What is a good scented plant for a first time gardener?

Question

I live in Chicago, (4 distinct seasons), and I have a dog, but I would love to put some color in my front yard, and has a fragrance that people notice when they walk by. I LOVE the smell of magnolias, but our yard is small, and we rent, so we cant plant an entire tree in someone else's yard :( Please help!!!!!

Answer 1

Nicotiana (flowering tobacco), jasmine and gardenia are good if you want an annual. If you want something that will come back, try some bulbs like hyacinth, narcissus, lilies. The advantage of the bulbs is that you can dig them up and store them over winter and replant in the spring if you move. I wouldn't waste the money for perrenials if you are just going to leave them, but butterfly bush, dwarf lilacs and sweet peas all smell lovely and are pretty easy to grow!

Answer 2

Try the Stargazer Lily~ It is very beautiful and the fragrance is amazing! Also, lilies are easy to grow. Also, readily available at common stores such as Lowe's, Home Depot, and Walmart. They require full Sun, good drainage and can even do well planted in a container!

Here is a beautiful picture!! Enjoy and Good luck!


http://www.extension.iastate.edu/newsrel/reiman/stargazerlily.jpg

Also, you might want to add the Carpet Rose, they are fragrant and easier to grow than alot of Roses.

http://www.easytogrowbulbs.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=884

Here is an Artemisia, and while it's flowers are not showy, the leaves, when brushed against or touched smell wonderful!!
http://www.stauder.net/bildearkiv/Artemisia%20stelleriana%20'Boughton%20Silver'%20SL.jpg

Answer 3

Some that are very fragrant and easy to grow would be jasmine and honeysuckle. Roses are great but are very needy (lots of feedings, pruning, watering, mulching, pest control) lavender is easy to grow and will need mulching to survive your winter. The smell is great but not everyone admires that fragrance. Go to your local nursery and talk to a knowledgeable employee. Have fun. I only get summer and fall ) :

Answer 4

I live in Pecatonica. Grow some herbs. They smell wonderful. When you rub the leaves of the plants it releases the natural oils and smells heavenly. Lemon Balm, lavendar, hyssop (smell like black licorice), basil, oregano, lemon thyme. Go to a green house and the amount of great smelling herbs are endless. Good luck.

Answer 5

Maybe you can try planting bulbs. They are easy to grow. Hyacinth bulbs for spring and Oriental Lilies for Summer. Stargazer Lily is one kind of Oriental Lily.

You can also try growing plants from seeds. Nicotiana Perfume Deep Purple is fragrant too and you can smell them in the evening.

Answer 6

Gardenias are in the Magnolia family. They are highly fragrant and have the same glossy leaves. A dwarf variety in a pot would be nice. Magnolias and gardenias are both white though. I wouldn't call them colorful.

Answer 7

Consider a Japanese Tree Lilac. They only grow to about 20 ft tall.

Answer 8

Plant lavendar. It grows well in almost any kind of soil except wet and smells so good!

Answer 9

Get some marigolds, zinnias,lilies, plant a box of seeds to grow .

Answer 10

i exploit burnt timber ash from our timber range and position a skinny layer around the flower beds. The slugs gained't crawl over it. you also ought to opt to placed out trays of beer for the slugs. The slugs love the beer and could drown even as they fall into the beer.