Most fragrant shrubs?

16 years ago

I live in Zone 6a (NW Arkansas) and have a fairly steep slope in my back yard. I have a spot (10' radius) that gets good early sun and very good mid-day sun in the winter and average to good mid-day sun in the summer. We have a 2-level deck in the back and I want to provide 8 months (March thru October) of fragrance (flowers and/or foliage) to the deck. I need some recommendations for shrubs and/or small trees that at least collectively can provide fragrance through the season. Though evergreen is preferable, the shrubs and/or trees can be deciduous as long as they have at least 3 seasons of interest and aren't blah for much of the year (i.e. lilac, forsythia ... unspectacular when not blooming). Lastly, deer are a consideration. Thanks, Bill

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Comments (6)

organic_doobie
16 years ago
Decidous shrubs:
Cotinus coggygria - smoke tree - flowering from spring to fall
Russian sage (Perovskia atriciplifolia)- also deer resistant

Coniferous shrubs:
Most of them but specially
Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - Lawson false cypress
Juniperus squamata
Pseudotsuga menziesii - Douglas-fir (but this one grows pretty big)
teresa_b
16 years ago
If you want fragrance, maybe try the shrub rose, Darlow's Enigma. Disease resistant, blooms all summer and highly fragrant. I have one in my cutting garden just so I can enjoy fragrance whenever I am in the garden. I wouldn't be without one. I can smell it 20 feet away. Flowers are single, small and white. Mostly likely you will need to mail order as it is not offered by typical nurseries.

Teresa
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buyorsell888
16 years ago
Douglas firs are huge trees native to the Pacific Northwest doubtful to survive in Arkansas.
meyermike_1micha
16 years ago
A viscosum azelea, which blooms about now for about acouple of weeks, that you can smell a mile away..They smell like gardenias

A Fringe tree...Beautiful and fragrant..I think it is the male trees that smell strongest..

Vibernum...Heavenly and very very sweet, first thing in spring

Liliacs..Double bloom if you can get them...Strong scented

Daphne odora..WOW fragrant!

Plant a few Oriental lillies, and you are good to go!
cindysunshine
16 years ago
My double mock orange - snowflake is phenominally fragrant in bloom. I had it planted with a very hardy rugosa rose 'Hansa' and it was an unforgettable combination.

Korean lilacs are extremely fragrant although they don't bloom for a very long time - mine has gotten HUGE and I mean HUGE but when in bloom the fragrance is phenominal.

Yes indeed I recommend oriental lilies or trumpets.

And how about heliotrope and nicotiana sprinkled in for some annuals. :)
jimshy
16 years ago
Are you growing in containers on the deck, or in the ground next to it? Your shrubs will have to be very hardy to survive z6 in containers!

Definitely abelia mosanensis -- powerful lilly fragrance, long bloom season, and fall color.

Leptodermis oblonga is not strongly fragrant, but it does bloom from about April until frost.

Buddlejas are obvious here, but the newest cultivars are not so rank and leggy.

Clethra (summersweet) I find this too sweet, but many folks love the fragrance, and this and itea are some of the only compact summer blooming shrubs.

Rugosa roses and Perpetual Roses (hence the name) are nearly everblooming, but careful of the thorns!

Don't neglect vines! a honeysuckle or or two (please, no japanese honeysuckle, or you'll be diggin up seedlings all over the yard in no time! Ditto chinese wisteria, but there are some great, tough cultivars of American wisteria.

Osmanthus heterophyllus may not be hardy, but it's worth trying for fall fragrance.

Eleagnus pungens is awesome for fall fragrance if you have the room, it's usually listed as z7 hardy, but again, in a protected location, you can tie up the branches or let them scramble around a post.

Have fun checking these all out!

Jim