Add Fragrant Shrubs and Vines to the Landscape

When considering fragrance in the garden, roses, peonies, and phlox are some of the first plants that come to mind. Don’t limit yourself, look for flowering trees, shrubs and vines that can liven up the landscape with their fragrance.

Crabapples are common landscape plants that are valued for their flowers and fruit. But stop and smell the fragrant flowers of Sugar Tyme. You’ll also enjoy its white flowers, persistent red fruit and disease resistance.

Daphnes are prized for their floral scent. Carol Mackie has evergreen leaves with a creamy margin and fragrant pink flowers in spring.

Clematis Montana is a late spring bloomer with fragrant dogwood-like flowers that smell a bit like vanilla. Finish the season with Sweet Autumn clematis (reported as invasive in some states).

The low growing Sweetbox (Sarcococca) shrub has small off-white flowers. Though the flowers aren’t showy, their fragrance can’t be missed.

A bit more information: Add fragrance and fruit with citrus. Northern gardeners can grow it outdoors in the summer and inside for the winter. Koreanspice viburnum is another wonderfully fragrant shrub. The fragrant spring flowers start the season, while the colorful fall foliage signals its end.