Luckily, your fragrant flower options aren’t limited—these blooms come in all shapes, sizes, and types, from ones that grow on trees in the tropics to tiny, compact blossoms that hug the ground. Some areas showy as they are fragrant, while others don’t look like much—but when you lean in close, they surprise you. Believe it or not, flowers can be fragrant in all kinds of ways: Some release a sweet smell all day long, while others make you wait until evening or nighttime. And there are fragrant bloomers for any season, from the first of spring’s thaw to the dog days of summer. Longevity changes, too—certain varieties bloom for a few hours, and others persist for months.
There’s a reason for all this fragrance. Flowers produce ascent to attract pollinators, which is crucial in continuing the life cycle of the plant. And these little critters are critical to a flourishing garden. To help you bring your own space to this level, we’ve rounded up the 6 most fragrant flowers—you and your garden’s tiniest wildlife will thank you for including them.
Bee balms
Bee balm, known by its botanical name of Monarda, is a beloved perennial not only for its beautiful whorled blooms but for its fascinating fragrant foliage. The bee balm flower displays an open, daisy-like shape, with tubular petals. The colorful flowers develop on the end of the square-stemmed stalks above the main foliage and bloom in mid-summer. It prefers moist, rich soil and a sunny location.
Hyacinth
Hyacinths are spring-flowering perennials with richly colored and highly fragrant flowers that bloom in dense clusters. Growing to a height of 8-12 inches tall and 4-9 inches wide, hyacinths produce tubular-shaped flowers that look like little starfishes, and 4-8 narrow, upright leaves. For maximum potential, they prefer full sun but will also tolerate light shade setting. Like other spring-blooming bulbs, they should be planted in well-drained soil.
Phlox
Phlox is a perennial favorite among wildflowers. They are compact, low-maintenance, and long-blooming. They are known for their spicy vanilla-clove fragrance and purple-pink flowers that bloom in summer. Phlox are dense and clump-forming with attractive, strong yellowish-green foliage. At full bloom, they can reach up to 16 inches tall and 18 inches wide. They establish quickly with full sun and well-draining soils.
August Lily
August lily is an enchanting herbaceous perennial plant that is known for its beautiful, fragrant, trumpet-like flowers atop a low mound of foliage. Unlike other hostas, it continues to generate fresh new leaves in flushes. At maturity, it will grow to about 18 – 28 inches tall with a spread of 3 feet. It thrives well in full sun or part shade, although it will tolerate full shade as well.
Lavender
Easy to grow and so beautiful! Mine does well in partial shade (it came with the house 19 years ago, and it’s still blooming every year, sometimes twice in a year!). Use it to make sachets to tuck in your drawers for freshness, make a dream pillow, or you can even make tea.
Buttonbush
One of the fragrant flowering shrubs that can be planted in your garden is the Buttonbush. The tight flowers are shaped in ball-like clusters. White to cream color the lightly honey-scented flowers attract pollinators. Bees, butterflies and other nectar-loving insects will flock to this scented shrub.
This shrub grows in Zones 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 to a height of 6-12 feet high and 4-8 feet wide. It enjoys part sun, part shade, and full sun in moist soil. Pruning moderately to severe in the late winter of established plants promotes more flowers and fuller plants.
This plant is a perfect specimen for butterfly and pollinator gardens.