Cape Town - Botanists, psychologists and fragrance houses have attempted to catalogue plant scents for centuries.
Flowery scents come from roses and jasmine. Spicy or aromatic scents are reflected in lavender, bay laurel and thyme. Fruity scents come from strawberry, apple and pineapple, while the resinous scents come from pine, eucalyptus and incense.
Most people can recall memories of wonderful fragrances in the gardens of their childhood. As gardeners, we can help children, grandchildren and even non-plant people build up a store of perfumed memories by pointing out the different fragrances in the garden.
The ideal place for a scented garden is near the area where your family sits and relaxes at the end of the day, since the scent of plants is always strongest as darkness approaches. The fragrance will be stronger if the area is sheltered from the wind, and contained by walls or trellis, a spreading tree with light foliage that allows sunlight to penetrate, or a light pergola.
The fragrance of many indigenous plants is often not as overpowering as exotics. “It can be elusive, subtle, tantalising or discreet – the difference between a showy chorus girl and a lady,” explains indigenous gardening expert Gyll Mullins.
“Many perfumed indigenous plants are choosy about exactly when they release their sweetness in the air. Some are heavy with fragrance under a hot sun, while others reward you early in the morning, at dusk, or in the evening.”
Create a living gallery of therapeutic, pleasurable and enduring garden scents by mixing and matching the fragrant plants, whether they be showy chorus girl exotics or classic indigenous varieties.
Exotic fragrance:
There are a host of exotic plants that offer summer fragrance:
* Roses: There are many fragrant roses, but bear in mind that not all roses are fragrant, that they have different fragrances, and that the intensity of fragrance varies. Roses with delicate soft petals are more able to release their fragrance than those which have tougher, longer-lasting petals. Likewise, the more petals a fragrant rose has, the greater the scent given off by the flower.
All the “English” roses are highly fragrant. Three hybrid tea roses are the red “Oklahoma” and “Alec’s Red”, and white with red edge “Double Delight”.
Yellow “Freesia” and red “Bavaria” are two of the most fragrant floribundas.
Highly scented climbing roses include “Compassion”, “Crimson Glory” and “Sutter’s Gold”.
* Yesterday, today and tomorrow (Brunfelsia pauciflora “Floribunda”) bears fragrant deep mauve flowers, which fade to lavender and finally to white.
* Orange jessamine (Murraya exotica) is a slow-growing evergreen shrub that can grow to 3m tall, which bears fragrant white flowers similar to orange blossom in spring and summer.
* Gardenia (Gardenia augusta syn. G. jasminoides) is a 3m tall evergreen shrub which bears masses of large, sweetly fragrant, creamy-white flowers all summer long.
* Moonflowers (Brugmansia x candida) are the star performers of all the exotic night-scented plants. Their huge trumpet-shaped blooms on a 5m high shrub make a magnificent sight during the summer months. But remember, the blooms of all moon flowers are highly poisonous.
* Nicotiana have fragrant, trumpet-shaped blooms borne in white and lime-green to bold pink, red and purple cultivars. Their delicious scent is most evident in the evening.
Or go indigenous:
* The butterfly bush or sage wood (Buddleja salviifolia) is a fast-growing evergreen shrub with scented creamy-white flower spikes up to 15cm long borne for six to eight weeks in late summer. Butterflies find it irresistible.
Plant it in full sun and allow plenty of space – its full height is 4m with a 3m spread.
* Scented foliage is the signature of the pelargoniums. Look out for the nutmeg scented, citrus scented or rose-scented pelargoniums. Bruised leaves have a delicious scent.
* The indigenous jasmine (Jasminum multipartitum) is a scrambling climber that has a sweet-scented perfume.
* Buchu. There are many scented buchus from the oval-leafed buchu (Agathosma ovata) whose bruised leaves give off a pleasing citrus tang to the fragrant buchu (Agathosma collina).
* Shell bush (Orthosiphon labiatus) has attractive pink to mauve flowers and leaves scented with a suggestion of mint.
* Amatungulu (Carissa bispinosa) bears starry white flowers which are sweetly scented. The larger white flowers of the num-num (Carissa macrocarpa) fill the house with a lovely fragrance.
* The March lily (Crinum moorei) flowers in March and is sweetly perfumed at night.
* Gardenia thunbergia is an ideal tree for small gardens with stunning milky white flowers that are heavily fragrant.
* September bells (Rothmannia globosa) is a small to medium tree with beautiful clusters of creamy blossoms that are pleasantly scented.
* Cape chestnut (Calodendrum capense) is a medium to large, fast-growing tree. It has fragrant pink flowers and aromatic leaves – a double bonus.
* False bride’s bush (Tarenna pavettoides) is a small tree or shrub which likes damp, shady conditions. The heads of creamy-white flowers give a clean, sweet fragrance.
* Wild camphor bush (Tarchonanthus camphoratus) is a shrub or small tree that smells strongly of camphor, especially in the hot sun. Take care because splinters from the wood can be poisonous.
* Lavender tree (Heteropyxis natalensis) is a small deciduous tree with blooms that are delicately perfumed. The crushed leaves also give a whiff of lavender.
* Helichrysum populifolium is a plant with flowers that smell of honey. The aromatic leaves have a musky scent.
- Weekend Argus