Fragrant plant suggestions wanted

I really want to add more fragrance to my garden. I realise its a bit late for this year but I am already thinking ahead to next year. Particularly perennials but some annuals would be ok due to budget restrictions. My colour scheme is purple/blue and some lilac. I have phlox and some lavender although the lavender isn't doing very well. I have some trailing petunia that smell divine too. I do so love my delphiniums but there just isn't any scent to them plus they mostly didn't come back this year. My soil is ok but in some places a bit clay as I live on the south east coast quite near to Beachy Head. There are over 100 allotments over my garden fence and they all seem to grow everything well enough. Ive looked online but sometimes there is just too much info to take in and I find it a bit overwhelming. Always better to get advice and suggestions from people who know these things I think.

 

I think adding white to your colour scheme will work well as well . One plant I adore for scent is night stocks fast growing annuals which you could sow now. I wouldn't go full scent with the garden, its nice to have scent dotted to near where you walk so you can smell that individual plant.

Delphiniums don't like wet feet, if you are struggling to grow Delphiniums have a look into acontiums.

 

To add to those mentioned Cindy, here goes......

Perennial heliotrope .....go for White Lady, White Queen or Chatsworth. The cherry pie is to die for. I have plants all over the garden esp on pathways,,near doorways, windows etc. The scent carries throughout the garden esp on warm sunny days

Zaluzianskya........powerful scent at evenings through to early mornings. Have one or two in your porch and delight your senses when you enter the room.

Lilium Regale...the regal lily. Still have some flowering here but for the past few weeks the scent is and has been intoxicating

Sarcoccoca.....an evergreen with tiny flowers that emit immense perfume in late winter and early spring.

Flowering a tad later check out the Daphnes.....Odora aureomarginata.....what a perfume. I also grow Perfume Princess with even bigger flowers. Lovely evergreens too.

Hamamellis ...witch hazel....superb in early to mid spring. I grow a variety called Mollis Pallida. With it the winter honeysuckle....a shrubby evergreen bush ...lonicera purpusii Winter Beauty

For tactile- induced scent grow salvia elegans, the pineapple sage.....grow one or two where you can walk past. As you brush against it, or touch it, a powerful pineapple smell is produced. Similarly lippia citriodora has a real lemon scent. I have both plants at strategic spots.

Agastaches have strongly aromatic foliage....according to variety they have orange, lemon, pine, even chocolate. The flowers are superb too.

I know thymes have been mentioned but check out Pink Posie....this is an upright taller silver/ grey variety with pink flowers. Another highly tactile beauty.

In winter I grow several stocks.....they flower from early winter to late spring. Fantastic all pervading scent. Wallflowers too, though not quite as strong.

Scented pelargoniums.....Lady Plymouth, Prince of Orange,,etc. ..... for a conservatory or decent size window sill.

I have all of these and highly recommend them all....sure I have forgotten a few!

How about a patch of chamomile? Grow it like a lawn but grow the non flowering Treneague

To add to Perki’s comment about delphiniums, check out salvia uliginosa. It actually prefers damp to wet ground...not called the bog salvia for nothing. A superb sight from late July through to October. 6’ plus self supporting plants with delightful blue flowers

 

Matthiola Night Stock - for late evening-night fragrance. Easy annual from seeds directly into soil.

 

Thanks one and all. That's given me something to think about. Will start looking them up and making my list...……

 

Re the night scented stocks, they don't produce many flowers the first year as sown from the packet. But they self-seed, so the next year you'll have a border full of them.

Caryopteris hasn't been mentioned yet. Bright blue flowers in spring (which bees love) and dark green foliage the rest of the time. Also rosemary - blue flowers again. For both of these, the scent comes from the leaves and not the flowers, so plant them alongside paths where you'll brush against the foliage.

 

Oh, and mustn't forget wisteria. Some varieties aren't scented, but you can choose one which is.

 

No one has mentioned roses, some are the most wonderfully scented. Now is a good time to do some research into what you like visiting nurseries and gardens. It’s also a good time to take cuttings from any you particularly like and if successful will begin flowering next year. Roses also like clay soil.

 

Redwing, I'm not aware of blue/purple/lilac roses. Are there any? If so, I'd love one for myself!

 

@Graham B I looked everywhere for a rose of those hues and the closest I could get was one called INDIGOLETTA and its a climbing variety. It is still in a pot as waiting to move phlox so I can put it where I want it. It has so far produced one bud as it was well already cut right down when I bought it. It was however only £7 and in B&Q of all places! The single bud has begun opening only this morning and although its not quite as lilac as I had hoped it is still beautiful. If anybody comes across a more purple/blue/lilac please let me know.

 

Spotted this one

 

These both have lovely fragrance and are 'bluer' than yours (at least from your photo) @cindy

Buy Rose Blue Moon | J Parker Dutch Bulbs

Rhapsody in Blue | Shrub Rose | David Austin Roses

Nick

 

oops...to the blue. But there are dark purple ones.

 

@Nikolaos Parkers seem to have Rhapsody in Blue @ £15 for 3 plants. Delivery in September/October. Does this seem like a good idea? (seems cheap) Could they be kept in a large container or would the definitely need to go in the ground? I wonder if they really are that purple.