The 11 Most Fragrant Flowers to Plant in Your Garden

While it's certainly true that non-fragrant blooms—like sunflowers, dahlias, tulips, and calla lilies—are just as lovely as the sweet-smelling ones, your favorite blossoms probably do likely have a scent. It's part of their appeal: So many memories begin with smell, which is why fragrant flowers so often stand out in our minds. The best way to experience your go-to floral fragrance regularly? Plant the blooms' shrubs, bushes, or trees in your garden.

Luckily, your fragrant flower options aren't limited—these blooms come in all shapes, sizes, and types, from ones that grow on trees in the tropics to tiny, compact blossoms that hug the ground. Some are as showy as they are fragrant, while others don't look like much—but when you lean in close, they surprise you. Believe it or not, flowers can be fragrant in all kinds of ways: Some release a sweet smell all day long, while others make you wait until evening or nighttime. And there are fragrant bloomers for any season, from the first of spring's thaw to the dog days of summer. Longevity changes, too—certain varieties bloom for a few hours, and others persist for months.

There's a reason for all this fragrance. Flowers produce a scent in order to attract pollinators, which is crucial for continuing the life cycle of the plant. And these little critters are critical to a flourishing garden. To help you bring your own space to this level, we've rounded up the 11 most fragrant flowers, which you and your garden's tiniest wildlife will equally appreciate.