18 Of The Finest Fragrant Plants For Patio Pots + Planter Tips

Planting in containers and pots is the simplest way to make the most out of a patio. A garden offers more than simply sight. Using fragrant plants for patio pots is the perfect way to address your landscape and increase the aesthetic value of your home.

Boyce Tankersley, Director of living plant documentation at the Chicago Botanic Garden says: "Texture, color, and seasonality are all important concepts, but scent often is overlooked when designing a garden".

A patio is an ideal location to grow scented plants. It's an area where you're bound to stay long enough to really savor the aroma. Use a variety of plants to get the most out of your fragrant patio, especially those with a long or practically continuous bloom period.

Below is a list of 18 fragrant plants to freshen the scent of your patio garden, as well as 4 trending planters to complement your beautiful plants!

18 Fragrant Plants That Are Perfect For Planters

1. Sweet Alyssum

Alyssum is well known for its sweet, strong scent that draws beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies, making it a favorite among cottage gardeners. This low-growing annual prefers full sun to light shade and good soil. It blooms in small white to purple flowers from spring through October.

Sweet alyssum looks wonderful flowing from pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets. To let your Sweet alyssum flows in style, try out the Santa Barbara Low Fluted Round Planter.

2. Stephanotis

This climber, sometimes known as Madagascar jasmine, has waxy, dark-green foliage and blooms with fragrant, tubular white flowers from spring to fall. It prefers soil that drains well and requires a warm, protected location under some shade, especially with bright early light. As a climber, it also needs some sort of assistance like a trellis.

3. Daphne

One of the most fragrant shrubs in the world, this small plant has glossy leaves and intensely fragrant, waxy white, red, or pink flowers in the spring. Look for the sun-tolerant cultivars "Eternal Fragrance" and "Spring Pink Eternal Fragrance," which will bloom all year long.

Top tip: Try growing Daphne flowers in a round pot and trim the shrub in a bowl shape to achieve a stately look.

4. Hyacinth

Nothing surpasses Hyacinths for early spring aroma in the garden. Plant them in well-drained soil in the fall to enjoy their intense aroma the following spring. The fragrant flowers' hues range from purple to pink, red, white, and yellow. Hyacinths may be grown along walkways, in mixed patio beds, in rock gardens, and in containers. You may even compel its bulbs to bloom throughout the winter by keeping them indoors.

Learn more about the best planter shapes for plants and how these shapes keep them healthy!

5. Gardenia

Gardenias are highly fragrant flowers and provide one of the garden world's most treasured aromas.

Gardenias are adaptable plants that tolerate full sun to partial shade. They are known for their intoxicatingly scented white flowers that bloom in late spring to early summer, then again in late summer and early fall.

This plant is also a fragrant houseplant, however, it's picky about indoor humidity. These container plants may be set outside during the summer and brought within in the fall.

Don't know how to choose a planter size for your Gardenia? Check out our article on the best plant pot sizes.

6. Sweet Pea

Sweet peas are an annual plant that blooms from spring to early summer. They are highly valued as one of the most fragrant blooms.

In a single season, it may grow up to eight feet as a vine. It will grow in a bushy mound up to 30 inches tall if not supported. Their blooms come in practically every hue, as well as gorgeous bi-colors. Sweet peas thrive best in full sun, moderately wet, and well-drained soil.

7. Freesia

Tubular flowers bloom throughout summer and come in a variety of colors including white, orange, red, blue, yellow, and lavender. They are winter-hardy and are famous for adding a lovely, sweet fragrance to your outdoor getaway.

8. Oriental Lily

Oriental lilies, such as the famed "Star Gazer" are powerfully fragrant and beautifully beautiful and may scent a whole garden. Oriental lilies bloom in white, pink, and yellow throughout the mid-to-late summer. Adding this stunning flower to your perennial border or container garden will bring long-lasting color and create a beautiful cut flower.

9. Lavender

This aromatic perennial lavender is ideal for humid climates. It doesn't die back in the winter and can withstand summer humidity. The best part is that these shrubs will release fragrance as you brush by.

Grow in sandy, chalky soil that has good drainage and full light. Add organic material, like compost, to your diet. Avoid high winds at all costs when protecting the plant.

When the soil starts to feel dry, water it deeply but sparingly. The plant likes less water than too much, so be careful not to overwater.

10. Spanish Jasmine

This deciduous shrub, native to Persia and Southeast Asia and grown as an ornamental plant, grows to be approximately 4 meters tall. The scented flowers are also turned into leis, which are used in offerings and to greet visitors.

Grow in part shade to full sun, with at least six hours of direct sunshine every day. It loves moist, well-drained soil that is neither too dry nor too wet.

Water your Jasmine often during the growing season, from spring to late summer, but limit watering in the fall and winter to once every few weeks.

Need to bring your plants inside during winter? Try using our fiberglass square planters that are exceptionally lightweight!

11. Magnolia

Nothing beats the aroma of these large flowers, which bloom throughout the spring and summer depending on the kind. Plant your tree in full-sun areas with well-draining, rich soil. Allow lots of space for them to grow - some may reach 40 feet in width.

12. Roses

The gorgeous rose, well-deserving of its status as America's national flower, comes in various hues, and many types are delightfully scented. If possible, smell the roses before purchasing them. Some are strongly scented, while others have no aroma at all. Their scent varies as much as their hue; some are lemony, while others are fragrant, musky, or fruity.

Planning to decorate your rooftop with roses or even trees? See our guide to rooftop planters and plants!

13. Azalea

Azalea plants stand out with their colorful blossoms and shiny foliage. If you have a shady area that needs some color, these shrubs might fill the void. Azaleas require good soil; they favor acidic conditions and thrive with an abundance of organic materials, such as compost. "Daviesii" (floral aroma), "Dora Amateis" (spicy scent), and "Else Frye" are some of the more fragrant varieties (lily-like scent).

14. Nicotiana alata

Your yard may be filled with nicotiana's star-shaped blossoms' powerful, enticing scent from summer through October. Nicotiana, a plant related to tobacco, is also referred to as blooming tobacco or Jasmine tobacco.

Because the aroma is strongest at night, place it in a moon garden next to your patio or a bedroom window. White, cream, yellow, lime green, pink, and red are the available flower colors. And although Nicotiana is typically planted as an annual, it is a perennial in areas without freezing temperatures.

15. Butterfly bush

This hardy small shrub in white, pink, or purple hues, often known as summer lilac, can resist dryness, flower all year long, and draw pollinators. The newest cultivars are not invasive and are now available in dwarf varieties so they won't take over your garden. Set up as bulk plantings or in borders. prefers the sun in its fullness.

16. Dianthus

Dianthus is a low-growing perennial that smells spicy or vanilla-like. It's commonly referred to as "pinks" because of the fringed flower petals that look to have been trimmed with pinking shears.

Dianthus looks great as an edging plant, or combine it with rectangle planters to create some privacy for your patio.

17. Night scented stock

Night Scented Stock (Matthiola Longipetala) emits an enticing aroma in the evening and comes in a variety of attractive pastel colors.

Night Scented Stock is a cool season annual that loves temperatures ranging from 60 to 80°F and may be cultivated as a winter annual in warm areas.

Plant your Matthiola Longipetalain planters near windows to enjoy the spicy-sweet perfume blowing in on the evening air. Give them some shade from the hot afternoon heat.

18. Pentunia

While many current Petunia types have little or no smell, numerous old-timers still release a wonderful, spicy fragrance as the day cools into the evening.

Old-fashioned purple or white vining varieties, Surfinias, "Frills and Spills", "Candyfloss", and "Supertunias" like "Priscilla" and "Double Purple" are just a few of the scents available.

Petunias thrive in fertile soil, six hours of sunlight every day, and consistent watering. Cut down leggy growth a couple of stems at a time as the summer develops to force additional blooms.

Petunias look amazing in planters or plant them around the edge of your terrace to enjoy on sunny summer evenings.

Looking for plants to grow on your terrace? Learn the 19 undefeatable roof garden plants to grow & FAQ

4 All-Time Favorite Planters For Your Patio Fragrant Plants

1. Miami Rectangular Planter

Available in 5 different sizes and 20 colors, the Miami rectangular planter is perfect for creating a more private or secret retreat.

Combine the Miami rectangular planters with some shrubs such as Butterfly bush or low-growing perennials like Dianthus to liven up your yard.

Related article: 6 Amazing Rectangle Planter Ideas To Liven Up Your Property

2. Shanghai Fishbowl Planter

Shanghai fishbowl planters are available in two sizes and a variety of color finishes. If you are looking for a piece of statement to put on your patio, Shanghai fishbowl planters would be the best answer!

Give these unique planters a try with colorful scented flowers such as the Hyacinth to add a splash to your garden. Arrange a few garden pots of varying sizes to make a unique show for your area, distribute them about your home or building for consistency, or put a few pots in a line to create a distinctive patio border.

Into round planters like the Shanghai Fishbowl? Have a look at our article: Round Planter Ideas | Size Guide & Pro Planting Tips

3. Lima Square Tapered Planter

For bigger fragrant plants like Magnolia, the Lima square tapered planter would be a perfect match!

Our Lima Square Planter, with its beautiful tapering design that expands up into a large planting space, complements both classic and more modern gardens, residences, and business settings.

Learn more about: Square Planter Ideas | Size Guide & Pro Planting Tips

4. Camoux Narrow Rectangular Planter

The Camoux narrow rectangular planters are a great option for a patio where space is limited, use this slim planter to fit in a variety of scented flowers and save your precious time watering your garden!

There are three different lengths available. This collection of rectangle planters is large enough to make a statement in the home, garden, workplace, or meeting space, with the longest measuring 54" long, 18" high, and 8" broad. The long planters, since they are narrow, may be utilized for a variety of purposes.

FAQs About Scented Plants

What plant has the strongest fragrance?

Jasmines are among the best-perfumed flowers of all time and have an intense, sweet scent.

What plants smell all year round?

Out of the list above, these two plants are our top choices for year-round fragrance plants:

• The Magnolia: a particularly striking evergreen with creamy white blooms, inverted petals, and glossy emerald leaves, and its blossoms are incredibly fragrant! It blooms from July to September and grows best in a protected location with well-drained soil.
• Classic English lavender: a tiny, bushy evergreen shrub whose perfume is known for its soothing qualities and has been shown to boost your mood to reduce colic symptoms. It blooms from July to September and loves full sun and well-drained soil rich in chalk, sand, or loam.

Firstly, determine where the smell is coming from. There might be trash, standing water, or a dead animal nearby. Find any evidence of decay or rubbish along the border of your yard, and then immediately contact the appropriate authorities to have them removed from your property (or remove the source of smell yourself). You may start adding items to your yard to naturally freshen it up once the foul-smelling cause or sources have been eliminated.

Secondly, plant some fragrant plants. When someone asks us how to make their backyard smell nicer, we can't help but think of fragrant flowers or plants. If you add some fragrant flowers, herbs, or bushes to your garden, you will undoubtedly have a more fragrant spot to rest.

Check out our collection of Outdoor Planters and see what works best for your patio.

JBD Concepts Offer You Or Your Customers The Best Planter Solutions Available

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Shop now and start your container gardening journey with our modern, durable, lightweight, and stylish fiberglass planters!