Gardening For The Senses: Scented Plants for Pots

When choosing what kinds of flowers to bed in your terracotta garden pots, it’s often easy to focus purely on aesthetics. Naturally, your mind will start to wander and begin to paint pictures; imagining how each flower will look in its new home.

Patios, decking, garden paths can all be brought to life with the vibrant splashes of colour emanating from your flowers of choice. 

But what about the other senses? 

While garden design is very much about sight, fragrances and aromas are often overlooked sensory features of outdoor spaces. Indeed, scent can be a vital component of a garden and can add a unique layer of richness to the environment. 

However big your garden, the careful positioning of scented plants can infuse it with a beautiful sensory dimension. Placing your pots in prime locations—like outside the back door, along pathways and near windows where the gentle breeze can waft the delicious natural perfumes into your home—are just some of the ways to make the most of your intoxicating plant life. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best scented flowers for your terracotta pots and planters.

Lavender

Lavender is a hugely popular scented flower that will grow beautifully in a variety of containers…including traditional Italian-made terracotta pots and planters. Of all the many lavender strains available, the two most fragrant are common lavender and lavandin—both of which are grown commercially for their highly perfumed oil. Flowering from late spring through to late summer, lavender thrives in full sunlight, so a prime location on your patio will be just the ticket!

Rose

Large terracotta pots and planters are perfect for growing all varieties of rose as they can accommodate the flower’s often deep-burrowing, sprawling root system. The beauty of this quintessentially British plant is that its fragrance changes throughout the day, and are at their most aromatic between the temperatures of 18-20°C. So, find a sunny spot on a spring afternoon, protected from the wind, and your rose will give off the most delightful scent.

Peonies

Peonies are beautiful fragrant perennials that produce flowers in a range of rich, vibrant colours—most commonly pink, white, red and purple. They will perform well in locations with a cool winter climate—as the cold temperatures help the development of the flower bud. In areas with hot summer temperatures, they’ll thank you for finding a partially shaded spot.

Sweet Alyssum

Sweet Alyssum is a delightfully delicate annual that produces an abundance of small fragrant flowers. They’re perfectly suited for terracotta pots, as well as for ground covering and rock gardens. It only takes a matter of days for Sweet Alyssum seeds to germinate and the seedlings are hardy against light frost. 

Daphne

With a deliciously fragrant rose-citrus scent, Daphne blooms in late winter and spring. You’ll find them in a variety of colours—bright pinks, white, yellow and purple are all common—and your potted Daphne will grow with gusto in either part shade or full sun.

Magnolia

These instantly-recognisable large flowers are perfect for planting in terracotta pots….and their sweet aroma is a joyful addition to any garden. Blooming in spring and summer, depending on variety, you’re best advised to plant your tree in well-draining, rich soil in full-sun spots. Ensure you give them ample room to flourish—some can grow up to 40 feet wide— typically we'd recommend the smaller dwarf varieties that are perfectly suited to our pots.

How can we help?

Our traditional and contemporary terracotta pots planters are suited to a variety of different garden styles; Mediterranean, terrace, courtyard or the classic English country garden. Perfect for large Olive trees, they are also a wonderful choice for a range of fruit trees, bedding plants, shrubs and scented flowers. If you’d like to ask any question about our pots and planters, and their suitability for growing, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.