Why Scent Belongs at the Dinner Table

A patio can look lovely and still feel a little flat. Add fragrance and the whole space changes: guests relax, conversation lingers, and a simple supper feels like an occasion. Scent works on us before we have consciously noticed it, drifting across the table on a warm evening and attaching itself to memories of long, easy meals outdoors. In the UK, where a balmy evening is a gift to be seized, planting for fragrance is one of the best investments you can make in your outdoor living space.

The trick is to place scent where you sit, not simply where it looks good from the kitchen window. Aim for a mix of daytime and evening performers, plus a few herbs you can brush against or pinch as you cook.

Fragrant Climbers for Walls and Pergolas

Climbers are the backbone of a scented dining area. They lift fragrance to nose height and screen you from neighbours at the same time.

• Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) — glossy evergreen leaves and creamy white flowers from June to August. It needs a sunny, sheltered wall and will happily reach 4–6 metres. Its scent is sweet and heady, strongest in early evening.
• Common jasmine (Jasminum officinale) — a looser, twining climber with white flowers from midsummer. Give it a warm south or west-facing wall and tie it in regularly.
• Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) — a British native with a fragrance that carries beautifully at dusk. 'Belgica' flowers early, 'Serotina' later, so plant both for a longer season. It prefers its roots in shade and its head in sun.
• Climbing roses — 'Gertrude Jekyll' and 'Jude the Obscure' are superb for fragrance near a table. Train them along a pergola beam so blooms hang above your heads rather than in your face.

Plant climbers in autumn or early spring, watering well through their first summer. Feed with a balanced rose or tomato feed from April, and prune according to the plant's habit — jasmine after flowering, honeysuckle in late winter.

Herbs Within Arm's Reach

Herbs earn their place twice over: they scent the air when brushed and they season the meal. Keep them close to the table, in pots or a raised trough so you can reach without leaving your chair.

• Rosemary — evergreen, drought-tolerant and wonderful with lamb. It needs sharp drainage and full sun.
• Thyme — low-growing and perfect for edging a patio. Plant in gravel to keep the foliage dry and aromatic.
• Lavender — English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the most fragrant. Trim after flowering, but never into old wood.
• Mint and lemon balm — keep these in pots, as they spread. A sprig in a jug of water on the table is a small, lovely touch.
• Basil and coriander — tender herbs for summer pots; sow successionally for a constant supply.

Group herbs in generous containers — a 30cm pot holds a decent rosemary or three thymes. Terracotta dries out quickly, so water daily in hot spells, or line the pot with a plastic inner to slow evaporation.

Evening Bloomers for Warm Nights

Some of the best scented plants save their perfume for after dark. These are the ones that make a late supper memorable.

• Nicotiana — tall, moth-pollinated varieties such as 'Lime Green' and Nicotiana sylvestris release a rich, sweet scent from dusk. Sow under cover in March for flowers from July.
• Night-scented stock (Matthiola bicornis) — unremarkable by day, extraordinary after sunset. Scatter seed directly in May and again in July for a long season.
• Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) — pale yellow flowers that open in the evening and glow softly. It self-seeds freely, so plant it where you don't mind it wandering.
• Sweet rocket (Hesperis matronalis) — lilac or white flowers in late spring with a violet-like fragrance that is strongest at night.

A tender Brugmansia or Cestrum nocturnum, overwintered indoors, will perfume a sheltered patio right through late summer.

Planning for Success: Position, Shelter and Season

A few practical points make the difference between a scented patio and a disappointing one.

First, shelter. Fragrance lingers in still air; on a windy site it vanishes. Use a fence, hedge or slatted screen to break the worst of the wind, and place the most fragrant plants on the sheltered side of the table. A south or west-facing wall absorbs heat through the day and releases it in the evening, which intensifies scent.

Second, height and layers. Aim for fragrance at three levels: climbers overhead, shrubs and tall perennials at the edges, and low herbs and bedding near the ground. A Philadelphus or a compact Daphne in a large pot works well as a mid-height anchor.

Third, succession. Nothing is more disappointing than a patio that smells wonderful for three weeks in June and then nothing. Mix spring performers such as wallflowers and lilac with summer jasmine, lavender and roses, then late-summer nicotiana, honeysuckle and sedum for the bees. Add Sarcococca near the door for winter scent.

Finally, maintenance. Deadhead regularly to keep flowers coming, water containers generously in dry spells, and top-dress pots with compost each spring. A little care goes a long way, and a scented dining space rewards you every single evening you use it.