[quote text_size=”small” author=”George Krokos”]
From a fertile soil and sun plus the rain of many showers come the blossoms of spring and the fragrance of flowers.
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When you think of a garden bed blooming in late spring and early summer you can picture the colors in your head. The brights reds and blues and yellows of plants that you’ve brought to life, and the fragrant scents that come along with them are icing on the cake.
A nice fragrant garden will bring make your home a much nicer place to be, and make spending late nights on the back porch more enjoyable. As nice as this is, how can we ensure that we get the best smelling plants in the garden? Koopman Lumber has the answer!
The Right Scents
Certain flowers give off their scents at a different rate than others, so make sure you’re planning your garden to give those sweet flowery smells all year round! For each season, you’ll want a sampling of the following:
| Spring Flowers | Summer Flowers |
| Snowdrops, Daffodils, Jonquils, Narcissi, Crocus, Hyacinths, Grape Hyacinths, many Tulips, Primroses, and Lily-Of-The-Valley. Sweet-scented climbers include Wisteria and Clematis Montana and its variety Rubens. | Roses, Irises, Peonies, ‘Star Gazer’ Oriental Lily, Garden Pinks and Hearty Carnations. A little later on come Tall Phlox and many annuals; such as Sweet Alyssum( smells like honey) , Four Clocks (lightly fragrant), Stocks ( clove scented), Snap Dragons, Verbenas, Petunias (spicy clove like scent), Candytuft, Lupines, Heliotrope ( vanilla scented) sweet geraniums, Lemon Verbena. |
| Late-Summer Flowers | Low-Growing Herbs |
| Marigolds, Tansy and Chrysanthemums | Thyme and Mint, are especially pleasing when planted among flagstones or other places where they’re likely to be stepped on, releasing their pleasant aromas with every step. Artemisia, Lavender, Rosemary, Sweet Marjoram, Sweet Basil, Chamomile, Feverfew, Yarrow, Hyssop and Bayberry |
Differences Of Note
Certain flowers will only give off a pleasant aroma after a certain set of criteria has been met. For some aromatic flowers, you’ll smell them more under a hot sun while others will be more noticeable during dusk. Make sure you don’t have too many placed all together that will release their fragrance together or it might get a little overwhelming! The timing and spacing are important so make sure you have a plan!
Quick Tips
- Balance and layer the plants so that they are inviting, but not overwhelming
- Elevate low-growing plants in hangers or upper sections of the garden
- Plan your smells across time of day and weather conditions
- Use drip irrigation, overhead watering interferes with the release of nectar in aromatic plants causing them not to release their fragrance
- Have fun and enjoy it! Why else would you plant one?
WRAP UP
So get the most from your fragrant plants by using a little forethought when placing them in your garden. Be ready to get your nose tickled! From seeds to plant food, gardening gloves to watering cans, Koopman has the supplies you will need to grow all kind of aromatically pleasing flowers.
