not – night scented stocks or jasmine are good examples. This matters because the former can work very well in exposed, windy or coastal gardens, but the latter typically need a modicum of shelter at least. So you really need to consider your growing conditions before selecting your scented plants.
Here’s what’s scenting the air in my garden this summer:
Dianthus – old-fashioned pink carnations, Dianthus ‘Doris’ will flower happily for months in a pot and is perfect for cutting.
Annual stocks – Bought in plugs and popped in at the very front of a border, these come in pastel candy colours and have a really strong, sweet clove-like scent.
Roses – ‘Winchester Cathedral’ is my favourite, a creamy-white David Austin repeat flowering rose with a deeper, muskier scent that’s very different from the more common fruity rose perfume.
Sweet peas – don’t they just embody the scent of summer? The more you cut them the longer they flower, the perfect excuse to spread them around the house in jam jars all summer long.
Lavender – I have a row of Lavandula ‘Hidcote’ near a south facing wall – it will thrive as long as it has good drainage and is clipped over as soon as possible after flowering – a lovely job to do, and a big kitchen scissors works just fine.
Anne’s Tip of the Week: Plant non-flowering lawn chamomile – Chamaemelum ‘Treneague’ in between the gaps in paving – as you pass by and tread on it the gorgeous fragrance is released into the air, and a little light foot traffic won’t do it any harm!
Anne Byrne Garden Design provides easy to follow Garden Plans that you can implement right away or in stages. Anne’s design flair and passion for plants brings a touch of magic to gardens of all sizes.
Anne Byrne Garden Design – Creative Ideas – Practical Solutions – Stunning Gardens
T: 086 683 8098 E: [email protected] www.annebyrnegardendesign.com
