Another very old rose is rosa gallica officinalis, or the ‘Apothecaries Rose’, a native of central and southern Europe. This historic rose is the oldest cultivated form of the gallica rose and a better rose for a small town garden I cannot imagine. Its growth is compact and full, with light-crimson, semi-double flowers. As it was once used for making perfume, the fragrance is outstanding. It grows well in quite poor soils so often encountered in town gardens. Both these roses like many of their tribe also produce colourful hips into autumn.
My white rugosa alba roses throw out a hypnotising oriental cocktail. All the rugosas have powerful scent and are lovers of poor sandy soil, with bright green disease free foliage. They are strong growers with a dislike of heavy pruning, but then who would want to anyway.
Clematis are not plants normally associated with scent, but there are some with good scent. Many forms of the montana group have a vanilla scent. C. flammula of meadowsweet, C. rehderiana of cowslips and many more with fragrances straight from the perfumery department.
Perfume is not restricted to flowers alone of course. Foliage is vital for most plants and helps gives them their character and form. Herb gardens sound nice enough in theory, but in reality they often end up a rather weedy and unruly mess. So, whilst I’m not a great enthusiast of herb gardening, I do grow some herbs in pots for their scent alone.
Lemon verbena is a rather non-descript woody herb. It certainly wouldn’t wind any beauty contest, but the scent is a sharp and very refreshing citrus lemon.
Bay trees in pots to brush past make working in the garden a sheer delight. Mint comes in many flavours, but demands confinement if it is not to overrun the entire garden. Beekeepers will grow heaps of Lemon Balm, those tiny insignificant white flowers are the magnet. Those of us without apiary in our blood will be content just to rub the leaves or partake of some herbal tea.
Returning to flowers and other perennial shrubs that waft their heady scent on warm summer evenings. Top of the list would have to be the Mock Orange or philadelphus. There are large and small forms to suit your particular garden. They come with a scent, which is truly powerful and exotic.
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