Scentsational Landscaping.

• Position: Fragrant plants - Brief Article

Fragrances are a part of spring, emanating from newly sprouted vegetation, rain-soaked soil, and perfumed blossoms. Gardeners who usually think just about the visual impression their landscape will make might want to plan aromatic gardens they can savor even when they are not looking at them.

"Many plants have a strong fragrance you can enjoy when you start to open windows to let in fresh spring air," notes Bruno Moser, nursery and landscape specialist for the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, West Lafayette, Ind., and professor of horticulture. "You routinely have scents around, like perfume, aftershave, potpourri, and room deodorizer. Life is full of scents, but you often don't think of them in the landscape."

Plants produce a variety of essential oils. Some are in the flowers and others in the leaves. When the weather warms, the oils evaporate into the air, resulting in a fragrance. Aromatic foliage, however, must be crushed for the scent to escape. The scent from aromatic plants may be enjoyed while the plant is fresh, but, once it has dried, much of the aroma is gone.

Moser recommends using fragrant plants under windows that will be open; around patios, decks, and porches; and along walkways. Some people prefer to disperse aromatic plants around the yard and garden so they get a pleasant surprise when they come upon them. Others like to concentrate aromatic...