Top 10 fragrant annuals from seed

Plant nicotiana 'Eau de Cologne' in drifts
Image: Nicotiana 'Eau de Cologne Mixed' from Thompson & Morgan

Fragrant annuals are easy to grow from seed, and won't break the bank either. A packet of seed can provide you with hundreds of perfumed plants - ideal if you are gardening on a budget. What's more, you'll have the satisfaction of growing your own plants from scratch!

Unlike scented perennials, whose blooming period can be brief, fragrant annuals will flower profusely,often throughout the whole summer. A few carefully placed fragrant plants can turn a stroll through the garden into an uplifting journey for the senses. Position them close to open windows, seating areas and walkways where they can be best appreciated.

1. Sweet Pea 'High-Scent'
2. Phlox drummondii 'Dwarf Beauty'
3. Heliotrope 'Dwarf Marine'
4. Madia elegans 'Tropical Fruits'
5. Alyssum 'Carpet Of Snow'
6. Stock 'Cinderella Series Mixed'
7. Scabious 'Ace of Spades'
8. Nicotiana x sanderae 'Perfume Deep Purple'
9. Verbena 'Scentsation Mixed'
10. Dianthus barbatus 'Purple Crown'

Take a look at our article for some garden inspiration, or browse our range of scented annuals to choose your favourites.

1. Sweet Pea 'High-Scent'

Plant this fragrant sweet pea up obelisks or wigwams
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: October - April

Sweet Peas are some of the easiest and most popular scented annuals you'll find! Sweet Pea 'High-Scent' is widely regarded as the most fragrant, with creamy white blooms edged in a violet-blue blush. Grow them against walls and fences or trained onto an obelisk. Sweet Peas make superb cut flowers - pick them regularly to encourage more blooms throughout the summer. Browse our full range of Sweet Pea seeds to find your favourite variety. Need some growing advice? Try our 'how to grow sweet peas' article.

2. Phlox drummondii 'Dwarf Beauty'

Add phlox to beds and borders
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: February - May

Phlox drummondii 'Dwarf Beauty' produces clusters of sweetly scented flowers in a pretty colour mix. Perfect for filling flower beds, or direct sowing at the front of borders to create beautiful drifts of colour. These compact, bushy plants will happily fill a patio container, and make lovely cut flowers too.

3. Heliotrope 'Dwarf Marine'

Heliotrope produces a sweet, heady scent throughout the summer
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: February - March

A traditional cottage garden favourite, and a 'must have' plant for a scented garden. Large flower heads release a rich perfume, filling the air on a still summer's evening. Heliotrope 'Dwarf Marine' is a neat, bushy variety, and well suited to patio containers. The perfume is reminiscent of ground almonds, giving it the common name of Cherry Pie. The showy blooms are a magnet for butterflies too.

4. Madia elegans 'Tropical Fruits'

Madia add height and fragrance to annual borders
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: March - April

Try something a little different in your scented flower borders! Madia elegans 'Tropical Fruits'is a cheery border annual with sunny-yellow, daisy-like blooms and a fruity perfume. The blooms open during the morning and early evening, often closing during very strong sunlight in the middle of the day. A great choice for planting near to those seating areas that catch the last rays of sun.

5. Alyssum 'Carpet Of Snow'

With a ground-hugging habit, alyssum thrives in rockeries
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: March - May

With its wide-spreading habit, Alyssum has earned its place as a bedding favourite, often associated with dark blue Lobelia. It makes a popular choice for rockeries or cascading from low walls to create a carpet of white blooms. This is a delicately scented annual, with a sweet perfume. Alyssum 'Carpet of Snow' is surprisingly wind tolerant too, making it useful for those difficult exposed or coastal locations.

6. Stock 'Cinderella Series Mixed'

Stock 'Cinderella Series Mix' flowers from late spring and into the summer
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: February - March, or June - July

Stocks are renowned for their magnificent, spicy, clove-like perfume that lingers seductively on the breeze. Stock 'Cinderella Series Mixed' is a compact variety producing plenty of upright spikes filled with showy, double blooms. Soft shades of pink and purple make this a gentle mix for filling beds and the front of borders. A great choice for late spring fragrance in the garden with blooms appearing as early as May.

7. Scabious 'Ace of Spades'

Plant scabious to attract bees and butterflies into your garden
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: April - May

Make a statement in your cottage garden borders with eye-catching Scabious 'Ace of Spades'. With a gentle fragrance, this hardy annual blooms from midsummer and into autumn, and works well in cut flower displays.

8. Nicotiana x sanderae 'Perfume Deep Purple'

Nicotiana adds a touch of class to borders
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: February - April

Nicotiana are well loved for their long flowering period and fabulous perfume, which is particularly noticeable in the evening. With a seductive fragrance and rich purple flowers, this one really packs a punch! Nicotiana x sanderae 'Perfume Deep Purple' copes well in full sun or light shade, making it a useful choice for patios that lose the sun early in the day. This variety is neat, compact and bushy - perfect for bringing a touch of class to beds, borders and patio pots.

9. Verbena 'Scentsation Mixed'

Grow verbena in containers or borders
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: February - June

Create a perfumed tapestry of colour in your beds and containers with Verbena 'Scentsation Mixed'. The dainty blooms are sweetly scented, and borne in such profusion that the foliage almost disappears beneath them. This pretty mix makes great cut flowers if you can bear to cut some for a summer posey. Try this compact variety in a window box and enjoy the fragrance as it drifts indoors.

10. Dianthus barbatus 'Purple Crown'

Sweet Williams are great for pollinating insects
Image: Thompson & Morgan

Sowing period: February - April

The sumptuous, blackcurrant shades and sweet perfume of Dianthus barbatus 'Purple Crown' make a mouth-watering combination. Strictly speaking, this is a short lived perennial but is best grown as an annual. A great choice for bridging the gap between spring bulbs and summer perennials. Grow them in beds and borders for a fragrance that will make you linger - or cut some for a vase indoors.

We hope this article has been helpful in guiding you through picking the right fragrant annual for your garden. Find top tips for sowing and growing other annuals and bedding plants over on our annuals hub page.