Everyone loves the warm, sunny days and soft nights of late summer. And as long as we can keep up with weeding, our gardens are lush and beautiful to see. But why stop with just the eye of the beholder? Try to indulge all of your senses. Of the five, smell can be the most magical, often evoking strong memories. After all, the fragrances you respond to are as personal as the cologne you choose to wear.

There is a special allure to gardens that are perfumed with flowers. In the spring, the air seems heady with the scent of blooming trees, shrubs and perennials. Linden, lilacs and peonies are just players in an ensemble cast. The stars may seem more limited as the season warms up. But there are many fragrant flowers that bloom past May and June.

Butterflybush is a perennial that continues to flower into late summer. It is available in many shades of blue, pink and purple and is tall enough to support the back of a border. We especially like ‘Evil Ways’. This new introduction’s very deep purple flowers are a stunning contrast to the bright yellow foliage.

Autumn Snakeroot is another favorite. Its vanilla-scented flowers bloom in August and September. Choose one of the purple-brown foliaged varieties like ‘Hillside Black Beauty’, for great interest in your border from spring right up to frost. And honestly, who doesn’t love the snowy white flowers and fluffy seed heads of Sweet Autumn Clematis?

Shrubs play their part as well. Summersweet is called Summer Lilac in the southern states for its divine fragrance. The flowers bloom on stiff, upright spikes and are strongly vanilla-scented. ‘Hummingbird’ sports loads of creamy white blossoms and loves a damp and shady spot.

Consider a dark-leafed variety of Elder and you’ll be rewarded with colorful foliage, as well as the fragrant pink flowers. ‘Black Lace’ is a great example. Its graceful, fern-like leaves hold their color through the worst summer heat and humidity. We’ve not sure about the often-heard comparison to Japanese Maples, but that doesn’t diminish the multi-season interest that Elders bring to your garden.

And a rundown of fragrant summer flowers isn’t complete without a mention of that Queen of the Border, the Rose. ‘Raspberry Rugostar’, a hybrid with rugosa parentage, blooms all summer as long as spent flowers are dead-headed. The deep pink flowers and low habit are enough to make this rose a star attraction in your sunny borders, but the strong citrus scent will knock your socks off!

So stop into the Garden Center and take a moment to smell those Roses. There is plenty of gardening time to scent your late summer with deliciously fragrant flowers.