Most of us recognize various fragrances when we enter a garden. Learning to identify the various notes is an entirely different thing.
If you walked into my garden and smelled and old rose cultivar, first you would smell the quickly vanishing head notes, then the deeper middle notes and finally the strong base notes that remain even after the flower has wilted and begun to dry up.
Here are a list of plants according to their dominant notes, then grouped by the fragrance they share.
Head Notes:
These are the first notes you'll smell. They are lively but quickly fleeting
Citrus Scents
Monarda - Bee Balm (Leaves)Buddleja davidii - Butterfly BushCitrus mitis - CalamondinCitrus bergamia - Citrus BergamontRosa × damascena - Damask Rose 'Madame Hardy'Rosa - English Rose 'Heritage'Eucalyptus vitriodora (Leaves)Dictamnus - Gas Plant (Leaves)Rosa - Hybrid Tea Rose 'Fragrant Cloud'Citrus × limon - LemonPhiladelphus x virginalis - Mock OrangeOsmathus spp.Pelargonium crispum - GeraniumSkimmia japonicaSouthern magnolia - Magnolia grandifloraHerbal Scents
Allium spp.Ocimum basilicum - Basil (Leaves)Laurus nobilis - Bay Laurel Anethum graveolens - Dill (Leaves)Lavandula - LavenderMelissa officinalis - Lemon Balm (Leaves)Levisticum officinale - Lovage (Leaves)Origanum vulgare - Oregano (Leaves)Mentha - Mint (Leaves)Rosmarinus officinalis - Rosemary (Leaves)Salvia officinalis - Sage (Leaves)Salvia splendens - Scarlet Sage (Leaves)Thymus vulgaris - Thyme (Leaves)Artemisia - Wormwoof (Leaves)Middle Notes:
These are the scents that are longest lasting and more potent than head notes.
Flowery Scents
Rosa -Alba rose 'Konigin van Danemark'Cyclamen spp.DaphneRosa - Floribunda rose 'Escapade'Lonicera - HoneysuckleHyacinthRosa - Hybrid Tea Rose 'Mr. Lincoln'Jasminum - JasmineSyringa vulgaris - LilacConvallaria majalis - Lily of the Valley(Iris x germanica var. florentina - OrrisrootOsmanthus spp.Pelargonium graveolens - Geranium (Leaves)Ptelea trifoliata - HoptreePolianthes tuberosa - TuberoseChimonanthus - WintersweetGreen Scents
Culinary HerbsFernsHayIvyLeavesLichenMentha - MintMossGalium odoratum - Sweet WoodruffFruit-Sugar Scents
Malus - ApplePrunus armeniaca - ApricotLaurus nobilis - Bay Laurel Buddleja davidii - Butterfly BushCoconutCrocosmia spp.Robinia pseudoacacia - False acaciaFreesiaPhlox paniculata hybrids - Garden PhloxUlex - GorseIrisNarcissus jonquilla - JonquilLaburnum - Golden Chain TreeLupinMahonia spp.Reseda - MignonetteMimosaPrunus persica - PeachPyrus - PearSalvia elegans - Pineapple SageCydonia oblonga - QuinceRosa - Rambler Rose 'Seagull'Rosa - Rambler Rose 'Kiftsgate'Rosa - Rambler Rose 'Bobbie James'Rubus - RaspberryAntirrhinum - SnapdragonSarcococca confusa - Sweet BoxLathyrus odoratus - Sweet peaViburnum bodnantenseWisteria
Spicy Scents
Pimpinella anisum - AniseMalus - AppleDianthus caryophyllus - CarnationCosmos atrosanguineus - Chocolate cosmosCinnamomum - CinnamonClematis armandiiRibes odoratum - Clove CurrentSyzygium aromaticum - ClovesGeranium - CranesbillBignonia capreolata - CrossvineHelichrysum italicum - Curry PlantRosa - Damask Rose 'Kazanlik'Foeniculum vulgare - Fennel (Leaves)Zingiber officinale - GingerCercidiphyllum japonicum - Katsura Tree (leaves)Choisya ternata - Mexican OrangeMoonflowerPelargonium quercifoliumRosa - Rugosa Rose 'Blanc Double de Coubert'Rosa - Rugosa Rose 'Delicata'Spartium junceum - Spanish BroomStachys citrina - Woolly BetonyComptonia peregrina - Sweet FernViburnum x burkwoodii - Burkwood ViburnumErysimum - WallflowerBase Notes
These fragrances are stronger and more persistent then the other notes. They are the last to be noticed.