- Scented geraniums (Pelargonium) are known for their ornamental blossoms and foliage as well as their tantalizing fragrances. They do well in pots outside during the summer or indoors year-round, according to Herbs2000.com. The website notes that they must be wintered indoors in northern climates. Many gardeners treat geraniums as annuals and simply let them die in the autumn. But scented ones particularly deserve to come in out of the cold due to fragrances such as apple, cinnamon, lemon and mint. Herbs2000.com says to keep their roots slightly pot-bound to limit height and prune stem tips to encourage branching.
- Although pleasantly aromatic and edible, kitchen herbs often become invasive in the garden. Containers are one strategy for limiting their spread. Some of the easiest ones to grow in containers are basil, chives, lemongrass, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, thyme and Vietnamese coriander, according to the Divine Caroline website. While oregano and thyme need about six hours of sunlight a day, the others can get by with much less.
- Although their blossoms vary in size and showiness, all jasmine plants are fragrant. They are often grown in containers and can be trained up small trellises or pruned to create a more compact, shrub-like shape. One popular species is Jasminus sambac, also known as pikake or Arabian jasmine, which is available in a number of varieties. The Top Tropicals website notes that the Maid of Orleans variety is the easiest to grow and produces large flowers used in Hawaiian leis. For indoor use, the website recommends pruning it frequently and maintaining temperatures no lower than 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Two shrubs that do well in containers and produce heady fragrances are lavender and tea olive (Osmanthus fragrans). The white blossoms of tea olive smell like ripe apricots. Although lavender planted in gardens can survive cold winters, tea olive can't. If cultivated in areas colder than U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 8 to 10, tea olive must be grown in containers and overwintered indoors, according to the Floridata website.
Regarding containerized lavender, Colorado State University says one major consideration is the size of container. Although the roots like to be crowded, the root ball is much larger than the plant. So it requires a large pot, but one that is only 1 to 2 inches larger in diameter than the root ball.