These fragrant patio plants are a must for containers near seating areas and windows.
Carson Downing
Send sweet scents wafting across your patio with a fragrantcontainer garden.
Position containers filled with fragrant patio plants where you are likely to brush by them or sit near them.
Credit:Carson Downing
The following plants alldo well in container gardens.
And some have fragrant foliage too.
Heliotrope
Helen Norman
Sweetly fragrant purple flowers coverheliotrope(Heliotropium arborescens) from early summer through fall.
Credit:Kritsada Panichgul
Bees and butterflies are frequent visitors.
Try compact Atlantis or vanilla-scented Incense heliotrope.
Hyacinths
Thesespringtime bulbsare perfume powerhouses.
Credit:Helen Norman
A container of five to seven bulbs ofhyacinths(Hyacinthusorientalis) will send fragrance all over a patio.
Purchase prechilled bulbs and plant a container of hyacinths in spring.
Expect them to bloom for about two weeks.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Jasmine
The small but very fragrant white or pink flowers ofjasmine(Jasminumspp.)
can perfume an entire outdoor room.
This evergreen, woody plant blooms from summeruntil the first frost.
Credit: Blaine Moats
Grow it as a shrub in containers or train vining types to a trellis.
Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac) maintains a small stature and is especially well-suited to growing in containers.
Grow it as an annual in colder regions or move it inside in the fall to overwinter.
Credit: Laurie Black
thrives in hot, dry conditions.
Its citrus-scented flowers open in tropical shades of pink, orange, red, yellow, and white.
Some lantana cultivars are more fragrant than others.
Credit: Mike Jensen
Lantana plants in the Luscious group, such as Luscious Citrus Blend, are known for their pleasing fragrance.
Lavender
Prized for its calming scent,lavender(Lavandulaspp.)
is a perennial herb that is easy to grow in containers.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Group severalcontainers of lavendertogether to make a big impact on a small space.
Many lavender cultivars are available.
A few color-rich favorites include Javelin Forte, Thumbelina Leigh, and Sweet Romance lavender.
Credit: Doug Hetherington
Moonflower
You’ll probably catch a whiff of the honeysuckle-like fragrance ofmoonflower(Daturaspp.)
before you see the bloom.
Its perfume permeates the garden.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Thisnight-blooming flowering planthas bold foliage, bright white flowers, and is most fragrant in the evening hours.
When provided with regular moisture, this large plant looks beautiful in a container through summers heat and humidity.
And the right rose (Rosaspp.)
Credit:Peter Krumhardt
can fill a container with color, cut flowers, and fragrance from early summer until fall.
Try smaller varieties like Honey Perfume or Heritage (shown here) for long-lasting fragrance.
These roses grow best in containers that hold at least 5 gallons of soil.
Credit:Ed Gohlich
are full of fragrance.
They bring aromas of rose, citrus, mint, chocolate, and more to the garden.
There are dozens of scented geranium varieties, each boasting a different leaf shape and fragrance.
These are annual plants in most areas, or they can be overwintered indoors.
This cool-season annual blooms in shades of pink, purple, yellow, and white and has blue-green foliage.
It blooms from mid-spring until early summer, and can be planted again in fall once temperatures cool off.
The flowers are typically white, but lavender and purple-hued varieties are also available.
It has a mounding habit and will trail over the side of a container.
This encourages fresh, dense growth and a new flush of flowers.
Some plants, like alyssum, have a bold and long-lasting fragrance.
Also, avoid pairing multiple fragrant plants in a container or small area like a porch.
The competing scents might be too much for a sensitive nose.
Instead, showcase one fragrant species per container grouping.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/gardenia
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/gardenia-jasminoides/
Heliotropium arborescens.
NC State Extension
Heliotrope.
ASPCA
Garden HyacinthHyacinthus orientalis.NC State Extension
Hyacinth.
ASPCA
Geranium, Pelargonium species.
