Where to Site Fragrant Plants in the Garden
If fragrant plants are on your list of things to plant this year, be sure to consider these tips on placement. They'll help you get the most from your scented flowers or foliage.
Lilac is beloved for its fragrance that wafts on the air in the spring.
- Plants emit their scents in different ways. Some have fragrances that drift on the air, such as lilacs (Syringa) and mock oranges (Philadelphus). Others have scents that are released only when you touch the plant, like the foliage of lavenders (Lavandula), scented geranium (Pelargonium) and pineapple sage (Salvia elegans). To maximize fragrance in your garden, use plants from both categories.
- You can site plants whose scents drift on the air farther away from sitting areas or open windows. However, be sure to note the typical wind direction and place the plant so that its fragrance blows toward you. In other words, be certain that your patio lies "downwind" of the spot you're planting that lilac.
Intensify the lavender experience by placing plants where they'll be brushed against.
- Place plants that require a touch to release their fragrance alongside a path, where they’ll be brushed up against by passersby. Or grow them in tall containers near your sitting area and encourage garden guests to touch the leaves.
- Many flowers smell strongest when the sun strikes them. However, there are some moth- or bat-pollinated plants that release their floral scent at night, such as angel's trumpets (Brugmansia) and flowering tobaccos (Nicotiana).
- Choose heirloom varieties of fragrant plants—these typically have the strongest scents.
- Avoid placing strongly fragrant plants closer than 10 feet together, to avoid clashing or muddled scents. Fill the areas in between them with unscented plants.
