This popular plant will leave your garden looking and smelling greatNiamh Kirk and Nicola Croal Trends, Showbiz and Lifestyle Writer
16:28, 15 Mar 2026
The plant will flower all summer long(Image: Konstantinos Livadas via Getty Images)
Summer is fast approaching – and there’s no better time to start transforming your garden to make the most of the warmer weather. Enthusiastic gardeners will be heading outside armed with their pruners, trowels and shovels, ready to plant flowers to enjoy throughout the summer months.
But there’s one particular plant that everyone should consider growing that will keep gardens smelling delightful all summer long – whilst also being an attractive addition to any outdoor space. Experts suggest beginning with star jasmine, or Trachelospermum jasminoides.
Boasting a rich vanilla scent, it can be grown in a pot, making it perfect for those with smaller gardens or patios, or it can be planted directly into the ground. According to Homes and Garden, star jasmine will deliver a “strong fragrance and a lovely, delicate look”.
It’s excellent for trailing over trellises and fences as a classic climbing plant, which also makes it ideal for compact gardens as it grows upwards. An additional benefit is that it’s a dependable winter plant too, as the versatile foliage will persist even during colder months, the Mirror reports.
The easy plant will make your garden smell amazing(Image: Aalok Aich / 500px via Getty Images)
Head of Gardens, Rachel Bull, said: “The scent of star jasmine intensifies in the evenings and reminds me of balmy summer nights at home – but its evergreen foliage provides interest and freshness in the colder seasons. I have always planted my star jasmine in containers, so that I can move them around.
“This was ideal when we moved house several years ago, and I was able to bring them with me”. However, she advised re-potting every two years and refreshing the soil as it gradually becomes depleted of nutrients.
The expert also noted that transferring it into a slightly larger pot will encourage continued growth and increased flower production.
If you’re considering planting some star jasmine, Rachel recommended spring as the optimal time, as it will bloom later in the season.
She also emphasised the importance of considering sunlight and temperature, as these plants thrive in direct light and warmth.
Ensuring you re-prune in late spring or early summer will help the plant regenerate quickly and keep your outdoor space smelling and looking fantastic.
She added: “I’ve found that getting the watering right is the key to a healthy star jasmine plant. Too little water and I’ve had lots of leaves turning red and falling off my plants.”
Meanwhile, you can make your outdoor space even more attractive by drawing in birds with a simple food they love.
According to Martin Cormican, known as Martin’s Birdwatch on Instagram, the secret to luring robins into your garden during March is simply putting out some apple.
Whilst other fruits work well too, this appears to be a firm favourite.
To entice them, provide small, fresh apple slices or place them onto a bird platform feeder. Robins naturally feed on berries and fruits from trees and shrubs, which explains their attraction to fruit.
They’re particularly keen on it throughout the spring period.
Comments are closed.