Earlier this week, my daughter Sarah and I spent two days on the campus of Purdue University.
She relished the opportunity to listen presentations about Study Abroad options for Engineer majors and the experiences of recent Civil Engineering graduates. I on the other hand, found joy outside the lecture halls. It was like experiencing Christmas morning twice in the same year. The shrubs and trees that are barely starting to leaf out in Northern Illinois are in full bloom in Indiana. The crab and ornamental pear trees looked spectacular. Sarah indulged me time and time again as we crossed the street to look at the beautiful black blooms of the Lenten roses and smell the sweet fragrance of the Koreanspice Viburnum.
Engaging your sense of smell through plants can be a very strong emotion evoking experience.
Pleasant smells actually make us happier. Although, when choosing plants, there are a number of attributes to consider. The following is a list of plants that have a fragrant flower.
Cayuga Viburnum, Viburnum x ‘Cayuga’
This is a very fragrant shrub known as Koreanspice Viburnum. Growing to 4-6’ tall and wide, its habit is compact, oval and upright. It has good disease resistance with the pink buds open white. The dark green foliage turns orange-red in autumn. This shrub grows best in full sun to partial shade.
Cinderella Milkweed, Asclepias incarnate ‘Cinderella’
The vanilla-scented rose-pink flowers are heavily laden with nectar and pollen. It is a nectar source for butterflies. The leaves are a food source for larval monarch. It grows 3-4’ tall and wide and flowers from summer to fall. Grows best in full sun.
Lo & Behold ‘Pink Micro Chip’ Butterfly Bush, Buddleia ‘Pink Micro Chip’
This plant has an abundance of unique spikes of tiny orchid-pink bloom growing 18-24” wide and tall. This fragrant flower attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It flowers mid-summer through early fall and grows best in full sun.
Bloomerang Lilac, Syringa x ‘Penda’
This is a re-blooming dwarf lilac. The fragrant blooms appear in the spring and then again in the summer. It grows 4-6’ tall and wide and does best in full sun.
Creeping Thyme, Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’
This Thyme is perfect for use in herb or rock garden or as a groundcover. It can take light foot traffic. Fragrance is through the foliage as well as the flower. It grows very low to the ground at about 4” high and spreads to 10” wide. It is rabbit resistant and attracts butterflies. Grows best in full sun.
Purple Tree Peony, Paeonia suffruticosa
This is a small tree version of the very popular old fashioned peony flowers. The huge double purple blossoms appear in May and June. Although it may take 2-3 years for this plant to reach its full blooming potential, the fragrant blooms are definitely worth the wait. This grows 4-6’ tall and 3-4’ wide. It grows best in full sun to partial shade.
Rose Cardinal Flower, Lobelia ‘Monet Moment’
This is a new Lobelia boasting massive heads of large, rich pink-violet flowers. It blooms from late summer through fall in full sun to part shade. It grows 2-3’ tall and 12-18” wide.
Blue Moon Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata ‘Blue Moon’
This trailing mass of fine green foliage boasts a profuse array of deep violet-blue flowers that bloom early spring to late summer. The foliage turns burgundy in winter. Tiger swallowtail butterflies find the flowers especially attractive. It also attracts hummingbirds. The plants will grow 12-18” tall in full shade to partial shade.
Peaches and Cream Honeysuckle Vine, Lonicera pericylmenum ‘Inov 86’
This fragrant bicolor vine has huge, dark pink-and-white flowers that mature to peachy-cream color. It is very easy to care for once established and is mildew resistant. It flowers from spring to summer and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. It does need a sturdy structure to support its growth habit which can be 4-6’ tall and 2’ wide.
English Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’
The purple fragrant flowers and fragrant silver foliage make a wonderful combination! It does best in full sun growing to about 15” tall and wide. It grows well in containers with a very upright habit. If planted in the ground, make sure the area is well-drained. It is rabbit and deer resistant.
Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a garden center and landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or by emailing Kathleen@thgrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.
