Spring is in the air!
Plants that soothe the senses – not only with their colours but also their fragrance – are a delight in the garden.
What could be better than being out in nature at this time of year, amidst the sweet scents of all the new flowers and blossoms? Create the same feel in your own garden by planting scented flowers – near a bedroom window, alongside your entertainment area, next to the veranda or along a pathway. And if you only have a small stoep or balcony, plant fragrant annuals such as sweet peas, sweet alyssum, stocks or a shrub such as a gardenia in a pot. These fragrant plants are worth considering: Large shrub Mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius)
If you love the scent of orange blossoms, plant a mock orange. This large shrub bears single white flowers on long, arching stems that echo the sweet scent of orange blossoms. It blooms at its best in September and October. Mock orange works well in a mixed border with annuals and perennials such as foxgloves, salvias, delphiniums and garden heliotropes, the latter of which bloom for a long time.
In cooler parts of the country, plant mock orange in full sun but in those areas where it is hot and dry, a partially shaded spot is best. This shrub thrives in compost-rich soil that drains well. Prune immediately after it blooms to keep the shrub neat or to limit its size. Since it blooms on the previous year’s growth, it should not be pruned in winter, just before its flowering season, because then it won’t bloom in spring. Also cut back the old wood to the ground after the flowering season to give the shrub new life. It is fairly disease-resistant and makes a good cut flower.
PLANT GUIDE
Full sun to semi-shade
Average water needs
Frost hardy
Deciduous
Grows 1.5–2m tall x 1–2m wide The more of one type of scented plant you grow, the more fragrant the bed or pot will be. Small shrubs Rose-scented pelargonium
(Pelargonium graveolens)
Not only flowers smell good, leaves can also provide fragrance. The foliage of this indigenous pelargonium has a lovely rose scent. This shrub bears small, light pink flowers from late winter to summer and is at its most beautiful in spring. It grows easily in compost-rich soil in a bed or a pot. Prune the plant back after it blooms to keep it neat.
Rose-scented pelargonium can easily be grown from cuttings. The best time to do so is autumn and spring. Cut off a twig about 5cm in length, insert it into some coarse river sand (available at nurseries) in a pot and keep moist. Transplant into the garden when the cuttings are well established and have formed sufficient roots.
Other pelargoniums with fragrant foliage include lemon-scented pelargonium (Pelargonium citronellum) and peppermint scented pelargonium (P. tomentosum).
PLANT GUIDE
Semi-shade
Average water needs
Frost sensitive
Grows 1.3m tall x 1m wide
Garden heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)
These plants boast fragrant blooms for many months, from late spring to autumn. The mostly dark purple flowers are actually a cluster of small blooms that resemble one large flower. It also comes in white, a soft shade of blue, and lavender.
This small shrub does well in a sunny bed but plant it in partial shade in very hot areas. It likes well-drained, compost-rich soil and should be kept moist in summer. Prune it back in early spring if the plant becomes too straggly; it will soon resprout to form a lovely shrub. Plant it with scented pelargoniums, brightly coloured day lilies or gaura. Garden heliotropes are not good cut flowers.
PLANT GUIDE
Full sun to semi-shade Average water needs Frost hardy
Grows 30cm–1m tall x 45cm wide >>
Annual Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus)
No scented spring garden should be without sweet peas! If you have a wall or support up which they can sprawl, plant climbing sweet peas, or choose the low-growing, bushy type for the front of a bed. Sow seeds in autumn in well-prepared, compost-rich soil or buy seedlings in six-packs. Keep the soil well watered until the seedlings are established and when they are about 5cm tall, feed every two weeks with a liquid fertiliser such as Seagro. Sweet peas are the perfect cut flowers; just a small posy will fill a room with their heady fragrance. Pick the blooms regularly because the more you do so, the more you’ll be rewarded with flowers.
PLANT GUIDE
Full sun
Average water needs Fairly frost hardy Climbs up to 2m high