Gardens and landscapes can stimulate not only the visual sense, but the olfactory sense as well.
“There are a few plants that have an aroma that could chase people out of the garden,” said Jerry Goodspeed, Utah State University Extension horticulturist. “Some include Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima), the fruit of the female Maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) and the carrion plant (Stapelia gigantea). Consider avoiding these.”
On the other hand, I have smelled many pleasantly aromatic plants that can make a walk in the garden very enjoyable, he said. Here are some favorites.
- Koreanspice Viburnum (Viburnum carlesii): This medium-sized shrub blooms in late-April to mid-May, depending on the weather. The pink-to-white colored flowers produce an outstanding aroma that wafts throughout the landscape. Viburnums in general are quite hardy and can tolerate most soil types if given proper drainage.
- Daphne (Daphne spp.): This small shrub is sweet and pleasant smelling and produces attractive pink flowers that emerge in the early spring. Daphne is a low-growing shrub that does best in filtered shade and prefers a well-drained soil.
- Sweet Mockorange (Philadelphus coronaries): This old favorite is named for the somewhat citric aroma of its white flowers that blossom in late spring to early summer. It can become a fairly large shrub and a bit leggy if not pruned, and the branches tend to weep more as they age. This shrub can be grown in most soil types and prefers full-sun to part-shade.
- Lilac (Syringa vulgaris): No list of aromatic plants would be complete without mentioning lilacs. This is one of the hardiest shrubs and adapts to almost any soil and watering condition. It is also one of the more hybridized plants and has produced literally hundreds of varying cultivars with flowers ranging from white to deep-purple, wine-red to light-pink and everything in between. To keep lilacs at their best, prune them on a regular basis and maintain the flowers at about nose height.
- American Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea): This medium-sized tree has fragrant white flowers that hang on large panicles in mid-to-late May. When in full bloom, this tree is one of the most attractive of any grown in Northern Utah. However, it does not produce a full abundance of blooms every year; some years the flowers may be quite sparse. It prefers a well-drained soil.
- Linden (Tilia spp.): Several varieties of linden trees are available, but they all produce fragrant blooms. Lindens also make good shade trees and, for the most part, are pest free.
- Rose (Rosa spp.): Likely the most common aromatic woody plant is the rose. Unfortunately, for many years, roses have been hybridized for their attractive blossoms and not so much for their aroma, leaving pretty flowers with only a slight hint of fragrance. Some of the newer varieties are once again being bred for both their beauty and scent.
By: Julene Reese - Aug. 13, 2009