Unusual Herbs to Grow in Your Garden
There are ornamental shrubs, small flowering trees, fragrant herbs, vines and ground covers among them but what they all have in common is their amazing smell. It is always useful and fun to learn about new plants and bring them to our gardens.
Take a look at our selection and tell us which plant’s care guide would you like to see as a future article.
Aglaia odorata
Chinese Perfume Plant, Chinese Rice Flower, Mock Lemon – call it whatever you like, this plant has small yellow flowers with a strong perfume you will simply love. Aglaia is not only a fragrant and beautiful plant, it also has many medical uses: odorine and odorinol obtained from this plant has cancer chemopreventive activity. The best part is that it is a shrub that is very easy to grow and maintain. It is also relatively cold-tolerant.
Persicaria odorata
Persicaria odorata or commonly known as Vietnamese Coriander (or Rau rum) is an easy to grow, fragrant perennial that not only smells good but is also a rich spice that is widely used in Asian cooking. If you keep it inside during winter you can enjoy it lemony scent for many years. Grow it as an alternative to common coriander, in fertile soil and in partial shade.
Philadelphus ‘Virginal’
flickr.com photo credit to Jill R
Mock orange is a hardy deciduous shrub that will mesmerize you with its beautiful double blooms with pure white petals. But what is even more special than its beauty is surely its scent which will remind you of the most exquisite ‘orange blossom’ perfume. No wonder this shrub attracts wildlife, including bees and other insects. It is ideal for cottage gardens, scented gardens, wildlife gardens. Grow Philadelphus plants in a sunny or semi shaded position, in any well drained soil.
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Honeybush’
This groundcover honeysuckle is truly an outstanding plant. You will fall in love with its scented red and cream flowers which first appear in mid summer. The scent is particulary potent in the evenings. Lonicera periclymenum ‘Honeybush’ is perfect for creating a sunny border. It needs full sun or partial shade and moist, fertile soil.
Blackcurrant sage salvia
Scented leaves and sweet, beautiful blooms blackurrant sage makes a wonderful addition to any garden. This sages are not only scented – their blooms are actually eatible! They are sweet and melony and the sunnier the spot the sweeter they will be. Try varieties like ‘Dyson’s Orangey Pink’, ‘Red Velvet’ or tantalising ‘Hot Lips’.
Hamamelis x intermedia
Chinese witchhazel is a slow growing tree or shrub with thick green foliage that turns into beautiful brown/orange in fall. It is characterized by spicy, extremely fragrant flowers that appear in mid winter (January and February). There are many varieties to consider, with ‘Aphrodite’, ‘Barmstedt Gold’, ‘Arnold Promise’, ‘Aurora’, ‘Diane’ ‘Pallida’, ‘Vesna’, ‘Rubin’, ‘Sandra’ being some of the most popular.
Clerodendrum bungei
This is another China native plant that has beautiful, fragrant flowers. It is also called Mexican Hydrangea or Rose Glory Bower. It is a late flowering shrubs that blooms throughout late summer, from August until late into October. Even its large green leaves have a faint fragrance. Plant it in full sun or shade. Any type of fertile soil will do.
Bolusanthus speciosus
The spectacular Tree Wisteria will mesmerize you with its beautifully fissured bark and drooping foliage that shivers in the slightest breeze. Like this isn’t enough, this small to medium tree covers itself with trusses of fragrant, violet-blue flowers throughout spring and early summer. Although a deciduous plant, the tree wisteria is without leaves for only a short time during early spring. Plant the Tree wisteria in a sunny position in a large hole to which plenty of compost has been added. Water regularly for the first few years.
Albizia julibrissin
The Albizia julibrissin, also known as silk mimosa or silk tree has beautiful pom-pom like lowers that are not only attractive but are also fragrant. The silk tree has an interesting fern like foliage with each leaf being made up of hundreds of tiny leaflets coated in white hairs, giving the foliage a silvery cast. The off-white to baby-pink flower heads appear in late winter or spring. One more plus is that the flowers attract insects and birds. This plant prefers a rich, light, well drained soil.
Aronia melanocarpa
Aronia is widely known as a superfood, but the black chokeberry is also cultivated as a decorative, ornamental plant. Its showy clusters of white flowers share an irresistable fragrance in early summer. Then there are the purple fruit that attracts birds and the beautiful red fall color. Plant in full sun and provide full sun to partial shade and most any soil.
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