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Aromatic and scented plants which grow successfully in the Midi, France

Collated by David Bracey

Members of the Languedoc Branch were asked to list those aromatic and scented plants which thrive in their gardens. Soil types are mainly calcareous loams often with a high pH. The region enjoys over 2600 hours of sunshine per annum and it is also "the land of the wind". Both the Mistral and Tramontane winds blow in from the northwest drying out soils and plants alike.

Plants with scented flowers

Trees and Fruit Trees

Citrus aurantium, unsurpassed heady fragrance lasting several weeks in spring
Eriobotrya japonica, fragrant cream flowers in autumn and winter
Melia azederach, lightly fragrant lilac flowers in May

Shrubs

Choisya ternata, sweet-scented flowers in spring & autumn, aromatic leaves
Coronilla glauca, fragrant pea-like yellow flowers, spring to mid-summer
Daphne odora, very fragrant, deep pink flowers in winter-spring
D. odora 'Aureomarginata', fragrant purple-pink flowers from mid winter into early spring
Elaeagnus x ebbingei, tiny very fragrant bell-shaped white flowers in autumn
Laurus nobilis, small yellow flowers with some perfume
Nerium oleander 'Mont Blanc', very perfumed flowers
Mahonia japonica, lemon-yellow fragrant flowers in winter-spring
Mahonia bealei, racemes of fragrant yellow flowers in late winter to early spring
Philadelphus spp, white mock-orange blossoms which are fragrant in summer
Pittosporum tobira, very fragrant, cream flowers in late spring
Sarcococca spp, tiny white fragrant flowers
Syringa vulgaris, all forms have very heavily scented spring flowers
Viburnum bodnantense, rosy, sweet-scented flowers in late winter
Viburnum farreri, rose or white scented flowers during winter

Rose

Rosa 'Cornelia', small fragrant pale pink flowers, repeat flowering
Rosa 'Felicia', shrub rose with scented light pink flowers, repeat flowering
Rosa 'Buff Beauty', shrub rose with scented buff/apricot flowers which repeat flowering
Rosa banksiae, white form is the best scented in spring


Rosa banksiae

Herbaceous Perennials

Iris unguicularis, smells of primroses.
Mirabilis jalapa, fragrant red, white, yellow flowers which open in the evening


Iris unguicularis

Climbers

Araujia sericofera, white flowers, sweetly scented throughout summer
Clematis armandii, single white flowers are scented in spring
Jasminum officinale, pink buds followed by white, scented flowers in spring
Jasminum polyanthum, clusters of white flowers, sometimes flushed pink in spring
Trachelospermum jasminoides, pink buds and white scented flowers in spring.
Trachelospermum asiaticum, scented tubular white flowers in summer
Wisteria sinensis, mauve, lilac or white flowers with strong scent in spring


Wisteria sinensis

Plants with aromatic foliage

Agastache mexicana
Allium spp, basal leaves smell of onions
Artemisia spp, aromatic/pungent silvery foliage - spring & summer
Foeniculum vulgare, aromatic leaves used in cooking
Helichrysum italicum,'Curry Plant', curry-scented aromatic leaves - spring & summer
Helichrysum stoechas, aromatic leaves smelling of curry
Hedychium gardnerianum, fragrant lemon and red flowers
Lavandula spp & cvs, all highly scented flowers and aromatic foliage
Origanum spp, aromatic culinary herb
Pelargonium 'Graveolens', P. tomentosum (Peppermint geranium) etc, scented leaves
Pistacia lentiscus
Ruta graveolens, aromatic herb with pungent foliage
Ruta graveolens 'Jackman's Blue', aromatic leaves which are blue
Ruta chalepensis, foetid rue, leaves very aromatic,
Ruta angustifolia
Rosmarinus officinalis, whole plant aromatic all year
Salvia officinalis, aromatic all year
Satureja montana, grown for aromatic foliage
Tagetes minuta, whole plant has strong unpleasant odour
Thymus vulgaris, grown for its aromatic foliage


Pelargonium 'Graveolens'


Ruta graveolens

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