Nothing can conjure up a memory like a certain fragrance. Maybe it's the smell of pine needles in the sun that makes you recall a family vacation. Perhaps it's the perfume that only your grandmother wore. Campfire smoke, salty ocean air, the lemon soap from your grade school, all of these fragrances can bring even the most long-forgotten and obscure memories to mind.
This certainly applies to fragrances from the plants in our gardens as well. Whether we want to reproduce the scents of our childhood gardens, or simply create a new sensory experience, there are many fragrant plants to enjoy. We all know that roses and lilies smell amazing, but here is a collection of annuals, perennials, and shrubs you may not be as familiar with and which will bring unique and evocative fragrances to your garden throughout the year.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The plants featured in this blog post are generally in stock in the season they are blooming. We may not have everything mentioned at all times but we’re always happy to suggest alternatives and assist you in finding the best plants for your space! This post was updated for 2022.
SPRING
Clematis armandii 'Snowdrift'
This evergreen vine produces a mass of large, white, star-shaped flowers. The scent is heavenly and the plant is easy to grow and very hardy. One of the first vines to flower in the early spring. The large vine needs strong support and enough space to shine.
Convallaria
More commonly known as Lily of the Valley, this tiny plant has very fragrant flowers that are either white or light pink and are great for cut flowers (note: Convallaria is poisonous to humans and pets). Their fragrance is so intense it seems unreal that they come from such a small flower. Blooms in early to mid-spring.
Photo: Liz West
Viburnum Carlesii
Viburnum carlesii, or Korean Spice Viburnum, is exceptionally hardy, easy to grow, and can tolerate some drastic pruning. In late March or April, small pink buds open to white flowers that have an intensely spicy fragrance.
Philadelphus lewisii
Also called Western Mock Orange, it is native to the NW and has lovely white flowers that smell like citrus and jasmine flowers mixed together. This deciduous shrub grows quickly requiring little maintenance. Single-flowered types attract butterflies!
Pittosporum
Sometimes called Japanese Mock Orange, Pittosporum has a deep perfume-like scent appearing from flowers you can barely see. Some flowers are white, dark ivory, or nearly black, depending on the variety. Shrubs are evergreen and flowers bloom in late spring.
SUMMER
Nicotiana
Also known as the flowering tobacco plant, the annual variety 'Fragrant Cloud' produces a fantastically warm vanilla fragrance. The white, star-shaped flowers are most fragrant in the evenings. Nicotiana loves the sun and grows about 24” tall.
Nemesia
A delightful annual ideal for hanging baskets and planters. Two varieties in particular 'Compact Innocence' (below, left) and 'Opal Innocence' (below, right) have a sweet sugary fragrance that grows stronger with the day’s heat. The flowers look like very small snapdragons and bloom from spring until fall.
Datura & Brugmansia
These two closely related annual tropical plants have dramatic trumpet-shaped flowers and a light spicy fragrance. Datura generally puts forth 1 to 3 upright flowers at a time on a short stem. Brugmansia (seen below) grows into a tree-like structure with dozens of flowers hanging down like bells.
Photo: Alistair Hay
Hostas
Many varieties of hosta have a tall flower spike mid-summer with white or lavender lily-shaped flowers that smell very much like lilies. The leaf patterns vary by variety and are perfect for bringing brightness and fragrance to shady areas.
Hardy Gardenia
A compact, petite shrub - ideal for containers or small spaces - that slowly grows to 2’ by 3’ tall and wide. The large white flowers offer up an intoxicating fragrance in summer while the glossy, evergreen leaves look beautiful throughout the year.
FALL
ACTAEA/CIMICIFUGA
Actaea was once classified as Cimicifuga and can still be found under both names. The common name is Bugbane. Whatever you call it, this perennial blooms from late summer into the fall emitting a musky vanilla fragrance. The plant has fabulous purple-black foliage and the flowers are white or light pink spikes that look like fluffy pipe cleaners.
CYCLAMEN PURPURASCENS
This hardy perennial cyclamen has heart-shaped leaves and violet-colored flowers. They bloom mid to late fall with a light, cool scent and are dormant in the summer. Cyclamen prefer partial shade and evenly moist soil, and they grow like a groundcover.
ELAEAGNUS
Also called Silverberry, is a fluffy shrub that blooms in the autumn with very inconspicuous flowers that are a light ivory-brown color, clustered close to the stems, and all but hidden under the leaves. However, they announce their presence with a fabulous fragrance. The variegated foliage brightens up shady garden corners and is evergreen.
CYCLAMEN PERSICUM
Commonly referred to as “Florist Cyclamen” because of their big showy flowers. The white and pink flowers in particular are wonderfully fragrant with a sweetly spicy smell. They can live indoors while blooming and then be planted outside in the spring in the PNW.
VIOLAS
Violas are the smaller, daintier cousins of Pansies. Those in shades of yellow such as 'Penny Yellow,' ‘Etain,’ 'Yellow Sorbet,' 'Amber Kiss, 'and 'Tiger Eyes' have a soft, spicy fragrance. All of these varieties bloom through the fall and into the winter.
WINTER
Edgeworthia
Commonly known as Paper Bush, Edgeworthia has a fantastic fragrance similar to citrus flowers. It will bloom most often in February or March. This deciduous shrub produces small butter-yellow, clustered flowers before the leaves emerge in the spring. The leaves turn white in the fall.
Sarcococca
Sarcococca, or vanilla plant, is an evergreen shrub that prefers shade and tolerates drier conditions once established. It has white flowers the size of grains of rice tightly clustered along the main stems. They smell exactly like vanilla! After the flowers bloom, look for decorative dark berries.
Witch Hazel
Like Edgeworthia, Witch Hazel is another shrub whose flowers appear before the leaves. The flowers are yellow, gold, or rich copper colors with a strong scent of honey and look the colorful spiders. Witch Hazel flowers offer spectacular color in the winter and the leaves of some varieties show beautiful fall colors as well.
Camellia 'Yuletide'
Yuletide Camellia often flowers during December, a bright red bloom with a yellow center. This classic flower emits a sweet yet peppery smell and is wonderfully festive during the holidays. The glossy, dark green foliage is attractive throughout the year.
Annual Yellow Primroses
The bright yellow blooms of primrose glow during the dark winter days and continue flowering until summer. Their fragrance is similar to yellow violas.
