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fragrant patio suggestions please

I have a patio approx 12ft x 15ft which is southish facing. I would like suggestions please to fill it with fragrant flowers next year. It is concrete so all potted flowers. I tried sweet peas this year but in line with advice I constantly cut the flowers to stop them seeding so not much colour or smell outside but the room smelled lovely. I have also tried nicotania but they were a dissappointment after promising so much, (maybe the wrong variety?) I just want to sit out on a sunny day (not that many in Yorkshire but)  bathed in a sweet aroma. Any chance. aroma that is , not sunny days. 

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  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546

    If you have a greenhouse, porch or conservatory,  you could grow some scented pelargoniums. They need some winter protection as they are not frost hardy but come in a wide range of scents, including roses, orange, lemon, incense and even cedar (like freshly sharpened pencils!). Their flowers are usually smaller and less showy than the other kinds of pelargoniums but some  have attractive foliage and as it is the leaves that are scented you are not dependent on the sun bringing the flowers outimage

    Some nicotiana only release their perfume at night, and night scented stock, a short annual with white flowers does the same. Both are lovely if it is warm enough to leave the windows open.

    You could grow a rose in a large pot and have flowers and perfume. There are lots of lovely ones so make sure sure you choose one that grows to the right size and flowers all summer, as well as being the colour and fragrance you want.

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,473

    Some of the blue and magenta petunias have a lovely clovey smell. Also some blue and some white pansies are scented

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • I have a similar situation. South-west facing pation against the house that is a complete suntrap.

    I have lots of lavender. (Think most of my lavenders came from yorkshire). Eidelweiss and grosso are particularly strong and are favoured by the  bees. Melissa lilac has very pretty big flowers with the great english lavender scent. My rosemary is always strong when I brish past it.

    I was just admiring the scent of my roses this evening. Two standards of flower carpet white, in pot on my south facing patio but they can be picky. Often fighting off the aphids and last year they had quite a bit of black spot plus they get in a bit of a mess during wet spells when the petals turn brown and refuse to drop but worth it for the light rose scent on a summer evening. Rarely without a flower or two from late may to the frosts.

    I have just planted some honeysuckle and jasmine for next summer and the most scented garden pinks I could find. Passion and memories are fantastic, waiting to smell doris, grans favourite, bubblegum and a few others I can't remember.

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601

    The most scented flowers are probably lilies - study the catalogues for scented varieties. Some people find them a bit overwhelming. Other good smellies include buddleia, the Buzz ones are pot sized, old fashioned pinks,  nemesia  are more subtle, so are petunia. In late Spring, wallflowers are lovely and later in the year, I like chrysanthemums. Some bulbs have scent in the sunshine, especially hyacinths and possibly friesia.(spelling?) 

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  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904

    The best and most surprising of my smelly plants were the tiny pinks in my raised beds outside the back door. There is a delicious scent of cloves everytime we pass and they are now on about their third flush of flowers. They have spread and cover most of the surface so the scent is great. I shear the heads off with hedge clippers.

    I have huge, tall lillies (tree lillies?) also in pots on the steps outside the sun room with their heads level with the open windows. That way we get scent inside and out.

    There is a honeysuckle which comes into it's own in the evenings. It's not in a pot but I'm sure someone could suggest one that wouldn't mind being potted.

    Another suprising "smelly" was my pink lupin. It smells kind of sweet and peppery. 

    As HH says a lot of plants give their scent in the evening so try to get something for earlier in the day too.

  • Daisy33Daisy33 Posts: 1,031

    Mint and basil are difficult to beat as a quick fix, even for this year. Buy a few pots from the supermarket.

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340

    I grew Sweet pea Hi-Scent in a 60cm pot outside the lounge this year.
    They're almost over now but the scent for the last 2-3 months has been fantastic. The best scent of any sweet pea I've grown, and just a few flowers in a vase fills the room with fragrance

    Sadly I hate the smell of regal lillies


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,091

    Apart from the great summer suggestions above, you can grow Christmas Box (sarcocca) in a big pot, maybe Chinese witch hazel in a really big pot which would both give you scent in winter.

    Quite a few narcissi are scented for early pots in spring. Even one or two of the reticulata iris have a good scent. 

    Hyacinths and an azalea - the yellow flowering ones usually have the best fragrance - for later in spring.

    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
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