Woodie’s Picks: Unique & Fragrant Blooms For Late Spring
As we approach peak gardening season, there are many incredible bloomers to choose from when expanding your garden and landscape. While many people focus on appearance, there is another critical sense you may want to consider when designing your garden: scent!
Fragrance is an impactful yet overlooked quality in the landscape. In this blog, we will highlight the benefits of incorporating fragrant plants into our garden and feature four of our favorite late-spring bloomers to dazzle your senses this planting season!
Benefits of Fragrance in the Garden
Emotional Well-Being
The first important benefit you can reap from a good-smelling garden is improved mental well-being! But don’t just take it from us, according to the School of Aromatic Studies, certain scents like lavender have been shown to have calming and relaxing effects, promoting stress relief and a sense of tranquility. Beyond the soothing effects of fragrance, studies have also demonstrated that fragrant plants can evoke positive memories and emotions! Who knew one good-smelling plant could do so much!
Attract Pollinators
The scents of fragrant bloomers aren’t only appealing to humans…pollinators love them too! Pollinators like bees and moths use their sense of smell, particularly through their antennae, to locate and distinguish between flowers. Pollinators can differentiate between different flower scents, allowing them to choose the most attractive a nd rewarding flowers for pollination!
Deterring Pests
While many living creatures love the sweet smell of flowers, you may be surprised to learn that not all creatures love their fragrance! In fact, the scents of certain flowers can act as a natural pest deterrent! Many insects find certain scents like those of lavender, marigolds, or chrysanthemums unpleasant and try their best to avoid them.
Our Favorite Great Smelling Plants For Late Spring
Star Jasmine
One fragrant favorite that explodes with aromatic blooms in late spring is Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). The white star-shaped blooms grow in masses along vining evergreen foliage. This intoxicating scent is often described as fresh and sweet, with a hint of lemon. Beyond the plant’s aroma, you can look forward to a low-maintenance care regimen, strong drought tolerance, and significant deer resistance!
Mock Orange Snowbell
Next on the list of sweet-smelling spring bloomers is the Mock Orange Snowbell. This flowering shrub blooms in late spring through early summer with stunning double white flowers and lovely green foliage. The white blooms give off an intense citrus fragrance that attracts pollinators and brings fresh energy to your outdoor space. Hardy to zones 6-8, these shrubs grow best in conditions of full sun and well-drained soils.
Sarah Bernhardt Peony
If you’re on the hunt for a perennial plant to provide incredible fragrance outdoors, that can be easily brought indoors in the form of a bouquet, the Sarah Bernhardt Peony is the plant for you!
Bursting with giant blooms in early May, Peonies have a generally sweet and floral scent reminiscent of roses but slightly sweeter. Sarah Bernhardt Peonies produce giant pale pink to white blooms in the beginning of May. Plant these showstoppers on their own as a focal point or in mass to make a real statement in the garden!
Fragrant Tea Olive
Last on the list of fragrant favorites is the Fragrant Tea Olive Plant. These hardy shrubs are evergreen and provide year-round interest in the landscape; however, their real time of shine is in late spring when they bloom. The flowers this plant produces are small but mighty, giving off a sweet floral scent often compared to a combination of apricots, jasmine, and gardenia. These shrubs are stunning when used for the purposes of hedging or creating low borders around a landscape.
Shop Fragrant Favorites At Woodie’s Garden Goods
With so many incredible fragrant plants to choose from, it’s easy to create a garden that looks beautiful and smells absolutely amazing. Whether you’re looking to boost your mood, attract helpful pollinators, or naturally deter pests, these late-spring bloomers offer both beauty and benefits. Ready to elevate your outdoor space? Shop all of these fragrant favorites and more at Woodie’s Garden Goods — your one-stop shop for plants that will truly delight the senses this season!