Pots of scented flowers for late June

Hi, I am having a big party at the end of June and hopefully we will be able to go outside or at least have some sort of gazebo thing outside.  I want to plant up some pots with flowers/bulbs that will give me scent at this time of year as well as look good.

Thanks

Tobacco plant comes to mind - nicotiana ssp.  But  roses would be my choice.  Is it a garden party in the afternoon or an evening party in the garden?  Night scented stock will scent the air if the latter.

It is evening so if it is fine then we would probably be outside (or option of going outside) at least in early part of evening.  Also in a heated conservatory.  I like the idea of the nicotiana-I have tried to grow sylvestris but I think it is too cold here (NW lakedistrict).  I could do tubs I suppose but I think that the short , mixed colour ones I have seen in the garden centre are not scented.  .

Hi sparkly gardener,

Not big blooms but how about some night scented stock or phlox, I grew some last year and the smell was heavenly in the evenings

Really easy to grow, I've started some already this year. Make successive  sowings to have them all summer

Thanks I will give them a go.  Have you just started them in a pot?

Hello sparklygardener,

hybrid musk roses come to mind. If you're quick you could plant some bare-rooted ones now. Sweet peas are also great for scent, but if you want them flowering in time it would be a good idea to buy them as plants rather than sow them now. I have seen plants advertised recently. If you have to grow the plants in pots, try to make your pots as big as possible, and fill them with good quality compost containing lots of organic matter. Try to keep your plants warm, i.e. by putting them in a polytunnel to get them into flower in good time.

Have a great party!

Emma

gardenersworld.com team

Thanks for all this information!

Hello again sparkly

I sowed my first seed of stock a few weeks ago in seed trays,I'll be picking them out soon into indiviual cells.I did this in a home made cold frame which gets loads of sun, the mild weather has helped a lot.

I will sow some more this weekend into seed trays,  so I have more  of a continous display in the summer

I stated gardening last year & these were one of the first seeds that I grew, they are so easy.  I was so happy with them last year thats why I'm going to grow them again. Last year I started them off in a propagator on my kitchen window sill.