Two of my most favourite scented plants have now come out in flower, one is Rhododendron luteum. This has a deliciously light slightly fruity perfume that will gently drift on breezes. The first time I came across this was at a visit to Colby Lodge many years ago. Walking up the ride to the obelisk the air was filled with delicate perfume. Walking higher up we came across one Rhododendron luteum bush in full flower. Coming up close to the bush the air was awash with glorious scent and I knew then I had to get one.
If you want to grow the Rhododendron luteum then you need at least a light acid soil, or grow it in a pot of ericacious compost.
The next I love is Viburnum burkwoodii, this has a rich deep intense scent that makes you come back over and over again just to continuously draw in its headiness. This is really a must in any garden.
Viburnums are easy to please and any good garden soil will support them.
Shrubs with a completely different kind of scent are the Ribes family. In this case Ribes sanguineum, the main scent of which comes from the leaves when they are brushed or crushed, although the flowers do have a lighter fragrance to them. Some say the smell is similar to that of cats pee. But that doesn't really do it justice, it's a strange tart kind of scent that is unforgettable once you have smelt it. The beauty comes in the racemes of flowers that abound on the bush this time of year.
The colour ranges from white through pinks to deep reds, hardy and easy to grow on most soils, they're really good spring flowering shrub to have in a garden.
I have just made a new acquisition Ribes sanguineum 'Olympic double'. The flowers are unbelievable looking much like deep red miniature rose flowers, this is going to look fantastic once it is a fully grown shrub bearing flowers such as these all over it.
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