FRAGRANT SPRING-BLOOMING BULBS

At the top of the list is hyacinths. Their fragrant flowers can scent your entire garden. Muscari, also known as grape hyacinths, have a nice fragrance that is best appreciated up close. Also on the list are several types of daffodils and some varieties of tulips.

Remember that everyone experiences fragrance a bit differently. While one person may be crazy about the scent of a certain tulip, you may not be able to detect its fragrance. Discovering the flowers that make you swoon is all part of the fun.

Hyacinths

All hyacinths are intensely fragrant, so choose whichever colors appeal to you. Consider planting the bulbs where you can enjoy the scent of the flowers as you pass by. They look good planted at the front of a flower bed, along a walk, or in a shrub border. 

Hyacinths grow very well in containers. This is an easy way to bring their perfume onto your patio or front porch, or even indoors. They are also long-lasting cut flowers. Bloom time is mid-spring.

Muscari

These cute little flowers might remind you of grape clusters. They also have a fruity, grape-like fragrance. Muscari look their best when planted in clusters of 10 or more bulbs. Nestle them between perennials, under shrubs, or use them as companions for other spring bulbs. As cut flowers, muscari are adorable in miniature bouquets paired with lily of the valley, primroses and pansies. Bloom time is mid-spring.

Daffodils

Most daffodils have a light, fresh fragrance, especially when they are warmed by the sun. But there are also some varieties with a much stronger, gardenia-like perfume. These include multi-flowered Jonquilla daffodils such as Beautiful Eyes, Martinette, Silver Smiles and Pipit.

Most Tazetta, Poeticus and double daffodils are also very fragrant. Varieties to look for include Golden Dawn, Cragford, Falconet and Actea. Two of the most fragrant doubles are Cheerfulness and Double Smiles. Bloom times for daffodils range from early through late spring. Learn more about bloom times HERE.

Tulips

Tulips are loved for their vivid colors, and some varieties are also fragrant. Early double tulips that are known for having a nice scent include Foxtrot, Monsella, Margarita and Abba.

For sweet-smelling midseason tulips, consider Ad Rem, Apricot Beauty and Princess Irene. 

Most double late tulips, also known as peony tulips, are fragrant, especially Angelique, Creme Upstar, Foxy Foxtrot and Orange Angelique.

To learn more about adding fragrance to your garden, you may be interested in: How to Design a Fragrant Garden.