Scented Flowers for the English Cottage Garden

The appeal of English cottage gardens isn’t only due to the abundance of colorful flowers. The appeal is also in the scent those flowers exude. Every bend along the garden path offers up a new fragrance – thyme to walk upon, lavender to brush against and the pungent scent of roses released into the air as the day grows warmer.

Night-scented Jasmine

Traditional scented flowers for old English cottage gardens may have included jasmine. This plant fills the air with exotic fragrance at night, especially the variety J. officinale, the common white Jasmine. J. officinale is a vigorous climber growing to 30′ in a Zone 7 or higher garden. It grows best in gardens protected from strong winds.

The Tall Lilies

Lilies have very strong scent that is released into the air under certain conditions, which might include the day being hot and sunny with a light breeze. Collectors of lilies know the scent as “brooding and sultry.” The lilies with the strongest perfume include the Madonna Lily, Regale or Regal Lily, and the White Trumpet Lily. Most lilies are hardy to zone 4.

Old-fashioned Pinks

Dianthus, commonly known as “Pinks” or “Gilliflowers” is as beloved by cottage gardeners today as it was one-hundred years ago. Dianthus includes over 200 species of perennials, annuals and biennials. They will grow in most garden zones and the seeds are easy to germinate. The most popular old-fashioned pinks found in cottage gardens include Cheddar Pinks, Grass Pink and Carnations. Cheddar Pinks have very strong scent under certain conditions. Pinks are hardy to zone 4.

Old-fashioned Cottage Garden Favorites

Perennial cottage garden favorites include lily-of-the-valley, which offers up great fragrance when planted in large groups. Lavender, stocks, primrose, shooting star and primula are all old-fashioned favorites for sweet and heady scents in the garden. These are all quite hardy.

There Must be Roses

There must be roses in the cottage garden. Roses have been cultivated for their perfume for thousands of years. Each variety is unique in its scent. Most roses known as “old roses” have very strong perfume. The perfume fragrance from many of the rugosa roses will sit heavily in the air on hot sunny days, particularly as new blooms open.

The red rose in any variety has a very intense fragrance. The deeper the red, the stronger the fragrance. And as the red rose flower ages, so does the intensity of the scent. Two of the best scented red roses include the climbing rose, American Beauty, and the hybrid tea rose, Etoile de Hollande.

The species rose, Sweetbriar, only has scent in the leaves. When it rains, it offers up the distinct fragrance of freshly picked apples. The leaves of the species R.multiflora gives off a spicy fragrance when brushed against.

There are numerous other roses with wonderful scent and the best way to find them is through rose nursery catalogs. Most catalogs will include a scent valuation beside the listed rose. Roses have different hardiness zone numbers so the gardener should always make sure it will survive in her garden before purchasing.

Placing Scented Plants in the Garden

Scented plants should be placed strategically throughout the garden. If a variety of scented plants are massed together in close proximity, their scents may not work well together. A visitor to the garden may only smell cheap perfume. Scented plants should be isolated to be appreciated.

For further information on cottage gardening and gardening for scent, please read the following articles.

• The New English Cottage Garden
• Six Herbs for a Scented Garden
• Sidewalk Gardening for Cottage Curb Appeal
• How to Design an English Perennial Border

References

• The English Cottage Garden, Edward Hyams, Whittet Books, 1970
• Botanica’s Pocket Roses, Forward by William H. Grant, Whitecap Books, 2001