The Sweet Smell of... Garden Flowers Quiz

Answer: lily of the valley

Though its flowers may look small and unassuming, lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) is big on scent. The sweet fragrance of this spring-flowering plant, a perennial that grows from a rhizome, is widely used in perfumery, often under the plant's French name of "muguet".

A native of Europe, though found in most of the Northern Hemisphere's temperate regions, lily of the valley thrives in partial shade; all parts of the plant, including its attractive red berries, are poisonous. As its flowers are most often white (pink is much rarer), lily of the valley is often used in wedding bouquets, though it tends to be quite expensive.

Answer: honeysuckle

Common honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum), also known as woodbine, is an Old World native climbing plant often found in hedgerows or woodlands. It is valued in gardens because it can grow to a large size so as to cover walls or other outbuildings, as well as for the intense fragrance of its flowers - which tends to be stronger at night than during the day. Honeysuckle needs to be planted with its roots in the shade, and the flowering part exposed to the sun.

The plant's name comes from its sweet nectar, which is an important food source for many species of moths.

Answer: gardenia

Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) is an evergreen shrub belonging to the coffee family. Originating in Asia, it grows wild in the eastern part of the continent, and thrives in warm temperate and subtropical climates. The scientific name "jasminoides" comes from the resemblance of its beautiful white blooms - whose unmistakable fragrance is highly prized in perfumery - to jasmine flowers. Because of their preference for warmer temperatures, gardenias are often grown as houseplants or in greenhouses, preferably out of direct sunlight; they bloom in summer and autumn.

Answer: carnation

A native of the Mediterranean region, carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) is a sun-loving, herbaceous perennial plant whose flowers - like those of other Dianthus species - boast petals with a frilled edge, as if cut with pinking shears. In their natural state, carnation flowers are bright pink, but a range of other colours (including green) have been developed. Carnations have a distinctive, somewhat old-fashioned scent, though non-fragrant varieties (often used as boutonnières by men) also exist. Red carnations are a symbol of the labour movement, while white carnations are associated with Mother's Day.

The Portuguese 1974 revolution, which brought democracy back to the country, is known as Carnation Revolution.

Answer: lilac

Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) is a relative of the olive tree native to the Balkan peninsula, but naturalized in most of Europe and North America. The cone-shaped flower clusters of these small deciduous trees have a sweet, pervasive fragrance; though they come in most cases in the soft, pale-violet colour that is named after the plant, white, pink and mauve also occur.

This hardy plant is widely cultivated in gardens and parks, where their scent attracts butterflies; the flowers are also often used in bouquets.

Answer: four o'clock flower

A native of tropical South America, four o'clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa) is also known by the Italian name of "bella di notte" (beautiful at night) - a reference to the tubular-shaped flowers' habit of opening in the late afternoon, when the sun starts going down and the temperature cools.

This perennial herbaceous plant grows best in warmer climates; its strong scent is reminiscent of the tobacco flower (Nicotiana). The flowers, which attract nocturnal pollinators such as moths, come in different colors (though dark pink is probably the most common), which can occasionally grow simultaneously from the same plant.

Answer: sweet autumn clematis

A native of Northeastern Asia, sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora) belongs to the buttercup family. It is a woody-stemmed vine that can climb to more than 25 ft (7.62 m); it thrives in full sun, but will also prosper in partial shade. In some parts of the eastern US it is so abundant that it has been classified as an invasive plant, though not yet detrimental to native species.

This plant's creamy white, intensely fragrant flowers bloom in the fall, and are frequently visited by bees.

Answer: hyacinth

Named after a Greek youth accidentally killed by Apollo, hyacinths (Hyacinthus orientalis) are native to the Eastern Mediterranean. With their dramatic spikes of brightly-coloured, bell-shaped flowers, they are among the most recognizable ornamental plants. Hyacinth flowers have a sweet, intensely floral scent, and come in many different shades - blue being probably the most popular. Associated with spring and rebirth, hyacinths grow from bulbs planted in the autumn in sun or partial shade; the bulbs are poisonous.

Answer: heliotrope

Heliotrope flowers are not only lovely to look at, but they also smell positively yummy! Not surprisingly, one of this plant's common names is "cherry pie", though the flowers are also said to smell like vanilla, almonds or grapes. Their name comes from Greek, and refers to the old belief that these plants would turn their flowers towards the sun.

A native of Peru, Garden heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens) is an evergreen shrub that produces clusters of bright pink purple flowers (which also gave their name to a colour), very popular in the Victorian era.

The plant's seeds are poisonous, and especially dangerous to horses.

Answer: lavender

Grown extensively in the southern French region of Provence (one of whose symbols it has become), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a native of the temperate regions of the Old World. A light shade of purple is named after the color of its fragile-looking flowers, whose fragrance is associated with cleanliness.

Indeed, the plant's name comes from the Latin "lavare", meaning "to wash", and its distinctive herbal scent is frequently used in soaps, laundry detergents and scented sachets. Lavender essential oil is prized for its soothing, relaxing properties; the dried flowers are used to make tea or as a culinary seasoning. Lavender thrives in Mediterranean climates, and is very popular as a garden plant because of its low water consumption.