An annual flower is a type of flower that completes its life cycle in one growing season. They are perfect for adding color and variety to your garden, especially those with a delightful aroma. Fragrant annual flowers not only add a pleasing scent to your garden, but they also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies to your yard. Here is a guide to the top annual flowers that emit fragrant scents, growing tips, and best planting practices.
Top 7 Most Fragrant Annual Flowers
1. Sweet Alyssum
Sweet Alyssum is a delicate-looking flower that grows low to the ground, making it perfect for borders and edging. They bloom from early spring to late fall, releasing a sweet, honey-like fragrance that attracts butterflies and bees.
Description of the flower
The sweet alyssum has tiny, delicate flowers that grow in clusters. The flowers come in a range of colors, including white, pink, lavender, and purple.
Growing tips
- Plant the seeds in well-drained soil in a sunny location.
- Water the plant regularly to keep the soil moist, but not too wet.
- Deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage new growth and to prevent the plant from becoming leggy.
Best planting practices
Sweet Alyssum is best planted in the spring when the soil has warmed up. You can also plant them in the fall in milder climates.
Other interesting facts
- Sweet Alyssum is also known as “Lobularia maritima.”
2. Nicotiana
Nicotiana is a tall, elegant flower with a sweet, jasmine-like fragrance. They bloom all summer long, and their fragrant blooms are perfect for attracting hummingbirds and moths to your garden.
Description of the flower
Nicotiana has trumpet-shaped flowers that come in shades of pink, white, yellow, and red.
Growing tips
- Plant the seeds in well-drained soil in a sunny location.
- Water the plant regularly to keep the soil moist.
- Deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage new growth and to prevent the plant from becoming leggy.
Best planting practices
Nicotiana is best planted in the spring after the last frost. They prefer cool weather and will stop blooming in hot weather.
Other interesting facts
- Nicotiana is also known as “Flowering Tobacco.”
3. Heliotrope
Heliotrope is a compact, bushy flower with a sweet, vanilla-like fragrance. They bloom from mid-summer to fall and are perfect for adding a sweet scent to your garden.
Description of the flower
Heliotrope has clusters of small, fragrant flowers that are usually purple or white.
Growing tips
- Plant the seeds in well-drained soil in a sunny location.
- Water the plant regularly to keep the soil moist.
- Deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage new growth and to prevent the plant from becoming leggy.
Best planting practices
Heliotrope is best planted in the spring after the last frost, in a location that gets full sun.
Other interesting facts
- Heliotrope is also known as “Cherry Pie Plant.”
4. Petunia
Petunia is a popular bedding plant that comes in a wide range of colors and has a sweet, fruity fragrance. They bloom from late spring to fall and are perfect for adding color and fragrance to your garden.
Description of the flower
Petunias have trumpet-shaped flowers that come in a variety of colors, including pink, purple, white, red, and yellow.
Growing tips
- Plant the seeds in well-drained soil in a sunny location.
- Water the plant regularly to keep the soil moist.
- Deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage new growth and to prevent the plant from becoming leggy.
Best planting practices
Petunias are best planted in the spring after the last frost.
Other interesting facts
- Petunias are native to South America.
5. Four O’Clocks
Four O’Clocks are a hardy flower that produces fragrant, trumpet-shaped blooms that open in the late afternoon. They bloom all summer long and are perfect for adding fragrance to your garden in the evening hours.
Description of the flower
Four O’Clocks have trumpet-shaped flowers that come in a variety of colors, including pink, red, yellow, and white.
Growing tips
- Plant the seeds in well-drained soil in a sunny location.
- Water the plant regularly to keep the soil moist.
- Deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage new growth and to prevent the plant from becoming leggy.
Best planting practices
Four O’Clocks are best planted in the spring after the last frost.
Other interesting facts
- Four O’Clocks are so named because they typically begin to bloom in the late afternoon, around four o’clock.
6. Stock
Stock is a fragrant flower that produces tall, spiky blooms in shades of pink, purple, and white. They bloom from late spring to early summer and are perfect for adding fragrance to your garden.
Description of the flower
Stock has tall, spiky flowers that come in shades of pink, purple, and white.
Growing tips
- Plant the seeds in well-drained soil in a sunny location.
- Water the plant regularly to keep the soil moist.
- Deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage new growth and to prevent the plant from becoming leggy.
Best planting practices
Stock is best planted in the spring after the last frost.
Other interesting facts
- Stock is also known as “Gillyflower.”
7. Marigold
Marigold is a hardy annual that produces bright, cheerful blooms in shades of yellow, orange, and red. They have a pungent, earthy fragrance that some people find pleasant.
Description of the flower
Marigolds have a distinctive, daisy-like bloom with bright, cheery colors.
Growing tips
- Plant the seeds in well-drained soil in a sunny location.
- Water the plant regularly to keep the soil moist.
- Deadhead the flowers regularly to encourage new growth and to prevent the plant from becoming leggy.
Best planting practices
Marigolds are best planted in the spring after the last frost.
Other interesting facts
- Marigolds are often used in companion planting to repel pests like mosquitoes and aphids.
Other Fragrant Annual Flowers
Other fragrant annual flowers include:
- Snapdragons
- Zinnias
- Larkspur
- Scented Geraniums
- Nasturtiums
- Calendula
- Bachelor’s Buttons
Tips for Growing Fragrant Annual Flowers
When growing fragrant annual flowers, it is important to:
- Plant in well-drained soil
- Water regularly
- Fertilize every two weeks
- Deadhead regularly
- Use pest and disease control methods as needed
Conclusion
Adding fragrant annual flowers to your garden is an easy way to bring a delightful aroma to your yard. With the top seven fragrant annual flowers listed above, along with growing tips, best planting practices, and other interesting facts, you can easily create a beautiful and fragrant garden that you can enjoy all season long.