Night-scented plants

summer evenings in the garen
Enjoy warm summer evenings in the garden filled with glorious scent
Image source: Randy Fath

On balmy summer evenings, there’s nothing better than a night-scented plant to perfume the warm, still air. The flowers are usually pale so they remain visible at dusk, making them particularly valuable for those who are away from their gardens during the day.

The colour and fragrance of evening-scented flowers attract nocturnal pollinators which, in turn, attract bats. Wonderful for wildlife, and diverse in size and form, evening-scented plants suit a range of gardening styles and budgets. They can be grown in a small pot to sit on an outdoor table or doorstep, or used to fragrance the grandest of terraces.

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Winter scented shrubs

yellow spidery flowers on a deciduous bow
Grow Witch Hazel to enjoy unusual flowers with an intoxicating scent
Image Source: Shutterstock

Scented winter plants will lift your spirits when the long, warm days of summer are a distant memory, with the delicious scent of their fragrant flowers offering a to to the darker days.

Many winter-flowering shrubs are perfume powerhouses, and their fragrances can be enjoyed from all around the garden. Their blooms have such heady scents to attract pollinators, which is no mean feat, given that there are relatively few pollinators around in winter. It works, though! On a sunny day, the sight of early emerging bees homing in on scented flowers is a wonderful sight.
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