12 Fragrant Indoor Plants That Will Make Your Home Smell Like a Garden

Angel's Trumpet

This South American tree, Brugmansia x candida, gets its common name from the heavily scented, trumpet-shaped flowers, says Mercer. "The flowers are most fragrant in the evening and smell sweet with musk, lemon, and jasmine notes," she says. "It will grow and bloom best if kept outside during the summer."

When the outdoor temperatures fall below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, Mercer recommends bringing the plant inside. "You can let it go dormant in the winter and store it in a cool dry space, or keep it as a houseplant in a warm, sunny window," she says.

• Size: 3 to 6 feet tall
• Growing conditions: full sun; evenly moist soil
  

Calamondin Orange

Though this tree won't provide any fruit unless you hand-pollinate it, you can still enjoy its citrus aroma. "Citrofortunella mitis produces tiny white, star-shaped flowers with a sweet, orange blossom fragrance," says Mercer. "Place them in the sunniest location you can find, and consider putting them outdoors in the summer for an extra boost of UV."

• Size: 6 to 10 feet
• Growing conditions: full sun; slightly dry, acidic soil
  

Gardenia

The iconic scent of gardenia blooms has inspired an infinite number of perfumes and home fragrances. "Gardenias are notorious for being high maintenance both indoors and outdoors," says Mercer. "Their need for high humidity and warm temperatures give them their diva reputation, but the heady blooms are worth the effort."

• Size: up to 4 feet tall
• Growing conditions: direct sun in the morning with afternoon shade; acidic soil
  

Tea Rose Begonia

"Most begonias aren't known for their fragrance, but there are are few varieties that have a light, sweet smell," says Mercer. The tea rose is a prime example. "Tea rose begonia features prolific light pink blooms year-round," she says. "Begonias like ample humidity and bloom best with humidity levels around 50 percent."

• Size: 12 inches tall (in a container)
• Growing conditions: bright, indirect light; rich, moist, well-drained soil
  

Bay Laurel

If you prefer a savory smell to a sweet one, opt for evergreen bay laurel. "Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) has fragrant leaves that smell of balsam, herbs, and citrus, especially when rubbed or crushed," says Mercer.

• Size: 4 to 8 feet tall
• Growing conditions: full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
  

Hoya

Hoyas come in a variety of colors—white, pink, and purple, among others—and leaf shapes. "Most species or varieties produce clusters of waxy, star-shaped flowers that may smell like chocolate, citrus or vanilla!" says Hancock. "One of my favorites is Hoya carnosa Rubra, which has large floral clusters and thick green leaves with a creamy-gold center. It can bloom on and off throughout the year if it gets enough light."

• Size: 4 to 6 feet
• Growing conditions: full sun; well-drained soil
  

Passionflower

Most passionflower species don't have an aroma, says Hancock, but the Vanilla Cream variety is an exception. The white flowers, which smell like honey, bloom throughout the year.

"It stays smaller than a lot of other common passionflowers, so it’s easier to enjoy inside since you don’t have to do a ton of pruning to keep it in check," says Hancock. "The flowers open in the morning and often close between lunchtime and midday, so if you grow it, be sure to keep it where you’ll be able to enjoy the scent."

• Size: 2 to 15 feet
• Growing conditions: full sun; well-drained soil
  

Arabian Jasmine

Though typically grown as an outdoor plant, Hancock has seen Arabian jasmine successfully produce blooms while overwintering in a sunny office.

"The habit is a little awkward—it's not quite a vine, but it's too lanky to be a well-behaved shrub unless you do a lot of pruning," he says. "[But] the flowers are beautiful: pearl-like buds gracefully open to pure white flowers that have a sweet jasmine scent. (This is the jasmine used to add fragrance to green tea.) There are single-flowering and double-flowering varieties available; in my personal experience, the single-flowering types tend to produce more flowers than the doubles."

• Size: 6 to 10 feet tall
• Growing conditions: full sun; well-drained soil
  

Scented Geranium

Pelargonium geraniums come in more than a dozen varieties; three of Hancock's go-to choices are Atomic Snowflake, Chocolate Mint, and Orange Fizz.

"The big, fuzzy leaves [of Atomic Snowflake] are soft and variegated with irregular creamy-white edges. When rubbed, the leaves have a citrusy scent with floral undertones," Hancock says. "Chocolate Mint is another favorite—it has large, fuzzy leaves with a purple blotch in the center and a minty fragrance with chocolately undertones. Orange Fizz, like its name suggests, is scented like a bottle of orange soda."

• Size: 12 to 18 inches tall
• Growing conditions: full sun; well-drained soil
  

Stephanotis

"A lovely flowering vine with pure-white, waxy, star-shaped flowers and thick leathery leaves, it's fun to wrap around a pole or trellis," says Hancock. "If it gets enough light, it pushes out clusters of those fragrant flowers—which have a moderately strong floral scent—on and off from spring to fall."

• Size: 3 to 4 feet tall
• Growing conditions: full sun; well-drained soil
  

Eucalyptus

The earthy fragrance of eucalyptus is a natural complement to the more floral scents of the other blooms on this list. "Eucalyptus is a fun one because it provides year-round fragrance from the foliage rather than sporadic flowers," says Hancock. "It's also an architectural plant, with its upright growth and silvery-blue rounded leaves. If you have enough light—and patience—you can grow it into a tree form."

• Size: 3 feet tall
• Growing conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil
  

Lady of the Night Orchids

Striking Brassavola nodosa, also known as Lady of the Night orchids, bloom prolifically throughout the year and give off an especially notable aroma at night. "Brassavola nodosa has a strong, sweet scent, like lily of the valley," says Mercer.

• Size: 6 inches tall
• Growing conditions: partial sun; well-drained soil