Often we choose trees and shrubs for our gardens that are aesthetically pleasing; sumptuous foliage, rich flowers and striking architectural forms but we mustn’t over look the importance of fragrance. From shrubs that dizzy the senses with the aroma of their blooms to trees with autumn foliage that smells good enough to eat, here are our top picks for fragrance.
Magnolia 'Heaven Scent' - Pink Magnolia tree Fragrant: April May The large, pale pink, tulip-shaped flowers have a rich, floral fragrance. They are decorated with a darker stripe on the outside and fade to white inside. Lush dark green foliage adds to the appeal…Read more here
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Arnold Promise' - Witch Hazel shrub Fragrant: January February In winter, the colourful, scented flowers of Witch Hazel provide much needed cheer. The flowers of 'Arnold Promise' have bright yellow, crinkled petals and release a sweet, citrus fragrance. After the flowers, large green leaves open that turn attractive shades of yellow and orange in the autumn…Read more here
Davidia involucrate vilmoriniana- Handerkerchief tree Fragrant: Spring The midsized foliage is heart shaped and an attractive green turning shades of orange and yellow in the winter. Young foliage is reddish purple in the spring. Small, inedible pear shaped fruits are produced and in the spring the new foliage has a spicy, incense scent…Read more here
Chimonanthus praecox – Wintersweet Fragrant: December January February A lovely medium sized bushy shrub for winter interest, wintersweet bares deliciously scented custard yellow flowers with blackberry-purple stained centres.
Cytisus Battandieri - Pineapple broom tree Fragrant: June July Bright yellow, pea-like flowers are held in dense cones and give off a distinctive pineapple scent which is popular with butterflies, bees and other insects… Read more here
Cercidiphyllum japonicum- Katsura tree Fragrant: Late Summer Autumn A beautiful tree of upswept habit, the Katsura tree has small heart shaped, bright green leaves which turn vibrant shades of orange, red and purple in the autumn and produce a delicious and distinctive scent of burnt sugar or caramel…Read more here
Prunus x yedoensis - Yoshino cherry tree Fragrant: March April A small tree that is wide spreading the Yoshino Cherry is most popular for its single white, sometimes blush flowers that have a delicate sweet almond scent and emerge in a cloud of well packed clusters…Read more here
Deutzia scabra ‘Pride of Rochester’- Fuzzy pride of Rochester shrub Fragrant: June July The foliage is scabrous, or ‘fuzzy’ to touch giving this deutzia its name. The mass of white flowers is highly scented and popular with butterflies, bees and other insects…
Laburnum alpinum ‘Pendulum’- Weeping Scotch laburnum tree Fragrant: May A lovely small weeping tree the scotch laburnum produces long racemes of clear yellow, highly scented flowers that seem to glow against the light/mid green pinnate foliage…Read more here
Ptelea trifoliate - Hop tree Fragrant: June July This unusual tree has mid-green, trifoliolate foliage that emerges yellowish-green and turns shades of yellow in the autumn. Bunches of greenish-yellow single flowers appear that are very strongly scented and popular with insects.
Mahonia japonica ‘Hivernant’- Japanese mahonia shrub Fragrant: November December January February March This medium sized evergreen shrub has sharp, blue-green, holly-like leaflets in a pinnate form. Racemes of clear yellow, fragrant flowers are present in the winter which are popular with wildlife.
Nothofagus Antarctica - Antarctic beech tree Fragrant: Spring The Antarctic beech is an attractive broadly conical tree that has small, alternate, glossy, sweetly scented, crinkly dark-green foliage that turns bright yellow and orange in the autumn…Read more here
