Must-Have Summer Blooming Plants for Every Garden's Flower Lover

Must-Have Summer Blooming Plants for Every Garden's Flower Lover

Top 5 Scented Summer-Blooming Plants for a Fragrant and Beautiful Garden

Summer gardens can be a sensory delight, with a symphony of colours and a symphony of scents. Here are five plants that stand out for their strong aromatic qualities and visual appeal, thriving in the summer heat.

1. Plumeria - Known as a tropical icon, this plant boasts heavenly scents and stunning flowers that fill the garden with a vacation-like aroma.
2. Jasminum sambac (Jasmine) - This exceptionally fragrant plant features delicate white blossoms that last through summer to fall, noted for their sweetness and a fresh-musk scent that peaks in the evening.
3. Gardenia - With its classic creamy blooms, gardenia adds both beauty and scent to the garden during peak summer heat. Its fragrance is rich and unmistakable.
4. Brunfelsia isola (Lavender Lady of the Night) - This plant offers a unique cream and purple flower that changes colour unpredictably and releases a delicious fragrance after sunset.
5. Nyctanthes arbor-tristis (Parijat) - A small tree or shrub, it is famous for its highly perfumed flowers and cultural significance, contributing a distinctive scent to summer gardens.

These plants, each with their unique scents and visual appeal, make excellent choices for a summer garden focusing on scent and beauty. Jasmine, in particular, is valued for its evening fragrance and lush growth, while gardenia and plumeria provide classic visual and olfactory appeal. Brunfelsia offers a unique nighttime perfume, and Nyctanthes is prized for its cultural significance and scent.

Other fragrant options to consider include sweet peas and heliotrope for container or patio gardens. However, the above five are especially noted for their summer-blooming scent and beauty.

Other Fragrant Options

• Sweet alyssum - This annual bedding plant grows only 3-9 inches tall and creates an attractive ground cover. It blooms from summer through fall, and its flowers attract butterflies and bees for many weeks. Sweet alyssum flowers are often white, but are also available in other shades.
• Lavender - Drought-tolerant and sun-loving, lavender plants are perfect for a scented garden. They bloom with light purple flowers for weeks in the summer and are popular for home decorating and crafts, including dream pillows.
• Daylilies - These plants bring a burst of happy yellow colour to a garden and bloom all summer long with a bit of deadheading.
• Heirloom roses and English roses - Known for their traditional rose scent, these roses are bred specifically to preserve the rose scent. English roses are a popular choice for cottage gardens.
• Garden phlox - This plant has a heady fragrance that attracts butterflies and fills a room with a sweet scent when brought indoors. Garden phlox has long-lasting flower clusters that are rather large and eye-catching. It grows best in rich, fertile soil with moderate water and full sun.

[1] Gardening Know How. (2021). Fragrant Summer Flowers. [Online]. Available: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how/flowers/fragrant/fragrant-summer-flowers.htm

[2] The Spruce. (2021). Jasmine: Types, Care & Growing Tips. [Online]. Available: https://www.thespruce.com/jasmine-types-care-and-growing-tips-1422725

[3] Monrovia. (2021). Garden Phlox. [Online]. Available: https://www.monrovia.com/Plant-Library/Perennials/Phlox-Paniculata/Garden-Phlox/175532

[4] The Spruce. (2021). Sweet Alyssum: Types, Care & Growing Tips. [Online]. Available: https://www.thespruce.com/sweet-alyssum-types-care-and-growing-tips-1422733

1. Incorporating a variety of scented plants in landscaping can enhance the overall ambiance of a home-and-garden lifestyle, making the surroundings more relaxing and enjoyable.
2. To further enrich the fragrant symphony of a summer garden, consider planting annuals like sweet alyssum, which grows low and creates an attractive ground cover, or heliotrope for container or patio gardens.
3. For a strong perfume that lasts through the night, consider planting Brunfelsia, its cream and purple flowers releasing a sweet scent after sunset.
4. Lush and aromatic, lavender plants are perfect additions to a scented garden, providing drought-tolerant beauty, and offering valuable possibilities for decorative purposes beyond the garden, such as dream pillows.
5. The addition of perennials, such as heirloom roses and English roses, particularly known for their traditional rose scent, can complement the annual plants during the summer months and add to the garden's longevity.
6. The use of organic soil is recommended when planting any flowers or vegetables in the garden, as it encourages healthier plant growth and helps to nurture the wider ecosystem.

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