IN THE GARDEN
and stems, and while this scent can be attractive to us, it can act as a deterrent to animals that might otherwise regard it as a food source. When crushed, plants such as lavender, mint and thyme release a scent, which can also be released and fill the air in rain or hot weather. Adding scent to your garden It’s easy to introduce scent into your own garden. While you might not wish to have a dedicated Scented Garden like the Botanic Garden’s, careful selection can provide a succession of fragrance through the year. Scented plants such as Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ produce scent during the winter, as well as welcome flowers. In summer, a mixed planting of herbaceous perennials and roses can bring a romantic look to the garden – but add scented kinds such as Rosa ‘Madame Hardy’ or ‘Dannahue’ and your outdoor space will be transformed to a completely different level. A single lavender bush ( Lavandula ) beside a path can fill the air with fragrance, especially if it’s brushed as you walk past it, while flowering tobacco plants ( Nicotiana sylvestris ) will pump out evening fragrance. Additionally, scented plants such as geraniums Pelargonium ‘Pink Capitatum’, Pelargonium tomentosum or scented blooms of Dianthus ‘Mrs Sinkins’ will attract a diverse range of beneficial insects such as butterflies, moths and bees to your garden. As well as successional planting to ensure year-round fragrance, clever design can enhance the impact of scent. Here at the Botanic Garden, our Scented Garden is set in a gentle hollow to trap and concentrate fragrance, with raised beds that allow visitors to appreciate the plantings at close hand. At home, consider positioning scented plants around patios, doorways or seating areas where their fragrance can be easily enjoyed as you relax or entertain. No matter how large or small your garden, there will always be space for a touch of fragrance!
Lavandula ‘Hidcote’ A bushy dwarf lavender with fragrant silver-grey foliage and spikes of purple flowers. A must-have for hot, sunny spots. Sarcococca confusa (sweet box) An evergreen shrub that reaches two metres in height, with cream-white flowers that fill the air with fragrance in the new year. Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’ (honeysuckle) A climbing plant that will scramble over fences and arches, producing highly fragrant pink and red tubular flowers. Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea) Highly fragrant annual climbers with pea-like flowers in a range of pastel shades. This requires regular picking to encourage new flowers. Nicotiana alata (jasmine tobacco) An easy annual, suitable for borders and pots, with flowers that will fill the air with heady fragrance in the evenings. TOP SCENTED PLANTS
TWO SIDES OF THE COIN Pink Capitatum (above left) brings vivid colour and delightful fragrance, while titan arum (above right) sits at the other end of the spectrum but still attracts pollinators
Sally Petitt is head of horticulture at Cambridge University Botanic Garden
76 JULY 2025 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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