Scented

Cultivated in Switzerland in 2004 from the famous 'Queen Charlotte', One would think that 'Reine de Neiges', or 'Snow Queen' would be a white bloomer. The flowers are almost white, a clear crisp ice-blue. Long blooming and upward facing, their fragrance is intense.

Introduced in Germany in 1900, 'Konigin Charlotte' are famously grown for their perfume. The violet coloured flowers are extremely fragrant, This cultivar is unique in that its flowers turn upward making them viewer friendly. It is also one of the longest flowering violets with scented flowers.

Verbascum phoeniceum is a stately plant, which combines architectural form with beautiful colouring. 'Rosetta' produces elegant spires of intense pink blooms which are always much admired. They bloom throughout the summer, with a few sporadic flowers late into the year.

English gardeners are very familiar with this plant and consider it essential for a well-structured garden. Verbascum phoeniceum 'Hybrids Mix' flower freely, giving a glorious plethora of colours from delicate salmon to rich claret. A true perennial which can flower the first year given an early sowing.

The poise of the lovely Verbascum phoeniceum 'Flush of White' makes this plant a natural candidate for the front of the border, even though its height might suggest, that it should go at the back. In summer winds, which snap off delphiniums and toss sunflowers awry, the Verbascum stands defiant.

Verbascums are statuesque in both foliage and flower. This elegant species, native to the Olympus mountains is arguably the finest of the genus. Tall flower spikes rise from the centre of the foliage, each are weighted heavily with bright, golden-yellow blooms giving the effect of an enormous candelabra.

One look at this species of Verbascum and you will realise why it is also called ‘Arctic Summer’. Tall, white, fleecy flower stems emerge from felted evergreen leaves in early summer. Its stems and leaves are covered in a silvery down that gives it an appearance of being permanently covered with frost.

Valeriana officinalis is a graceful wildflower that is native to Europe and Western Asia. The tall, branched flower stalks are held atop a low mound of foliage, the densely clustered flowers are sweetly scented and usually white with a hint of pink.

Thymus serpyllum is one of the most versatile groundcovers. Forming dense evergreen cushions of flowers these low maintenance plants don’t require mowing, watering or care, and can take a lot of abuse. Its leaves can be used as a culinary herb and its uses in the garden are almost unlimited.

Orange Scented Thyme is a useful and versatile plant. The grey-green leaves are extremely fragrant with a with a delicious scent of balsam and oranges. An excellent herb and ideal added to a bouquet garni, they blend their essence with both savory and sweet dishes to create some memorable flavours.

Aromatic French Summer Thyme has more narrow, pointed leaves with a bit of a grey tint. The famed culinary thyme from France, it is higher in essential oil content than other varieties and reputedly the most flavoursome Thyme you can grow with a stronger and sweeter taste.

Thymus vulgaris 'Winter Thyme' is one of the savory herbs, which are main course herbs used to flavour hardy meals, bone warming soups, and piquant sauces. They blend their essence with other savory herbs like Tarragon and Savory to create some memorable flavours.

Easy to grow and quick to flower, French Marigold 'Tangerine' blooms reliably throughout the summer with vivid orange flowers that are lifted high atop lush, scented foliage. The plant is famously used in companion planting and for making flower garlands.

Sweet Cicely is an attractive plant that is a striking component of herb gardens and hedgerows. Growing to around 90cm, umbels of tiny white flowers appear from spring to early summer. Formerly a widely cultivated culinary herb, the fern-like leaves are deeply divided and smell of aniseed when crushed.

Artemisia annua, commonly called Sweet Annie is a graceful annual with tall stems with fine bright green ferny foliage. With sweetly fragrant foliage it has a wide variety of uses both medicinal and for handcrafting but is most often grown for fresh and dried arrangements.

Winter savory, the perennial savory has the same properties as its summer relative Summer savory, although it has a heavier aroma and a sharper pine type flavour. The small perennial shrubs are semi-evergreen, retaining their leaves in all but the coldest gardens and remain useful all year round.