by High Country Gardens

What makes some plants fragrant, and others not?
Instinctively, when we see a beautiful flower, we lean over to sniff it hoping for a sweet scent. The natural perfume of plants is an attribute we gardeners are always searching for.
There are two types of scents to be found in plants;
- Fragrant flowers and plants are ones that release a scent into the air
- Aromatic plants release their scented oils when brushed, bent or crushed
Fragrant Flowers
Flowers that release scent often do so to attract pollinators. Many nocturnal blooming plants have strongly scented flowers that attract moths and other night-flying insects. A flower’s color is of no use to pollinators in the dark of night.

Aromatic Plants
Aromatic plants are those that have volatile oils in their leaves and stems. When brushed against or their foliage is bent or crushed, the scents are released. These types of plants are often cultivated for their essential oils. Culinary herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary and lavender are aromatic plants long associated with mankind. These and other aromatic plants use their aromatic oils as a defense against browsing animals, like deer and rabbits. Since plants are rooted in place and can’t run away for protection, they have enlisted the help of chemicals to provide them with some defense. These plants are a great choice for areas where deer and rabbits are a problem.
I've long had a great fondness for fragrant and aromatic plants. Salvia (Sage), Agastache (Hummingbird Mint), Lavandula (Lavender), Berlandiera (Chocolate Flower), Garden Phlox (Phlox), Pansies (Viola) and many others are planted in my gardens to enjoy their scents.

Here are my lists of favorites:
Fragrant flowers
-
Cholcolate Flower (Berlandiera), Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculatat varieties), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), Daffodils, Iris (Iris pallida Variegata), Fendler’s Barberry (Mahonia), Hyacinths and Tulips.
Aromatic plants
- Hummingbird Mint (Agastache), Sage (Salvia),
Rosemary (Rosmarinus),Lavender (Lavandula), Ornamental Onions (Allium), Beebalm (Monarda),Russian Sage (Perovskia), Sage (Salvia), Thyme (Thymus),Yarrow (Achillea), Hyssop (Hyssopus)
'Lavender Ice' Ice Plant has large, gorgeous lavender-pink flowers and a tidy mat of evergreen foliage that turns purplish in winter. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric)...
Learn MoreLavender Ice Ice Plant Lavender Ice Ice Plant Delosperma Lavender IceAs low as $7.99 Sale $7.59Per Plant - 2.5" Pot'Lavender Ice' Ice Plant has large, gorgeous lavender-pink flowers and a tidy mat of evergreen foliage that turns purplish in winter. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric).Learn More'Blut' is one of the very best cold hardy Ice Plants. With its vigorous growth habit, durable evergreen foliage and summer-long display of deep magenta-red flowers, it is an invaluab...
Learn MoreBlut Ice Plant Blut Ice Plant Delosperma ashtonii BlutAs low as $7.99 Sale $7.19Per Plant - 2.5" Pot'Blut' is one of the very best cold hardy Ice Plants. With its vigorous growth habit, durable evergreen foliage and summer-long display of deep magenta-red flowers, it is an invaluable groundcover. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric).Learn MoreCommonly known as Poppy Mallow or Wine Cups, Callirhoe involucrata is a native wildflower that decorates the garden with a summer-long display of bright magenta-pink flowers. A spraw...
Learn MorePurple Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe) Poppy Mallow, Winecups Callirhoe involucrata$8.99 Sale $8.54Sale Price I Save 5%Per Plant - 2.5" PotCommonly known as Poppy Mallow or Wine Cups, Callirhoe involucrata is a native wildflower that decorates the garden with a summer-long display of bright magenta-pink flowers. A sprawling grower, Callirhoe involucrata's long branches spread out across the ground to create a colorful mat of flowers and foliage. Drought resistant perennial plant (xeric).Learn MoreYellow Flowering Texas Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora 'Yellow') is a beautiful, uncommon yellow-flowered form of Texas Red Yucca, a low-water garden favorite. Plant it with other Hespe...
Learn MoreYellow Flowering Texas Yucca (Hesperaloe) Yellow Flowering Texas Yucca Hesperaloe parviflora Yellow$12.99 Sale $11.69Sale Price I Save 10%Per Plant - 5" Deep PotYellow Flowering Texas Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora 'Yellow') is a beautiful, uncommon yellow-flowered form of Texas Red Yucca, a low-water garden favorite. Plant it with other Hesperaloes to create superb bi-colored combinations that are sure to draw hummingbirds to your garden.Learn MorePowis Castle is a superb foliage plant with finely textured silver-gray foliage and an attractive mounding habit. Use this plant to accentuate ornamental grasses and other perennials...
Learn MorePowis Castle Artemisia Powis Castle Silver Sage Artemisia Powis CastleAs low as $9.99 Sale $9.49Per Plant - 5" Deep PotPowis Castle is a superb foliage plant with finely textured silver-gray foliage and an attractive mounding habit. Use this plant to accentuate ornamental grasses and other perennials with differently colored foliage. Drought resistant/drought tolerant plant (xeric).Learn MorePerovskia atriplicifolia Blue Spires (Blue Spires Russian Sage) is the best large growing Russian Sage selection blooming with dark blue flower spikes appearing in mid-summer. Though...
Learn MoreBlue Spires Russian Sage Blue Spires Russian Sage Perovskia atriplicifolia Blue Spires$10.99 Sale $10.44Sale Price I Save 5%Per Plant - 5" Deep PotPerovskia atriplicifolia Blue Spires (Blue Spires Russian Sage) is the best large growing Russian Sage selection blooming with dark blue flower spikes appearing in mid-summer. Thought to be a hybrid of two species, this plant has amazing vigor and blooms for many months.Learn MoreSalvia sylvestris ‘May Night’ (May Night Sage) blooms prolifically with deep purple-blue flowers. It is an outstanding perennial with excellent cold hardiness, vigor, and toleran...
Learn MoreMay Night Salvia May Night Meadow Sage Salvia sylvestris May NightAs low as $9.49 Sale $9.02Per Plant - 5" Deep PotSalvia sylvestris ‘May Night’ (May Night Sage) blooms prolifically with deep purple-blue flowers. It is an outstanding perennial with excellent cold hardiness, vigor, and tolerance of heavy clay soils. Blooming in late spring with a profusion of flower spikes, it reblooms later in the summer when deadheaded.Learn MoreMoonshine Yarrow (Achillea Moonshine) is an outstanding perennial plant with silver-gray foliage and lemon-yellow flat-topped flowers that cover the plant all summer. This is a well-...
Learn MoreMoonshine Yarrow Moonshine Yarrow Achillea MoonshineAs low as $8.99 Sale $8.09Per Plant - 5" Deep PotMoonshine Yarrow (Achillea Moonshine) is an outstanding perennial plant with silver-gray foliage and lemon-yellow flat-topped flowers that cover the plant all summer. This is a well-behaved variety, meaning it won't reseed and spread.Learn More
Text and Photos by Founder and Chief Horticulturist David Salman.
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