Fragrant collection

Chief gardening sub-editor Diane Peacock picks her favourite fragrant, white flowering plants

Nothing is set in stone in the garden – unless of course it’s a water feature, wall or pathway. That’s what I love about them; the gardener can be certain there’ll always be fresh joys in store. In spring and summer I’m always amazed when the fragrant plants in my garden make their presence. The varieties in my garden all have white blooms, sometimes with touches of other colours. White flowers look particularly beautiful, and sing next to their green foliage.

Here are a few of my favourites:

Rosa ‘Miss Earth SA’ is a hardy rose that requires little maintenance. Roses don’t exude fragrance that carries on the breeze like some other scented plants, but require that you put the flower to your nose to appreciate the fullness of their scent.

Alyssum, with its tiny delicate blooms, is often underrated as isn’t very striking. But niftily, it can be left to its own devices as it flowers and reseeds so easily. It makes a lovely filler and readily attracts insects. Bees particularly love its honey-like smell.

Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow (brunfelsia) is a fabulous shrub that announces its presence with a heavenly scent that wafts headily throughout the whole garden in spring. The blooms change colour from day to day with delightful flowers that begin as a lovely purple then change to lilac and finally to white.

Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is a versatile all-round winner. Evergreen, it can be used as just about anything from a groundcover to a hedge. With its shining glossy foliage it’s an eager climber and the tiny white fragrant flowers make you take a second look.

Citrus trees are great to have in the garden and all, including this ‘Eureka’ lemon tree (right) and clementine Clemen Gold (left), can be grown in pots. The fruit is always preceded by beautiful fragrant blossoms heralding the treats to come. Like the rose, you need to press them to your nose to get their full effect.

Chinese jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) grows so easily and I don’t think anyone can resist the foaming blooms that appear in late winter and exude their heavenly aroma that titillates the senses in preparation for spring.