Fragrant flowers have healing powers

Recently, Chris’ mom stayed with us for a few weeks. We each did our own thing during the day. She spent time resting while recovering from a medical procedure and Chris and I worked. Our evenings were filled with listening to wonderful stories about her childhood, intense scrabble games and fun rummy card matches. It was truly a joy to have her in our home. In recognition of the healing properties of plants, I put out a houseplant and a fresh vase of flowers in her room (yes occasionally I practice what I preach). While she was here I refilled several vases with freshly picked flowers every few days. Normally our home smells a bit like our dog Lucky. The flowers changed that. It was absolutely wonderful to come into the kitchen and be greeted with the smell of Koreanspice Viburnum. Aromatic flowers seem to brighten any room.

Scented flowers can be found on all types of plants. Perennial flowers, shrubs and even some trees are adorned with flowers that not only look good but smell good as well. Here is a compilation of plants that have fragrant flowers.

New Vintage White Yarrow(Achillea millefolium ‘Balvinwite’) This white summer blooming perennial flower grows to about 12” tall and wide. The clusters of flowers coupled with fine fern like foliage make this a gorgeous plant. It blooms most of the summer and is excellent for cutting fresh flowers or for dried flowers.

Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry(Amelanchier arborea ‘Autumn Brilliance’) This tree has several seasons of interest. The fragrant white flowers in the spring are followed by an edible blueberry in the summer. The leaves turn a beautiful orange and red color in the fall. Autumn Brilliance typically grows about 20’ tall and wide.

Rose Milkweed(Asclepias incarnate) The pink flowers have a vanilla scent that attracts butterflies. This is the first choice of Monarch larvae. It blooms in July and August and grows to about 3’ tall and wide.

Butterfly Weed (Asclepius tuberosa) The orange flowers on this perennial flower attract hummingbirds and butterflies. It does best in full sun and once established a dry soil. The bright flowers are present from June-August.

Maggie Daley Astilbe(Astilbe chinensis ‘Maggie Daley’) The spikes of purple flowers are present midsummer on the shade loving perennial flower. It is rabbit resistant and grows about 30” tall and 18” wide.

Pugster Amethyst Butterfly Bush (Buddleia ‘SMNBDL) The huge purple flowers on this dwarf plant make for a spectacular show from midsummer through the fall. This butterfly bush is a bit hardier than other varieties making it more likely to live through the winter.

 

Aphrodite Sweetshrub (Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’) The fragrant red flowers resemble those usually reserved for magnolia trees. Both the flowers and the bark have a fruity scent. Calycanthus commonly grow 5’ tall and 6’ wide and do best in full sun to part shade.

Sugar Shack Buttonbush(Cephalanthus occidentalis ‘SMCOSS’) Aromatic white flowers bloom during the summer followed by red fruit. Butterflies and hummingbirds love this plant. The leaves on buttonbush are red in the spring, green in the summer and red again in the fall.

Summer Sparkler Summersweet(Clethra ‘Novacleein’) White curled flowers have a sweet scent on this flowering shrub. Grows best in full sun and grows 3 ½’ tall and wide.

Summer Cloud Delphinium (Delphinium grandiflorum ‘Summer Cloud’) Bright blue flowers with a white eye appear from April through July.

Scentlandia Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica ‘SMNIVDFC) As the name implies this very fragrant shrub does well is shade and has a fantastic fall color. With a height and width of 3’ it fits nicely in most yards.

Sweet Romance Lavender(Lavandula angustifolia ‘Kerlavangem’) The highly grey foliage coupled with violet flowers throughout the summer combine to make a beautiful perennial flower. It grows best in full sun and dry soil topping out at a height of 18.”

Blue Moon Woodland Phlox(Phlox divaricata ‘Blue Moon’) Loads of purple flowers attract butterflies. This early blooming flower grows best in shade and has fine green foliage.

Easy Elegance Sweet Fragrance Rose(Rose ‘BAInce’) This very strongly fragrant rose has apricot colored flowers. It grows on its own room and is disease and insect resistant.

Fruity Petals Climbing Rose (Rosa ‘Radpetals’) Brought to us by the breeder behind the infamous Knock Out Rose. The coral flower has a yellow eye and reblooms throughout the summer.

Lemony Lace Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa ‘SMNSRD4)This chartreuse leaved shrub grows 5’ tall and wide. It flowers mid-summer and has a red fruit in the fall.

Dwarf Prairie Dropseed(Sporobolus heterolepsis ‘Tara’) The fragrant yellow flowers on the ornamental grass stand upright. This grass is deer resistant and very hardy.

Bloomerang Dark Purple Lilac(Syrings ‘SMSJBP7’) This breakthrough reblooming lilac gives us the conventional fragrant flowers in the spring and then the flowers just like a boomerang comes back and appear again in the summer.

Creeping Thyme (Thymus praecox ‘Purple Carpet’) Small, dark purple flowers and leaves add a wonderful fragrance to the front of any planting bed. This is an evergreen groundcover that grows best in full sun with a height of 5” and a spread of 15”.

Spice Baby Viburnum ‘(Viburnum carlessi ‘SMVCB’) This sweetly scented compact flowering shrub is a must for any landscape. The white flowers appear early spring. Best when grown in full sun to part shade and reaches a height and width of 3 ½.’

Kathleen Carr is the owner of The Growing Scene, Inc., a landscaping company. She can be reached by calling 815-923-7322 or emailing her at Kathleen@thegrowingscene.com. Have a gardening question? Please contact her. She may address it in an upcoming column.

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