Small? Check — Fragrant? Check — 6 Shrubs to Plant That Will Smell Amazing on a Balcony or in a Micro Garden

In a small outdoor space, such as a balcony, it pays to plan your planting for maximum color, texture, and scent. The small fragrant flowering shrubs for balcony planting mentioned ahead have been chosen by horticultural experts for their suitability for pots and planters in a limited footprint.

These balcony plants or terrace plants will not only fill your space with color and perfume, but they will also attract butterflies and other pollinators. So, a grey city space can feel more like a lush natural oasis.

Whether your balcony is sunny, shady, or a combination of both, discover the shrubs experts suggest for filling your space with fragrant flowers.

1. Shrubby St John's Wort (Hypericum prolificum)

Well known for its medicinal properties, Shrubby St John's Wort is a unique and useful plant with beautiful bright yellow flowers. So, it's a cheerful and vibrant option for terrace garden ideas or balcony planting. It can be grown in full sun to partial shade and will do well in average to moist well-drained soils.

Rebecca McMackin, ecological gardener and representative for The American Horticultural Society tells us that shrubby St John's Wort can be grown in zones 3-8 and can reach up to 3' tall and wide.

"It will bloom for 3 months in summer," says Rebecca. "The foliage can be blue-green, evergreen in places and aromatic when crushed. "The scent is subtle, but rewarding and often described as 'faint butterscotch' Pollinators also love St John's Wort, and you can watch native bees collect the pollen."

Rebecca McMackin

Rebecca McMackin is an ecological horticulturist and garden designer. She lives in the woods of Connecticut, writing, lecturing, and designing the occasional garden. Rebecca holds a M.Sc. in Biology from the University of Victoria, and a M.Sc. in Landscape Design from Columbia University. She works to educate people on ecological landscape management and pollination ecology and is part of the Lifelong Learning Program at the AHS.

2. Smooth Rose (Rosa blanda)

This North American native can be planted in full sun and will grow up to 3-5' tall. Although it's a great plant for a prairie-style yard, it is suitable for container gardening on balconies and patios too.

"The saying goes, every rose has its thorn but Rosa blanda really doesn't," says Rebecca. "The smooth rose has very few, soft thorns and still delivers large fragrant flowers in late spring and summer.

"It's best in a pot because it runs around in the garden. Although, it does require some pruning as it can get gangly. It's also fun to watch bumblebees 'buzz pollinate' on the flowers."

3. Summer Sweet (Clethra alnifolia)

Summer sweet is a native North American shrub that is popular as a fragrant flower for shade. It can be grown in hardiness zones 3-9 in average to moist soils and can actually thrive in both sun or partial shade.

"Summer Sweet is one of the best aromas you can find," says Rebecca. "Some say it smells like candy. The white flowers bloom from July to August. It also has incredible foliar green, really rich and deep, with lovely fall color."

Rebecca continues: "It's one of the most important pollen sources for many native bees. There are many dwarf cultivars available that work better in containers: Sixteen Candles, Vanilla Spice, Tom's Compact and Hummingbird are just some that can be grown in pots and planters."

4. Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum sambac)

This tropical climbing shrub will flower on and off all spring (after the last frost), summer, and fall, so you get a lot of bloom for your buck–and your balcony square footage. It requires a pole or trellis to climb and will need to be pruned to be kept in shape and prevent it from becoming straggly.

Arabian Jasmine will even bloom indoors over the winter if you bring it inside to your indoor garden and give it good light levels. This plant is one of Justin Hancock, horticulturist at Costa Farms, recommendations for its flowers and its fragrance.

"The fragrance from this plant is light and sweet—think Jasmine tea," says Justin. "In fact it is the species that is used for jasmine tea. I love that the scent is never overwhelming and heavy.

"The flowers are white and there are varieties that come in single and double (with extra petals, so they look more like a mini chrysanthemum than the traditional Jasmine). It grows best in full sun or afternoon sun with morning shade. Water the plant as the top half or so of the potting mix dries to the touch and protect it from frost."

Justin Hancock

Justin Hancock is Costa Farms Horticulturist with 25+ years in the industry. A plant enthusiast and educator, he has a degree in horticultural science and has worked in garden centers and botanical gardens, as a garden designer, and in garden publishing. He has experience gardening across the country, from Minnesota to Oregon to Miami.

5. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

Butterfly Bush for a balcony? Yes, according to Justin Hancock, horticultural expert, Costa Farms. Of course, if you want to start a butterfly garden, a backyard is best. But it's still possible to create a beautiful, fragrant, floral oasis on a balcony and support pollinators at the same time.

"Traditionally, Butterfly Bush was relegated to the landscape because they were large plants that could get 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide," explains Justin. "But happily, plant breeders have come out with newer varieties — such as the Butterfly Candy series —that stay smaller and are perfect for patios and balconies.

"Butterfly Bush is a go-to because of its rich, honey-like scent (that’s most obvious in warm, humid weather) and how attractive it is to pollinators like butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. Butterfly Bush comes in a wide variety of colors, so it’s easy to personalize your look.

"I’m especially fond of dark purple varieties. It’s a sun lover and grows best in all-day sun or some morning shade and afternoon sun. It’s relatively drought tolerant, but blooms best if it’s kept moist, so water as the top 25 percent or so of the potting mix dries to the touch. Because it’s relatively hardy (zones 5 to 10), you can overwinter it in a protected spot from year to year if you want to keep it."

6. Sweet Box (Sarcococca confusa)

This dependable scented evergreen shrub is a wonderful choice for a balcony that doesn't catch too much sun. It will grow up to 3-5 feet tall (1-1.5 m) and can thrive in a city, as it is tolerant of pollution. It's also suitable in small backyards as hedging, or a privacy screen. Although, if you have pets or small children, be aware it produces berries that are poisonous if eaten.

Tamara Hogan, plant expert, Fast-Growing Trees tells us Sweet box packs a punch when it comes to fragrance. "It produces small white, sweetly-scented flowers in spring, which will not be missed," says Tamara.

"Sweet box is a broadleaf evergreen so you may need to keep an eye out on temperatures, as there may be some leaf shed if it is too cold. Overall, these shrubs can be shaped and treated similar to hollies and privets. They don’t have many problems and are a rather resistant variety. Although, they don’t do well with a lot of sun, so it’s a great pick for partial to full shade balconies and gardens."

FAQs

Which Scented Balcony Plants Are Suitable for Shade?

Sweet box (Sarcococca confusa) mentioned above likes to grow in full or partial shade. Shrubby St John's Wort will also do well in partial shade, as will Summer sweet (Clethra arnifolia).

A lack of sunlight on your balcony, doesn't have to equate to a lack of foliage, flowers or fragrance, with the right choices.

These small fragrant shrubs will certainly add a touch of color and sweetness to your balcony and terrace. If you're currently living in a home and want to add color and brightness to your backyard, there is a delightful selection of flowers you can choose from for a nice smelling backyard.

From gardenias to roses, the choice is endless. So grab your planting gear and get ready to create your own foliage just in time for spring.

If you're an avid gardener and you're looking to give your gardening tools a refresh, this Gardening Tools Set of 10 from Amazon is the perfect touch of style and functionality.