Topic: A cover up job

[Powderfan]

Hi Guys and Gals

I am just after a few sugestions for some plants I can grow in our back garden that are heavily scented and smell nice.

A brief description of our garden may help.  Its about 55' long and south facing with a 10' patio area at the house end and the full width of the plot.  There is a large raised fish pond at the end coming about 15' from the end of the garden.  wrapped around the pond will be a raised deck running from side to side across the full width of the garden.  The remaining section in the middle is gravel.

Sounds a little bland but we have two large dogs what make light work of grass so that was ruled out.  The patio provides a spacious seating area for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  The pond was a personal thing and it was intentionally raised to make it more child friendly and the fact that an informal pond would have looked out of place in our housing estate setting.  The decking is to provide more seating and dining space next to the water and has the added bonus of making the wall of the pond appear lower.  The gravel area was flanked by large pots with various palms in.  After surviving 5 winters these have all been planted in the ground and are looking after themselves nicely.

Oh yes we also have a pergoda (pergola?) over our patio for a little shade etc.  And a mature Bay tree (about 12' tall).

What we would now like it to retain the gravel (at least until just before we move and lay a lawn to make it all look more child friendly) and keep the middle section open but add lots of scented plants down both sides between the palms.  Scented plants in pots on the deck which would be a little shaded due to fencing and pond wall etc.  And scented climbers for the patio area to add more shade.  I was thinking lavender in the boarders, only as I remember the strong scent from the garden next door when I was a child.  Other than that I don't really have a clue.  The plants will mostly be in full sun and need to be tough and able to stand a little neglect in the watering department from time to time.  I guess hanging baskets are an option on the patio too.

If  I am perhaps asking the impossible then are there any books on the subject of scented plants and flowers or sites on the web that might help me?

Thanks in advance.

Michael

PS I will post some pictures if the sun ever comes out.

[Hyacinth]

Hello! It sounds idyllic & I'm longing to see pics...I don't 'do' flowers so can't offer suggestions there, but the full sun, the gravel, the lavendar...oh, I'm thinking herbs, I'm thinking rosemary and sage, both the green and purple ones, and along with the lower herbs, I'd be planting golden oregano....a bright acid-yellow plant - in fact I could send you some roots if you want? PM me if you do.

Lishka

[Deb P]

For scent I don't think you can beat a Mock Orange. I have one of the golden foliage varieties, and its scent takes your breath away! it is a shrub that will grow to about 6' if you let it...I prune mine back hard each year after flowering to keep it managable.

[manicscousers]

we've got one of them, deb..the light coloured leaves light up a dark area  :)
as you say, the scent is phenomenal

[Hyacinth]

Agreed!I've got one also 8)

[star]

They are very nice, I have one as well. The other things you can try in pots (a bit late from seed though) but you might find some at the GC. Is Heliotrope (Cherry Pie),

 A lovely herb Valarien, grows very tall with scent thats intoxicating. This is not the Valarian that you make Oswago tea from. I can send you some seeds in autumn if you want to try some.

Then there are Thymes, Sage, Sweet Peas, Honeysuckle, Chamomile, Climbing Roses.......I know there's many more that I cant think of.

Your garden sounds great BTW :D

[Emagggie]

Lemon balm, all the scented geraniums, and a shrub I have which is called 'little baby', a beautiful lemony fragrance to the whole shrub, flowers, wood and leaves. Nepetia is nice if you are a cat, and also if you're not ;D
Grey foliaged plants withstand drought conditions well, and I also am a fan or heliotrope, lovely pong.

[Amazin]

Powderfan, would agree with all of the above - esp the Philadelphus. I have three, all different varieties but my absolute favourite has to be 'Belle Etoile', now twenty years old and still manages to take my breath away when it comes into bloom.

Another member recently asked a similar question to yours. Here's a link to the thread:

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,42390.0.html

And here are some websites you might find useful:

http://www.crescentbloom.com/Plants/Lists/Sweet%20scented/A-B/index.htm

http://www.scentedshrubs.com/

http://www.findmeplants.co.uk/default.aspx

Hope these will give you some inspiration!

[Powderfan]

Thanks for all your suggestions so far.  I have googled the names of the plants and shrubs so I can see what they look like.  With luck I will get to a garden center this weekend and see some in the flesh before deciding what to do. 
I do have a further question regarding the Mock Orange plant.  The width of our garden is not massive due to incorporating a garage and I am a little concerned that this plant will grow to be too wide for the space I have.  Can it be trimmed and shaped to be tall and slim rather than too bushy?

I am also going the the gardeners world show at the nec on saturday so hope to pick up a few more names of scented plants.  I won't be buying any though due to logistics of getting them home and carrying them about all day.  I'm sure there will be a few of you lot there but forgive me for not saying hi.

Once again thanks for the ideas.  I will sort out some pics as well.

Michael

[daileg]

well if its sent your after considering where you are and the hot summers you have i would suggest forget me knot try to get hold of the clump forming one as its hard to grow in this country but you get a lot of hot weather so in a good size pot or the ground if you cant get hold of it try the climbing type .
you will not be disappointed