One of the many pleasures summer brings is the time we can spend sitting in our gardens on a warm evening. After a long day, it is the perfect time to relax in our beloved outdoor space.
Night-scented plants begin releasing their sweet fragrance as dusk falls and can help create the ideal environment to help you unwind. In addition to this, they are great for attracting important nocturnal pollinators. Below, gardening expert Harry Bodell at PriceYourJob.co.uk goes over ten of the top plants for a beautiful evening garden fragrance:
Angel’s Trumpet
Also known as Brugmansia, Angel’s Trumpets are characterised by their large, pendulous flowers, which come in shades of white, yellow, pink, orange, red, or green. Most varieties of these evergreen plants have a strong, pleasing fragrance that is most noticeable in the evening.
The fragrant flowers of the Angel’s Trumpet are perfect for attracting pollinators such as moths whilst providing a beautiful scent to help you relax on a warm summer’s evening. Just take care if you have pets or small children, as these plants are poisonous if ingested!
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle plants can be evergreen or deciduous, with most species having two-lipped, fragrant flowers with sweet nectar. They are native to temperate zones of both hemispheres and can flourish in any garden soil. These climbing plants can be perfectly trained up walls, fences, and pergolas.
Honeysuckle, routinely used in perfumes and scented candles, is one of the best night-scented plants. The fragrance given off by this stunning plant is a mix of jasmine infused with vanilla, and it gives off strong scents of nectar, making it attractive to both humans and pollinators.
Evening Primrose
Evening Primrose is a biennial flowering plant known for its striking yellow flowers that bloom in the evening and its various medicinal and edible uses. It is native to eastern and central North America but has been widely naturalised in temperate and subtropical regions around the world.
As the name suggests, Evening Primrose attracts nocturnal pollinators by releasing its scent at night. As dusk falls, this plant provides a gentle fragrance with a sweet, honey-like scent. In addition, with its bright yellow flowers, it is not only fragrant but also provides a beautiful contrast against the night sky.
Wisteria
Wisteria is a stunning genus of flowering plants, known for their beautiful, cascading clusters of fragrant flowers, making them very popular ornamental vines in gardens. The flowers of this plant bloom in various colours, including purple, pink, white, and lilac, and are highly fragrant, attracting pollinators.
Many Wisterias are scented, but Wisteria Floribunda typically has the strongest scent at night. It can form a beautiful display when grown over a pergola or against a house wall, which will allow the scent to drift into your home through open windows. Different types of Wisteria have different scents, but typically they are sweet or musky.
Night Phlox
Night Phlox is a neatly domed, compact evergreen that is smothered with scented white flowers in summer. Due to its small size, it is a great option for window boxes, hanging baskets, and flower beds. It is not reliably hardy, so it is best brought undercover during the colder winter months.
During the daytime, the flowers will remain tightly curled up in buds, but during the nighttime, they will open up into a stunning star-shaped white display. As they open up, these flowers produce a sweet almond-vanilla scent which is sure to be a hit when entertaining guests on a summer evening.
Tobacco Plant
Nicotiana Sylvestris is a tall tobacco plant which bears elegant, long, white flowers with an intense fragrance, particularly during the evening. It typically grows to a height of 1.5 metres and features large, sticky leaves that can reach up to 30cm in length.
Contrary to its namesake, the tubular white flowers that bloom in clusters emit a pleasant fragrance that attracts pollinators. When they open up during the evening and night, they release an incense-type scent, making them a wonderful addition to any garden.
Regal Lily
The Regal Lily is a perennial bulb in the Lily family, native to southwestern China. This long-lived, stem-rooting plant grows from an underground bulb and can grow up to 2 metres in height. It can be grown in most temperate climate gardens and tolerates most soils.
For the ultimate strong evening fragrance, Regal Lilies provide the perfect aroma. These bulbs produce stunning white flowers flushed with pink during mid-summer. They are easy to grow and look beautiful in containers – just be cautious and plant responsibly, as they are toxic to cats.
Dianthus
These flowering plants are characterised by their distinctive fragrance and attractive blooms of starry flowers. Dianthus should be positioned in full sun and planted in well-drained soil, and you should aim to cut it back in the autumn to encourage optimal growth.
The white clove-scented blooms will add a spicy scent to your summer night garden, a fantastic contrast to sweeter-smelling plants. It can be grown in the ground, but for maximum scent impact, it is best grown in a container which can be placed on a table – the perfect plant for summer evening barbeques!
Star Jasmine
Also known as Trachelospermum Jasminoides, the Star Jasmine produces pretty, white, fragrant flowers from mid to late summer. It is an evergreen climber which is borderline-hardy and best grown against a wall in mild areas. It will need shelter from cold winds, well-drained soil, and full sun or partial shade throughout the day.
During blooming season, the plant will produce masses of scented star-like small flowers, with the fragrance emitted from them being most prominent in the evening. The strong, sweet aroma from the Star Jasmine is beloved by gardeners and pollinators alike and will make a great addition to any garden with the right care.
Gardenia
These plants are known for their wonderful scent and lush evergreen foliage, with their large, fragrant white or ivory flowers, making them a popular choice of ornamental shrub. You can plant your Gardenias in late spring or early summer, ensuring they are positioned in a warm but sheltered spot.
This plant is perfect for your garden if you love a fruity, floral scent, and is another which is guaranteed to be a hit with night pollinators. The scent of Gardenia becomes more pronounced at night, making it particularly inviting after the sun has set and creating a calming atmosphere in the garden.
7 Best Water Activities and Outdoor Sauna Experiences in the Cairngorms
