Have you ever stepped into a friend or family member’s garden and been wowed by how lovely it smells? Well, let it be a mystery no longer, as experts have revealed the five things people with lovely-smelling gardens always have.
From gorgeous scented shrubs to outdoor candles and night-scented plants for beautiful evenings, a lovely-smelling garden can really transform your outdoor space.
If you want your garden to always smell good, garden experts have revealed exactly what you should be planting and putting in your garden for gorgeous fragrance all summer long.
1. Plant lavender along pathways
Probably one of the most distinctive-smelling shrubs, lavender is a staple of Mediterranean planting and is wonderful for attracting pollinators and, of course, smells divine.
‘Lavender is always my starting point. It smells incredible, but the reason it works so well is that it releases more scent when you brush past it.’
‘Plant it along paths, near the front door or anywhere you walk regularly. The more sun it gets, the stronger the fragrance,’ says Luke Newnes, gardens expert for Hillarys.
Where to buy lavender:
2. Use outdoor candles
One of my favourite tricks is adding a beautifully-scented outdoor candle to a garden’s seating area. Not only do these help scentscape your outdoor gatherings, but they can also be handy for keeping flies away.
Now, a lot of citronella candles can smell pungent and overpowering. However, I’m a big fan of Neom’s Complete Bliss Citronella Candle (£55, LookFantastic).
I’ve found it is effective at deterring flies, while the scent isn’t as strong as a standard citronella candle. Instead, it is a fresh, citrus scent with notes of rose, lime and black pepper.
Neom
Complete Bliss Citronella Outdoor Candle
Habitat
Citronella Striped Effect Multiwick Candle
Earl of East
Primavera Estate Citronella Candle
3. Add jasmine to your outdoor seating area
Jasmine is one of the best scented climbing plants you can use, so is a creative choice for any trellis that surrounds your patio or you can train it to grow up a pergola.
‘If you want something people comment on straight away, go for jasmine. It really comes into its own in the evening, which makes it perfect near patios or seating areas.’
‘Let it climb over a trellis or pergola so the scent drifts down to where you’re sitting,’ says Luke.
Where to buy Jasmine
4. Create seasonal layers of scent
If you want your garden to smell lovely all year round, you must opt for plants that provide scent at different times of the year.
For example, while lavender (£6.39, Crocus) is a great summer scent, sweet box (£4, Suttons) is great for fragrance during winter.
‘There is usually a winter layer, where scent is most noticeable because the air is cool and still. Sweet box, winter daphne and bodnant viburnum, known as Dawn, are typical choices because they perfume the air when little else is happening. Spring then takes over with lilacs, wallflowers and lily of the valley, which give that fresh, sweet hit as the garden wakes up,’ says Patrick Martin, horticulture specialist at Frantoio Grove.
‘Early summer is often built around old shrub roses, mock orange and sweet peas, with scent coming from both the flowers and the way warm air moves through dense planting.
‘High summer is where herbs and sun-loving plants earn their keep, with lavender, rosemary, thyme, pinks, jasmine and honeysuckle all contributing, plus night-scented stock and flowering tobacco that come into their own in the evening.’
‘Late summer into autumn is often supported by star jasmine in milder UK spots, scented geraniums in pots, and more herbs placed close to the edges of paths so brushing past releases aroma.’
Where to buy scents for seaons
5. Plant herbs near doorwas
For a truly beautiful scented garden, you’ll want it to smell good as soon as you leave your back door.
To do this, position your herb garden near your entryways, so that fresh fragrance can hit you as soon as you leave the house.
‘Herbs are an easy win. Rosemary, thyme and mint all release their scent when you touch them.’
‘Plant them somewhere you’ll brush past them without thinking, like along a path or next to steps,’ says Luke.
Where to buy herbs
To achieve a lovely-smelling garden, placement is everything. Think about where you like to spend time in your garden, and solve the question of where to grow scented plants. Simple really!
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