5 nice-smelling plants to zhuzh up your garden

There’s no better perfume than the lovely smells that nature makes. The great outdoors is ripe with good-smelling stuff, from the intoxicating whiff of freshly cut grass to the natural perfume of your favourite florals. We’ve rounded up some smelly things to spruce up your backyard and get the good smells rolling.

PORT WINE MAGNOLA The smell is right there in its name. A little bit of port wine, plus a splash of bubblegum (yum!), this small cream and burgundy flower will have your whole garden awash with its perfume on a warm day.

FLORIDA GARDENIA A classic of the perfumed gardenia, this beauty of a rounded evergreen shrub starts flowering its signature white double flowers from late spring, so it’s a perfect time to get planting. Plus, its perfume carries a long way, so you only need a few of these bad boys.

ASIATIC STAR JASMINE For something on the petite-but-plenty side, try your hand at planting this pretty foliage. Not as intense-smelling as common star jasmine, the Asiatic variety is its frost-hardy, drought-tolerant cousin that is sure to spruce up your green patch.

SWEET OSMANTHUS If your outdoor space is the kind that pairs perfectly with a few pals and an open-air dinner on a breezy summer evening, the Sweet Osmanthus is the natural incense you’ll want filling your garden beds. It’s excellent at giving off a nice scent, even with its tiny flowers. Some say it smells like ripe apricots – delish!

LEMON SCENTED MYRTLE This native Australian plant doesn’t just smell good – it also tastes great, too. Commonly used as bushfood, the Lemon Scented Myrtle is the owner of an intensely lemon scented leaf that works double-time as a pretty evergreen screen. Expect plenty of bees, butterflies and birds making a home in your garden thanks to this legend of a plant.

After more garden-y bits? Spy these fun backyard jobs or have a squiz at these springtime bits for your indoor spaces. Plus, sign up to our newsletter to stay in the loop.