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Plants with perfumed flowers are a wonderful addition to any garden. Whether your outdoor space is large or small, you’ll find something to suit it in this selection.
When choosing scented plants, think about where you’re going to plant them and the conditions. Harsh weather can scorch, so plants in exposed positions need to be tough.
Situate your plants according to how strong their scents are. You don’t want to be overwhelmed by too many strong scents. Many people plant lightly scented plants along walkways.
Popular fragrant plants
You can enjoy a fragrant garden all-year round if you plan well. Plant a mix of fragrant plants that flower at different points of the year.
Below are some popular fragrant plants and some tips on how to keep them healthy: 
Murraya or orange-scented jessamine (Murraya paniculata)
Happy in part shade to full sun, the native Murraya is a fantastic all-rounder.
The small, white richly fragrant flowers look and smell much like citrus flowers and are held in bunches of up to 20 little blooms. Murraya flowers in spring and summer but can also flower at other times, often within just a few days of heavy rain following a dry period.
Murraya tolerates pruning very well and can be kept shaped to a dense hedge or a topiary form. If allowed to develop naturally it becomes a very large shrub, growing to three metres or more, with a short, stout main trunk and vase-like shape.
The small, glossy, deep green leaves bring a tropical feel to any landscape. It prefers rich, free-draining soil but is quite adaptable.
In cooler areas Murraya needs frost protection and to be planted in a sheltered but sunny spot.
Port wine magnolia (Michelia figo)
Another versatile choice, the port wine magnolia, can be kept clipped into hedges or even large topiary forms. With a short, stout trunk and a vase-like branching form it will reach 3m or more if allowed to grow freely. Its stems and branches tend to be a distinctive dark colour.
Flowers are small, around 20-30mm, with a shape like a miniature magnolia bloom. The fragrance is generally stronger in the afternoons and evenings and can be intoxicatingly rich. Some people describe it as being like sweet bananas crossed with bubble-gum. Main flowering is in spring, with spot flowering through the year.
The port wine magnolia performs well in typical garden soil in a sunny spot. In areas that get frost or regular sub-zero temperatures they will need a protected, warm position.
Gardenia (various Gardenia species)
There’s a gardenia for virtually any situation, with sizes ranging from a small near-groundcover form (G. radicans) to the mid-sized G. augusta, which stands about 0.5-1m tall, and larger G. grandiflora, which reaches over 1.5m. Leaf sizes vary with the species but all are a glossy, deep emerald green.
Flowers also vary in size with the species and are a snowy white to a white-yellow (many age to yellow). They have a rich, sweet fragrance that would do a perfumer proud.
They flower over a long period in late spring to summer and it’s not unusual for the flowers to all but conceal the foliage of a healthy plant.
Gardenia can be kept lightly pruned and G. augusta is often used as a low border hedge. All do very well in pots too. They like cool, good-quality, well-drained soil that provides reliable moisture in hot weather. Generally considered to prefer a part-sun position, they will grow in full sun in many regions provided they are kept well watered.
Lavender (Lavandula species & cultivars)
A Mediterranean garden classic, lavenders provide a fantastic double whammy. Year-round their foliage gives off that wonderful musky lavender fragrance on warm days. They release aromatic oils whenever brushed against. When in flower that same fragrance is greatly amplified, gently filling the air. 
They are a fantastic landscape plant with their textured silver-grey foliage and an upright form topped off with elegant, long-stemmed and long-lasting purple, mauve, pink or cream flowers, depending on the variety. Flowering time varies with the species, so check that the plants you buy suit your needs.
They can take light pruning, generally after flowering, but should never be pruned back below their lowest foliage. They are quite happy in hot and dry spots but will struggle with damp soil, so free-draining soil is a must. They don’t tend to perform as well in humid climates.
They can make a fantastic feature in pots, especially in spots where you will brush past them.
Lilac (Syringa species and cultivars)
Lilac is one of the most spectacular and delightfully fragrant of the spring-blooming shrubs. It is definitely only for cooler zones, where it is a must-have for medium to large gardens.
The fragrance is a very traditional one, and the foundation for many perfumes in years gone by: sweet and instantly evoking memories. Flowers appear in spring and come in a huge range of colours – white, violet-blue, pink, red and everything in between.
They are quite adaptable to different soil types but prefer deep, rich soil with lots of moisture. They like full sun but are best protected from strong winds.
Madagascar jasmine (Stephanotis floribunda)
This climber is a classic "old-fashioned" plant and was once the flower of choice for bridal bouquets.
The perfume from the white flowers in late spring to early summer is divine, almost like a cross between Gardenia and frangipani. The flowers keep well too, so pop a few in a float bowl and they’ll gently perfume any room.
The large, thick, glossy green leaves lend a tropical look to any garden. Although it’s a tropical or sub-tropical plant it is worth a try in moderately cool areas if it’s frost protected and gets adequate sun, a warm, sunny courtyard, for example.
In warmer regions it can be grown in sunny spots provided the roots are kept cool and reliably moist in hot weather. This is easily accomplished through regular mulching. It prefers a quality soil.
It’s a moderately vigorous twining climber that won’t get out of control and doesn’t mind being pruned when it’s needed. For extra “Wow!” factor look out for varieties with variegated foliage
Chinese star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
This is a wonderfully versatile plant. Technically a climber, it can be used in bigger garden areas as a large ground-cover too. In mid to late spring the plant will be covered, often to the point where no foliage is visible, with small, white, starry flowers that have a rich jasmine-like perfume.
Star jasmine likes full sun but it will perform well in shady spots (although flowering will be reduced) and it will tolerate most soil types. It also takes very well to pruning, which is often needed post-flowering when it throws out vigorous new shoots.
It’s worth noting that the perfume is jasmine-like but the plant is not a real jasmine so those that suffer allergic reactions to true jasmine won’t have a problem with the fragrance
Heliotrope or cherry pie (Heliotropium arborescens)
For something with a unique perfume have a look at cherry pie – the name is a giveaway as to what people think it smells like.
Heliotrope is a small shrub with very attractively textured and sometimes deeply coloured foliage in colours that include a dark greenish-purple and golden yellows.
Flowering in early spring through until late summer, it will be covered in masses of flower heads made up of the tiny, fragrant flowers that range in colour from violet to mauve and near-white.
It likes well-drained, reasonably rich soil with reliable summer moisture and prefers a warm position.
Evergreen dwarf magnolia forms (Magnolia grandiflora cultivars)
These Magnolia hybrids such as "Little Gem", "Teddy Bear" and "Alta" have been some of the “it” plants of designers and landscapers for decades and for good reason. They are very handsome plants with a good natural form, large, glossy, deep-green leaves, generally with a with a coppery-brown underside, and huge snowy white flowers in spring and summer. The flowers have an absolutely lovely lemony fragrance.
Preferring a well-drained soil, they do like reliable moisture in hot weather and will perform best if roots are kept cool. This can easily be achieved with good mulching. Once established they’ll tolerate frosty conditions.
It’s worth noting that the word “dwarf” doesn’t relate so much to their own size – “Little Gem” can reach 4m tall – but is a comparison to their parent plant, the enormous southern magnolia, which can grow to over 25m tall.
Frangipani (Plumeria species and cultivars)
Nothing evokes daydreams of the tropics quite like a frangipani. Their heady perfume fills the air of any garden when in full bloom from spring through summer.
Flowers are held in clusters, multiplying the intensity of the perfume. You’ll also find that flowers in a cluster open in succession so the flowering period is prolonged.
Traditionally they are a snowy white flower with a sunshine yellow centre but there are many other colours, including candy pinks, sunset oranges, near reds, and colours sometimes described as “black”.
They are quite adaptable to different environments but do need a warm, sunny spot to flower well and do require frost protection. They are hardy too, tolerating occasional dry periods. A sandy, free-draining soil with good organic matter, such as added compost or manure in spring and summer, is ideal.
They will do very well in large pots or tubs but can get top-heavy, so make sure they can’t topple over in a heavy wind. They naturally have a short, stout trunk and a spreading, architectural branching pattern. As they are deciduous their branching framework looks amazing in winter.
Their branches are quite brittle, so avoid spots in strong wind or where they may be repeatedly bumped.
More advice on choosing and growing plants
The Bunnings Workshop community team has shared several other resources on selecting different types of plants and maintaining a healthy garden. These include:
- How to choose plants for your garden
- How to choose a screening plant
- How to choose a hedging plant
- How to choose garden edging
- How to choose the right soil for your plants
- How to determine soil health.
Inspiration for your garden
Check out the Top 10 most popular garden makeovers shared on Workshop.
Our collection of Top 10 most popular raised garden beds and Top 10 most popular planter box projects should also spark some creative ideas for your garden.
Need more help with choosing fragrant plants?
The Bunnings Workshop community is here to help if you need a hand in choosing fragrant plants. Feel free to Start a new discussion and let us know your needs.
