If you’ve ever added pollinator plants to your garden or a container, you probably had flying visitors in mind. They provide food for butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other nectar- and pollen-seeking insects, bats, and birds, which do the necessary work of fertilizing plants. But beyond that, pollinator-friendly flowers are a fantastic way to add loads of fragrance to your outdoor spaces.
Many of these plants—like sunflowers, echinacea, and zinnias—bloom in cheerful hues, which help attract pollinators. But you might not know that scent is another way that flowers draw in winged creatures. According to the U.S. Forest Service, bees and butterflies seek out scented plants during the day, while moths and bats look for plants that release fragrance at night.
So in addition to helping nature and being beautiful to look at, you can use many varieties of pollinator plants to create a scented garden.
Elizabeth Brown, author of The Beginner’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Nourish, and Create Bliss Year-Round and owner of Foxglove Farmhouse in York, Maine, shares a few of her fragrant favorites.
Catmint
This hardy, drought-tolerant plant is covered in tiny purple flowers and, true to its name, has a minty scent. (Also true to its name, cats love it.)
“I have catmint right in my perennial garden toward the entrance to my house. I love that it's so fragrant,” says Brown. “I like planting things that are super fragrant by the front door so that when you're entering or exiting, you get a lovely aromatic burst of air to either welcome people into your space or for you to experience as you're leaving your home.”
Lavender
While any variety of this sweet-smelling herb will perfume your landscape, Brown recommends a specific type called Phenomenal Lavender.
“I love lavender, but I had no idea how much the bees would love it,” she says. “I planted it purely for my own enjoyment and because it does well in areas with colder winter months. I've found that Phenomenal Lavender’s bloom window is longer than a lot of other lavenders. So it keeps the bees happy for quite a long time.”
Bee Balm
Bee balm is a hardy plant in the mint family that can grow several feet tall. Its smell is usually described as a pleasant mix of citrus and mint—which will attract tons of bees.
“It has fun little florets that come out when it's in bloom and that's really when the bees love it,” Brown says. “Not only does it smell good, the seed head is kind of big. So when you go into the garden early in the morning, you’ll see bees sleeping on those little seed pods, which is so charming.”
Mountain Mint
This variety of mint doesn’t look like the common kinds that have bright green, oval-shaped leaves. Mountain mint has thin, narrow leaves and clusters of small white or purplish flowers that act like a magnet for pollinators and have an intense fragrance.
“They say it is one of the plants that attracts the most pollinators—butterflies and bees and flies and just about anything you can name,” says Brown.
Like other types of mint, it is edible. “I have used it before to make homemade mint ice cream or mint tea,” she says. “It’s structurally interesting because it can grow quite tall, and it's good for the bees. But you can also have fun creating things with it in your kitchen.”
