Welcome Spring with Fragrant Flowers

Anyone who reads this blog knows that I LOVE flowers, I love growing them, I love arranging  them, but my favorite flowers are fragrant flowers.  This time of year, I long for the smell of fragrant flowers.  It brings Spring indoors, and makes pathways and window boxes all the more magical.  I thought I would share some of my favorite Spring fragrant flowers with you. Look for them at your local nursery or floral dept.  I promise they will put Spring in your step :) 

We'll start with my favorite fragrance first (although it's hard to pick :)  Hyacinth.  This is a Spring bulb.  You plant Spring bulbs in the fall and this spring bulb requires some frost. I have these planted along my walkway so you can smell them as you walk up to the house. Consider placing a small vase of these in your guest bathroom  or in your kitchen window, it will reward you with a delightful fragrance.

Hyacinths bloom about the same time as daffodils in the garden. Don't mistake fragrant Hyacinths for the small grape hyacinths. Grape hyacinths are lovely but much smaller and not fragrant.  One of my favorite places for fragrant Hyacinths is in a window box.  When the Spring breeze blows the fragrance indoors, it's pure heaven :)

 Sweet Peas, I adore sweet peas!  These can be hard to find at a floral dept, so consider growing them.  They prefer cool weather and can take a light frost.  Soak Sweet Peas seeds for 24-48 hours before planting them.  This will make them germinate much faster. They have a hard shell on them and soaking them softens this.  They usually grow in vines with tendrils that grab onto trellises or poles.  This is a lovely way to beautify a chain link fence.

You can buy bush sweet pea seeds if you don't want to grow them vertically,  all sweet peas have a wonderful fragrance and demure appearance that gives any bouquet and air of innocence

Lilacs, divine, beautiful Lilacs.  Lilacs bloom at the end of May and have a sweet fragrance the can be smelled as you walk up to a blooming bush.  I planted one next to my front porch so I can enjoy the it's beauty and fragrance as I linger over a cup of coffee.  Always consider location when planting fragrant flowers.  You want to position them in a place where the fragrance will be enjoyed.

Lilac bushes need frost and they are now coming up with hybrids that re-bloom. For Lilac lovers like me this is fantastic news.  Lilacs burn in the heat so although they need sun, try to place them  where they can remain as cool as possible.  When my husband and I used to vacation on Mackinaw Island for the 4th of July, the Lilacs would just be finishing their bloom because the weather is so mild there. 

Antique Roses. There is so much to say about Antique roses that I couldn't possibly cover it in one post.  Most new hybrid roses have the fragrance bred out of them. They are bred for long stems, perfect buds, and floral design.  If you want old fashioned fragrance you need a rose that has been bred for fragrance.

The great news is that Rose Breeder David Austin has bred the re-blooming habits of modern roses with the fragrance of  Antique Roses.  I have several of his roses in my garden and I love them.  If you have an interest in growing fragrant roses I highly suggest getting one of his catalogs or visiting his site.  http://www.davidaustinroses.com/american/advanced.asp
One of the best places to plant roses is under a Sunny  window, it allows the fragrance to waft into your home and the thorns are a built in security system :)

Easter Lilies have a soft, sweet fragrance that has come to symbolize the Easter holiday. I love walking by all the Easter Lily plants in the floral dept. this time of year.  I stop and take in a deep breath.  It always makes me smile and fills my soul with Spring.

Peonies smell like antique roses and have a beautiful, large regal appearance.  I must confess this is one of my favorite flowers.  The only thing I don't like about it, is it's short  blooming season, but that hasn't prevented me from growing these regal beauties.

If your not familiar with peonies, I highly recommend buying a bouquet when they're in season.  I think you'll fall in love with this frilly beauty who blooms in May. They do require frost to grow in the garden.  There are so many Spring Fragrant flowers, I'm going to come back and continue this wonderful subject.  In the meantime, have a sweet, fragrant, Spring :)