Fragrant perennials bring an extra sensory layer to the garden, filling the air with gentle scent as you brush past or sit nearby. These plants are perfect for planting along paths, near doorways or close to seating areas where their fragrance can be fully enjoyed. As well as smelling wonderful, many fragrant perennials also attract bees and other pollinators, adding life and movement to your garden.
There is a wide range of beautifully scented perennials to choose from. Lavandula angustifolia is a classic favourite, loved for its calming fragrance and long flowering season. Nepeta Six Hills Giant offers soft aromatic foliage and clouds of blue flowers, while Salvia officinalis and Salvia nemorosa release scent when their leaves are brushed. For summer perfume, Phlox paniculata provides rich colour and sweet scent, and Dianthus brings spicy clove like notes to the border.
Fragrant perennials thrive in sunny, well drained positions, although some varieties will also cope well in light shade. Most are low maintenance and reliable, returning year after year with very little effort beyond occasional trimming or deadheading.
These scented plants pair beautifully with other soft, natural planting. Try combining them with ornamental grasses for movement, or mix them with geraniums, gaura and verbena to create a relaxed, meadow inspired display. Planting fragrant perennials in groups helps intensify their scent and creates a more immersive garden experience.
For more inspiration, explore our collections of pollinator attracting perennials, cottage garden perennials, long flowering perennials and low maintenance perennials.
