Add another dimension with fragrance
By Jean Vernon
At this year’s RHS Show Tatton Park there are hundreds of perfumed perennials to tempt the gardener, many of them for sale in the Floral Marquee.
Clematis 'Rooguchi'
Not all clematis are scented, but this purple dazzler has a delightful perfume. Clematis ‘Rooguchi’ is herbaceous clematis and is one of the plants on the British Clematis Society stand in the National Plant Societies area of the Floral Marquee. It’s a cross between Clematis integrifolia and Clematis reticulata, with beautiful, nodding rich purple nodding flowers.
Dianthus 'Sugar Plum'
For a wonderful, richly fragrant and low growing dianthus consider Dianthus 'Sugar Plum' from Highpark Nursery. Rich chocolate coloured buds open into raspberry red, pink and white flowers, with frilly petals and a sumptuous scent. One of the High Scent First varieties specially bred for scent.
Lilium 'Flashpoint'
Lilium 'Flashpoint' from H W Hyde in the Floral Marquee is an Oriental Trumpet Group lily, which means it is a great garden variety thriving on acidic or alkaline soil. It’s a good, sturdy grower, great for pots or the back of the border where it bears stems of flamboyant dusky pink-red flowers with a white edge and a fragrance to stop you in your tracks.
Dahlia 'Karma Choc'
Chocoholics could be amazed by the cocoa perfume of Dahlia ‘Karma Choc’. It’s a stunning plant on the Botanic Nursery display with deep red, purple flowers. On a warm day the chocolate scent develops and infuses the surrounding air.
Rosa 'Sightsaver'
Scented roses are nothing new, but if you really do you want to grow a scented variety make sure you choose one with a strong perfume. Rosa 'Sightsaver' was launched by Fryers Roses for the Sightsaver Charity and chosen for its intense fragrance. It’s a pale peachy pink in colour and shows good disease resistance.
Sweet pea Mixed Spencer varieties
For something you can grow from seed this year and enjoy the scented flowers next summer, don’t forget the humble sweet pea. For great scent you can choose the Mixed Spencer varieties, or why not grow Sweet pea ‘Albutt Blue’ from Eagle Sweet Peas, the first blue picotee for more than 100 years. It’s a gorgeous white flower with a fine purple/blue edge and it smells delicious.
Hemerocallis 'Marion Vaughn'
Add some height and scent to an herbaceous border with this old fashioned, scented daylily. Hemerocallis 'Marion Vaughn' is a tall plant with pure yellow flowers and an exquisite evening perfume. From Rookfield Plants.
Cosmos atrosanguineus (Chocolate cosmos)
Another chocolate scented garden plant, Cosmos atrosanguineus is a species of Cosmos, native to Mexico. It has dusky, red brown flowers with a sweet vanilla and chocolate scent. See it planted in swaths on the Dressed in Black Show Garden at Tatton Park