One of the biggest trends in gardening in 2021 is destined to be the ongoing popularity of fragrant gardens. They’re already in vogue in 2020 but it’s predicted they’ll continue to, if you’ll excuse the pun, grow in stature. By planting a garden that is not just easy on the eye but on the nose as well, you create something that delights more than just one sense.
Gardening experts suggest that fragrant gardens should be planted in areas where they’ll be most noticed, and that makes sense. Highly scented plants should be featured along pathways, near front and back doors, and adjacent to outdoor entertainment areas. So open those aluminium sun louvres in your outdoor room and let nature’s perfume waft in on the summer breeze. Here are some of the best plants for that purpose:
Daphne: its perfume is at its most dazzling in winter. While it can be a difficult plant to grow it is worth your care and attention as the scent is intoxicating. Daphne requires better-than-average drainage and shelter from the strong sun so it might be an idea to plant it in a pot instead of the ground.
Port Wine Magnolia: this beautiful plant flowers in late spring and while it is a dream to look at, its fragrance is something else as well; it’s typically described as being a cross between vanilla ice cream and mashed banana. This magnolia can be trimmed into an evergreen hedge, making it a popular screening plant for added privacy around outdoor entertainment areas.
Gardenias: ranging in size from ground covers to large shrubs, gardenias are able to be grown in tubs or in slightly acidic soil. They need protection from frosts and they suffer from prolonged exposure to strong sunshine, but they still need some direct sun to promote flowering of their beautifully perfumed blooms.
Rosemary: for something slightly less sweet on the nose but still wonderfully fragrant, you can’t go past pungent rosemary leaves. Plant in a sunny spot with excellent drainage, trim after flowering to bring on new growth and apply lime every year.
Jasmine: there are many types of jasmine but they all have one thing in common: a lovely scent. As climbers, jasmine needs a trellis or fence for support. They flower in spring and like a decent pruning as it promotes and, in turn, even more flowers on this abundant plant.
Lavender: because it is related to rosemary, lavender should be grown in the same conditions. While English Lavender is grown for its famous perfume, you’re better off growing French and Italian varieties in your garden as they will bloom in spring, summer and autumn if you remove dead blooms on a regular basis.
Lilac: this can be grown as a large shrub or as a deciduous small tree and has a scent that is often described as “sensual” or “seductive”. In fact, in Celtic culture, the fragrance was considered magical. The white, pink, purple and deep rose blooms will come out in spring but lilac is best suited to the colder regions of Australia like Victoria, Tasmania, the highlands, mountains, and tablelands.
