Fragrant plants improve the ambiance in the garden and invoke memories of other gardens and other times.

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) The flowers are small but the fragrance is powerful in January and February.

Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronarius)

Deciduous Rhododendron

Sarcoccoca rusifolia blooms in the winter with tiny but very fragrant flowers.

Sarcoccoa confusa has black fruit, not red, like S. ruscifolia but still has very fragrant flowers but very small.

Sweetshade (Hymenosporum flavum)

Gardenia veitchii fragrance is so overwhelming that you may have to close the windows.

Gardenia ‘Mystery’

Sweet Pea

Lily (Lilium)

Many roses are fragrant.

The most fragrant climber rose is the White Lady Banks Rose (Rosa banksiae banksiae). The yellow Lady Banks rose is not fragrant.

The Snake rose is a very fragrant and vigorous groundcover.

Burmese Honeysuckle (Lonicera hildebrandiana)

Pink Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)

Spice Bush (Calycanthus occidentalis) is a California native plant.

Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii cv.) Many varieties are fragrant.

Pinks (Dianthus sp.) Hundreds of varieties are available.

Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

Michelia yunnanensis ‘Inspiration’ is a Magnolia relative.

Osmanthus heterophyllus blooms in the fall and has a powerful fruity fragrance.

Osmanthus fragrans ‘Aurantiacus’

Silverberry (Elaeagnus pungens)

Variegated Winter Daphne (Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata) blooms February and March.

White Winter Daphne (Daphne odora ‘Alba’)

Daphne ‘Summer Ice’

Edgeworthia chrysantha ‘Nanjing Gold’ is related to Daphne.

Actaea (photo taken in Vermont) has fragrant flowers in the fall.

Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) Groundcover or vine. Photos taken at Legacy Christian School, Auburn, CA in April and May.

Lilacs (Syringa)