Flowers are known mostly for their beauty and the way they brighten up the home, the garden, office spaces and parties and events, whilst sight is one of the senses we rely on most, another of the main senses is the sense of smell. Fragrance plays an important role on how much someone likes a flower, when we smell a flower we are often taken back in time, reminded of the first time we smelt the flower, who we were with, how it made us feel etc.
With this is mind, when you are selecting a flower, whether it is for an arrangement within the home or an addition to the garden, consider not only have the flower looks, but also how it smells. Here are some of the most popularly chosen flowers on the basis of their original and beautiful fragrance:
Rose: There are a variety of species of rose, the most aromatic are ‘old garden roses’ which are beautifully perfumed and coloured white or a light pastel colour, or ‘modern roses’ which have a more subtle scent which varies slightly between species.
Jasmine: This is a very popular flower, loved mainly for its sweet and strong fragrance, this plant has been used in perfumes, air fresheners and massage and aromatherapy oils to name but a few. The scent is commonly considered relaxing and soothing, with a hint of an aphrodisiac influence. There are over 200 species of Jasmine, the delicate flowers coloured either white or yellow, the plants can reach 4.6 metres in height, and grow about 60cm per year.
Lily of the Valley: these small white or pink bell shaped flowers are delicate looking but very hardy, meaning that they are relatively easy to grow. Lily of the Valley is beautifully fragranced making this flower ideal as cut flowers for your home. If you intend on planting this flower into your garden remember that this plant tends to spread over time and therefore you may need to give it more room than most plants.
Chocolate Cosmos: these stunning deep red/burgundy coloured flowers are quite large in size, reaching 30-90cm in height. Chocolate cosmos have a delicious and light vanilla smell to them, originating from Mexico these flowers especially flourish in hotter climates, and their fragrance intensifies as the day’s become warmer. Whilst they may smell good enough to eat the blossom on these plants are poisonous and should not be consumed by humans or animals. If you are intending on planting these into your garden, try planting a few together as their fragrance is quite light so having 5 or 6 will ensure you can smell the flower.
Gardenia: has a gorgeous and intoxicating aroma that people love, it has been the inspiration for numerous perfumes over the years, and the smell is strong enough to fragrance an entire garden. Gardenia is an evergreen shrub that blossoms during the Summer season, it produces stunning flowers that look similar to a rose, with the multiple layers of silky/waxy petals. The plant itself can grow quite big, reaching 2.5 metres tall and 1.5 metres wide, however, they are not as easy to grow as they need certain conditions, regular watering and susceptible to being eaten by insects.
Sweet Alyssum: these clusters of delicate and stunning flowers are very hardy and as a result are easy to grow. The seeds are relatively cheap and the flower re-seeds itself making it an ideal flower for the garden. Sweet Alyssum has a very strong and sweet smell that completely surrounds the area the flower is situated sometimes even the entire garden, when cut and placed into vases these flowers make an idea air freshener.
