It's odd that we so seldom associate the scent of flowers with the scent of trees. I realized this earlier this month when I stepped out of a hot car into the cool shade of a sleepy Irish village square, and was enveloped in the sweet lemon-and-honey scent of a row of mature lime trees (Tilia x europea) in full summer bloom. Commonly known as the lime tree, this tree, with its loose clusters of pale yellow-green flowers, is by no means conspicuous; in fact, many would never realise they were flowers at all; yet that mysterious smell, that distinctive fragrance, attracts pollinating insects like the sweetest prey. No wonder the celebrated English naturalist Richard Mabey wrote that in summer, you can hear and smell the lime tree before you actually see it.
These magnificent, stately trees support more than just bees and other pollinating insects; many species of moths use the leaves as food for their larvae. Aphids also feed on the sugar-rich leaves of trees, producing a unique “honeydew” that provides food for birds, bees, hoverflies and ladybirds. Old trees also often provide homes for wood-feeding beetles and nesting birds.
Of course, few Irish gardens have the space for the common lime tree, which grows into a stately tree up to 40m tall x 15m wide, but dwarf species that suit larger, sheltered gardens with alkaline soils include the silver lime (Tilia tomentosa) and the small-leaved lime, Tilia cordata 'Greenspire', whose upright habit makes it well suited to planting along formal avenues and driveways.
Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as Southern Magnolia. Photo: Getty
Besides the lime tree, there are many other garden trees with fragrant, wildlife-friendly flowers that are worth considering. Magnolias, for example, have exactly the same ability to wow us with the intense fragrance of their large flowers. This is an unexpected benefit that surprises many. An example is the deciduous, spring-flowering Magnolia “Heavenscent.” This small tree is perfect for sheltered town gardens with cool, deep, rich acidic soil, and in spring it produces rosy-pink, cup-shaped, vanilla-lemon scented flowers on bare stems. The spring-flowering Magnolia x loebneri and the star magnolia, Magnolia stellata, are both known for their strong fragrances and are well suited to small gardens.
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The large pale flowers of the lily-of-the-valley (Magnolia denudata) also bloom in spring, but are only suitable for large gardens. They have a similarly strong fragrance. So does the southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), which blooms in late summer. It is an evergreen that tolerates alkaline soils, produces large pale goblet-shaped, strongly scented flowers, and can be grown as a wall shrub. It is suitable for potted plants as long as it is watered regularly, fertilized well, and repotted with fresh compost every 3-4 years. The autumn-flowering evergreen camellia is another member of this genus of excellent woody plants known for their fragrance.
Sunrise photographed in an apple orchard near Richhill, County Armagh. Photo: Getty
Of course, the great thing about fragrant flowering tree species is the abundance of flowers and the olfactory stimulation they provide. If you've ever been to Spain in the spring when the orange groves are in bloom, you know that the scent wafts for miles on the warm air, filling the buildings and streets with the sweet, intoxicating scent of honey and citrus. We don't have orange groves in Ireland, but we do have apple trees, whose late spring blossoms fill the air with a delicate floral scent. Similarly, stand under the branches of a black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) in late spring and early summer and you'll immediately smell the orange blossoms as they droop with pale, pea-like flowers. Or walk under the branches of a spring-flowering serviceberry (Amelanchier) and you'll be captivated by its scent as much as by the star-like pale blooms.
The abundance of flowering trees, as mentioned above, is also fantastic for garden wildlife, and their size and scale easily eclipse the floral power of any perennial. For example, not only do the pale pink blossoms of the ornamental cherry tree known as Prunus 'Amanogowa' smell of crushed almonds and a faint hint of freesia, but the myriad nectar- and pollen-rich blossoms produced by this hardy, adaptable, small deciduous tree are also attractive to many species of pollinating insects.
So too does the fragrant, starry white flowers of the evergreen shrub known as ribbonwood (Hoheria sextylosa), which blooms in late summer and autumn, when many other woody species do not. To thrive, Hoheria needs a sunny or lightly shady location and deep, fertile soil with a neutral to alkaline pH. It will eventually grow to 6 to 8 metres in height and width, making it a good choice for walled gardens or large courtyard gardens.
Paulownia tree blossoming in spring. Photo: iStock
A somewhat delicate flowering tree that is well suited to planting in a warm, enclosed, covered space is the foxglove (Paulownia tomentosa). This deciduous tree's enormous leaves are complemented by large panicles of trumpet-shaped, foxglove-like purple flowers (hence its common name) that bloom in April and have a faint vanilla scent. Many gardeners like to prune this fast-growing tree annually to keep it in shape, as if left unchecked it will eventually develop a crown up to 12 metres high.
It's not widely available in Irish garden centres. Rare Plants Ireland (rareplantsireland.ie), a little treasure trove in Finlay Corry just outside Clondalkin, County Dublin, stocks this plant as well as a host of other rare, less cold-hardy flowering trees that thrive in Ireland's warm, sheltered gardens. The pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) has edible, fragrant crimson flowers; the pineapple-scented spring-flowering Accladinia franklinae; and the silk tree (Albizia julibrissin), whose fragrant, pom-pom-shaped flowers are described as having a rich, fruity scent that mixes watermelon, pomegranate and lychee.
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Garden of the Week
With little sign of temperatures continuing to rise over the coming weeks, crops grown outdoors in home gardens or allotments are finding they grow slower and are less likely to flower or fruit. To protect crops from the cold temperatures, cover them with a layer or two of horticultural fleece or climate netting (see quickcrop.ie and fruithillfarm.com).
If you're looking for a nature-friendly way to cut down those parts of your lawn that have grown too tall and are still blooming, consider purchasing an Austrian scythe. Unlike traditional mowers, this extremely handy tool can easily cut down even the longest, most overgrown and most wet patches of grass.
Dates to enter in your diary
20 July, 5.30pm-11pm, The Grinding House, June Blake's Garden, Tynood, Blessington, Co. Wicklow: Journey and reflection, a guided tour by June Blake, owner and founder of this enchanting Wicklow garden, followed by an evening of storytelling hosted by storytelling group Craicly and Flowers, an exhibition of work by artist Ciara Gormley, bookings essential, tickets €65 include dinner and snacks. craiclystories.com, juneblake.ie, eventbrite.ie
