Each Of These 8 Award-Winning Shrubs Has Fragrant Foliage For Garden Aromas
Chris is a gardening writer and nature enthusiast. He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2022 with an MA in Psychology. Chris works with the Leeds Green Action Society, helping their food cooperative by growing various fruit and vegetables on their two allotments in Hyde Park, Leeds.
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY
Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.
We love flowers for their enchanting smells – ones that waft through the air and into our nostrils, reminding us of the gentle and elegant beauty of nature.
While some flowers are bred especially for their scents, there are almost countless nice-smelling blooms available to even the most amateur gardener, making fragrant flowers open and enjoyable to all.
But what about leaves?
This part of the plant receives less attention for its aroma, and with good reason: they’re rarely much to write home about if they’re noticeable at all.
This is the assumption we’d like to challenge with this article.
Some gardeners already invest time choosing shrubs with particularly fragrant leaves, and we’d like to induct you into this hallowed club with a few recommendations of our own.
Each of the shrubs recommended here is in receipt of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Gardening Merit (AGM), marking them as not only especially beautiful, but also especially well suited to growing in British gardens.
1) Lavender
- BOTANICAL NAME: Lavandula
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen
- FLOWERS: Purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
- EXPOSURE: Sheltered
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Chalk, loam or sand; Any pH
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 1-1.5m spread
What list of fragrant plants would be complete without lavender?
This is one of my favourite plants: the smell is just instantly soothing, and running a sprig between your finger and thumb lets you carry it with you for a little while.
You can also crush up a sprig to release a little of the oil, then rub it on your temples for even longer-lasting relaxation.
Lavender is hardy and versatile, with a handful of varieties available to choose from.
It grows well in the ground or in pots and will attract bees and other pollinators to your garden – a great way to generate a bit of buzz.
2) Alpine Mint Bush
- BOTANICAL NAME: Prostanthera cuneata
- HARDINESS RATING: H4
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen
- FLOWERS: Purple and white
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
- EXPOSURE: Sheltered
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Any soil type; Any pH
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread
If you like the scent purple lavender provides, Prostanthera cuneata is another one to consider.
This shrub sports tiny rich green leaves with a notable minty aroma, surrounded in summer by purple and white flowers.
As an evergreen shrub, this will stay green all year round, but you may need to move it indoors when the weather starts to cool down.
Originally hailing from Australia, this plant has become a welcome addition to British gardens – it’s definitely worth getting to know.1Prostanthera cuneata. (n.d.). Growing Native Plants. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2005/prostanthera-cuneata.html
3) Elder ‘Eva’
- BOTANICAL NAME: Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ‘Eva’
- HARDINESS RATING: H6
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERS: Pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full Sun / Part Shade
- EXPOSURE: Exposed / Sheltered
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Any soil type; Any pH
- SIZE: 2.5-4m in height, 2.5-4m spread
Elderflower and elderberry are two of the most delicious flavours on nature’s platter.
If you’ve ever tried elderflower presse or a glass of elderberry wine, you’ll know exactly what we mean.
The smell is great, too.
Elder ‘Eva’ is a variety with compelling dark purple leaves, on top of which sit thick bouquets of light pink flowers in the summer months.
These flowers carry the pleasing scent of elder – something that will make your garden an undeniably pleasant place to be.
Like the two previous shrubs, this one prefers full sun or partial shade: this is a common property shared by shrubs with fragrant foliage, as the aromatic oils found in their leaves are released most readily when warmed.2Dhifi, W., Bellili, S., Jazi, S., Bahloul, N., & Mnif, W. (2016). Essential Oils’ Chemical Characterization and Investigation of Some Biological Activities: A Critical Review. Medicines, 3(4), 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines3040025
4) Bay Tree
- BOTANICAL NAME: Laurus nobilis
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen
- FLOWERS: Green and yellow
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring
- SUNLIGHT: Full Sun / Part Shade
- EXPOSURE: Exposed / Sheltered
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Any soil type; Any pH
- SIZE: 8-12m in height, over 8m spread
If you enjoy cooking you’re probably familiar with bay.
They produce pungent leaves that lend their distinctive flavour to curries and broths in many varied cuisines.
It turns out that a supermarket shelf isn’t the only place you can get bay, too: growing a bay tree in your garden brings the combined benefit of having an aromatic shrub to enjoy, and having an endless supply of bay for your culinary antics.
Green and yellow flowers in spring give way to dark fruit in autumn, but the evergreen leaves are the main point of interest for gardeners and chefs alike.
This shrub likes full sun or partial shade and will do well in the ground or in pots.
“Bay is a great plant for aromatic foliage,” says Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly.
“It’s a great shrub to prune as the scent envelopes you, especially on a warm day. It’s great for cooking as well as being a structurally well-shaped shrub.”
5) Sage ‘Berggarten’
- BOTANICAL NAME: Salvia officinalis ‘Berggarten’
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen
- FLOWERS: Blue
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
- EXPOSURE: Sheltered
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Chalk, loam or sand; Any pH
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread
Moving onto another familiar kitchen leaf, we now turn to sage.
However, the sage on this list is probably not the variety you’re most accustomed to.
This variety has the distinctive grey-green leaves and the sage aroma we know and love, but much broader leaves and fewer flower spikes put the foliage front and centre.
Sage ‘Berggarten’ will do best in full sun, and will make a fine addition to any garden.
6) Lilac ‘Palibin’
- BOTANICAL NAME: Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERS: Purple and pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Spring / Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
- EXPOSURE: Exposed / Sheltered
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Any soil type; Alkaline / neutral pH
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
Lilacs are common guests in our gardens thanks to their attractive blooms, and ‘Palibin’ is noted for its pleasing aroma, too.
Upright clusters of small lilac-coloured flowers punctuate a dense packing of dark green leaves.
With a season of floral interest spanning over spring and summer, this shrub is a pleasure to behold.
It’s also very hardy, making it great for British gardens.
Grow in full sun for the best results.
7) Tarentum Myrtle
- BOTANICAL NAME: Myrtus communis subsp. tarentina
- HARDINESS RATING: H4
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Evergreen
- FLOWERS: Pink and white
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer
- SUNLIGHT: Full Sun
- EXPOSURE: Sheltered
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Any soil type; Any pH
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
This plant has an interesting and illustrious history, being associated with goddesses of love and femininity like Aphrodite and Venus.3Legends of Myrtle. (n.d.). Romans & Art. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.romeandart.eu/en/art-legends-myrtle.html
The entire plant is fragrant, making it a great addition to this list.
Tarentum myrtle doesn’t have to engulf your entire garden, either, despite what you may already think you know about this plant.
Grow in full sun for the best results, and get ready for a delightful pink-white bloom to pepper the dark evergreen foliage in the summer months.
8) White Alder ‘Ruby Spice’
- BOTANICAL NAME: Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’
- HARDINESS RATING: H5
- FOLIAGE TYPE: Deciduous
- FLOWERS: Pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): Summer / Autumn
- SUNLIGHT: Part Shade
- EXPOSURE: Sheltered
- SOIL PREFERENCE: Loam or sand; Acidic pH
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
Some flowers demand attention.
When you see them for the first time it’s impossible not to stop and take a closer look: to appreciate the delicate interplays of colour, shape and form.
For me, C. alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’ is a perfect example of this.
The cylindrical formations of captivating white plants with bold pink rims and extended tendrils practically define beauty.
This floral bloom spans late summer and early autumn, complementing the earlier seasons of interest of some other shrubs in this list, and their fragrance is rather pleasant as well.
This article is a small sample of fragrant shrubs you can introduce to your garden to expand its ability to delight the senses.
Some of the aromas will waft gently around your garden with the flow of the air, whilst others will need that tactile engagement to release their scents.
We hope the list has given you some ideas for starting points.
As always, there are plenty of other options: over time you’ll build an understanding of the right fragrant plants for your outdoor space.
