Immerse your senses in the heady fragrance of blooming plants! Fragrant plants are essential to creating a welcoming Summer garden. Introducing spicy, sweet, or woody floral scents into the garden adds a new dimension to your outdoor space.
We’ve selected a list of seven must-have fragrant Summer-blooming plants for growing in the Pacific Northwest. From herbs and perennials to vines and evergreen shrubs, these fantastic plants are guaranteed to make your patio and garden your favorite destination as their memorable fragrance perfumes the air. Create an unforgettable atmosphere through the power of scent!
Want to harness the power of scent during each season of the year? Check out OUR CHART BELOW for year-round fragrance in the garden!
1. Star Jasmine – Trachelospermum jasminoides
Hundreds upon hundreds of starry white flowers blanket Star Jasmine from May into September. With a fragrance that is both sweet and floral with a slight woody undertone, Jasmine’s flowers perfume the air and are especially strong-smelling during the heat of the day.
Star Jasmine is an evergreen plant with twining, vining stems that get woody as they mature. Grow Star Jasmine in full to part sun on a trellis near an entryway or patio to create a luxurious welcome.
2. Honeysuckle – Lonicera sp.
Honeysuckle bursts into bloom in May as weather warms, offering a feast for the senses and for visiting pollinators like bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and moths. Nectar-rich flowers are clustered all over this hardy, semi-evergreen vine and change colors as they age from white to pink in ‘Peaches and Cream’ or ‘Goldflame’ and white to yellow in ‘Hall’s Honeysuckle’. The sweetly floral fragrance of Honeysuckle becomes increasingly intense as evening fades into night, and any branches brought indoors will give off their powerful perfume throughout the house.
Plant Honeysuckle where it will receive full sun and good airflow—a south-facing or west-facing location near an evening sitting area is the perfect location for a Honeysuckle vine.
3. Summer Daphne – Daphne x transatlantica
Though this small evergreen shrub may be classy, chic, and understated, the fragrance from Summer Daphne is absolutely arresting. With tiny clusters of dainty white and light pink flowers, Daphne’s fragrance is dazzlingly sweet and floral with a hint of powdery, woody undernotes.
Blooming on and off from May into October, varieties like ‘Eternal Fragrance’ or variegated ‘Summer Ice’ offer gardeners an exceptionally easy, low-maintenance plant. Summer Daphne thrives in well-draining soil in full to part sun, and is an ideal plant for placing near walkways to greet guests.
4. Gardenia – Gardenia jasminoides
Intoxicating, warm floral fragrance emanates from each of the ivory white blooms of a Gardenia. A single flower is enough to perfume a room when brought indoors and floated in water. This small, broadleaf evergreen shrub boasts several excellent cultivars for Pacific Northwest gardens, including the profuse, single flowered ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ as well as the showier, larger blooms produced by ‘Frost Proof’ or ‘Sweet Star’.
Plant Gardenias in the ground where they will receive regular Summer water and in full sun near walkways or patios so the heat can intensify the fragrance during the day.
5. Rose – Rosa sp.
Classic Rose fragrance is timeless, elegant, and the best feature of many fabulous Rose varieties, both new and old. Ranging from spicy and woody through to floral or light, Roses possess a depth of aroma beyond any other plant group.
We particularly love the intense, iconic fragrance of Rugosa Roses and their related cultivars like ‘Snow Pavement’, along with the range of perfumes produced by the Hybrid Teas, English Roses, and Floribundas featured on our Best Roses of 2024 list and our Rose For Every Garden blog. Plant Roses wherever you can for maximum enjoyment—some varieties are well-suited to exposed slopes, cool shade, or even containers.
6. Lavender – Lavandula sp.
Lavender is beloved for the calming, soothing oil produced by both the leaves and flowers of this fantastic herb. Sturdy, drought-tolerant perennial subshrubs produce gorgeous wants of light purple flowers that bees adore. The fragrance of lavender is balanced between spicy and sweet, with a woody backbone that makes it grounding and a must-have for anyone seeking a little extra self-care from their garden.
Lavender likes to grow in hot, sunny environments where it receives good drainage. Plant lavender near a walkway where passersby will agitate it to produce more of its lovely scent.
7. Hummingbird Mint – Agastache sp.
Agastache is an herbaceous perennial that no fragrant garden should be without. With sweet, minty fragrance given off by both the grey-green leaves and the thousands of stunning tubular blooms, this edible plant is fantastic for attracting pollinators and garnishing salads, desserts, or Summer drinks.
One of the best features of long-blooming Agastache is the countless colors and tones that the flowers come in. For fans of soft, warm hues, weave ‘Pink Pearl’ or ‘Kudo’s Ambrosia’ into perennial borders. And for someone looking for a more dramatic punch, plants like Agastache ‘Sangria’ or ‘Blue Fortune’ are fantastic in sunny containers or gardens alike.
Fragrant flowers don’t have to stop when Summer ends! You can achieve a gloriously fragrant garden all year long in the Pacific Northwest. Download our fragrant plant chart for aromatic plant suggestions during every month of the year.
Our Garden Centers are open all year round and we can help you find a fabulous new fragrant plant for Summer, Autumn, Winter, or Spring!
