Top Picks - Delightfully Fragrant Rose Varieties!

Charlotte Weidner | February 14, 2026

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - William Shakespeare

Rose lovers the world over know that Roses are far more than just beautiful flowers. The scent of roses can transform a drab day into an exceptional one. Soothing the mind and nerves while enlivening the senses!

Available in several forms: shrub, small trees, climbing, Grandiflora, Floribunda, groundcover, Rugosas and Hybrid Teas. If it's fragrance you want, then you're sure to find one that fits your garden and your personal style too!

Today we’ll look closer at these perfumed beauties:

1. Sweet Drift Rose
2. Livin Easy Rose
3. Violet’s Pride Rose
4. Anna's Promise Rose
5. White Licorice Rose

Plus some honorable mentions we just couldn't leave out!

1. Sweet Drift Rose

Groundcover Roses are low-growing carpets of non-stop blooms, and Sweet Drift is a fantastic Rose with incredible double-petaled blooms in a clear soft pink! One of the most fragrant of the Drift series, the fragrance is a sweet and true-rose scent that never overwhelms the senses!

You’ll enjoy well-branched bunches filled with pink blooms for floral arrangements! Plus non-stop blooms with very little work from you! Perfect edging plants that greet you with fragrance along your pathways!

2. Livin Easy Rose

The award-winning Livin Easy Rose features a sweet, citrusy scent on equally juicy apricot, yellow and orange blossoms with a touch of pink! Fully double and ruffled, these vigorous Roses have all the modern perks of disease resistance and heat tolerance.

A Floribunda shrub Rose, these are non-stop bloomers with a perky, vivacious sense of style! Fantastic specimen and accent roses, they deserve the spotlight in your garden beds and Cutting gardens!

3. Violet’s Pride Rose

Another Floribunda, Violet's Pride is a sultry lilac-pink, is named after one of our favorite characters in the TV series Downton Abbey! The fragrance is citrusy and spicy! A fantastic combination that will enchant the nose and soothe weary senses!

The invigorating scent is fantastic indoors and out, great additions to floral arrangements, your nose never had it so good! These are just as hardy, resistant and tolerant as modern Roses come!

4. Anna's Promise Rose

A Grandiflora Rose, Anna’s Promise also hails from the Downton Abbey cast of characters and features lavish, large flowers in a golden coppery-orange! Featuring succulent juicy scents of citrus, rose and apples, it’s as perfect a cut flower as it is a hardy shrub rose!

The color alone makes these alluring blooms, but they’re also a delight for the nose too! Shrub Roses are as fantastic in the landscape as they are in the bouquet, perfuming the air anywhere they go.

5. White Licorice Rose

Creamy, warm and serene, White Licorice Rose is a Floribunda with ivory blossoms with a hint of lemon-chiffon coloration. But the real draw is their licorice and lemony scent that fills the nose and the garden in delightful perfume!

With a glowing, moonbeam-like color, and unusual scent, White Licorice is a feast for your senses! Available in a tree form and a shrub, this classic Rose is nothing short of heavenly!

Honorable Mentions

Julia Child Floribunda Rose

Available in both shrub and tree form, this showstopper was chosen by the world-renowned chef herself as her namesake! The large buttery-yellow blooms are full, round and ruffled. With a very strong spicy scent with a touch of licorice, Floribunda Roses feature increased flowering and hardiness. Not to mention long-blooming, disease resistant and easy-care.

Zephirine Drouhin Climbing Rose

THE classic Climbing Rose, setting the bar for all that follow. Blooming in sun or light shade, but also a distinctive strongly scented Damask Rose fragrance that makes you stop and breathe deep! Climbing Roses can reach incredible heights, and Zephirine Drouhin is an antique, nearly thornless selection with a high petal count!

Easy Elegance Sweet Fragrance Rose

Just as the name suggests, this easy-care Rose has an unforgettably sweet fragrance! The apricot-colored blooms return all season! Great cut flowers and deliciously scented bouquets. Blooming until frost, this Grandiflora features the hardiness, disease resistance and vigor of a true Landscape Rose!

Treat your nose!

Regardless of form, Roses elevate a garden or a bouquet beyond simple beauty to a full sensory experience! Here at Nature Hills, we have many types of fragrant Rose selections available, so, stop by and bring some divine fragrance into your home and garden this year with one or more of these fantastic selections!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most fragrant roses?

The most fragrant roses include Sweet Drift Rose with its sweet, true-rose scent, award-winning Livin Easy Rose featuring citrusy notes on apricot-orange blooms, and Violet's Pride Rose offering a spicy-citrus fragrance on lilac-pink flowers. These varieties span different growth habits from groundcover Drift roses to vigorous Floribunda shrubs, all providing continuous blooms throughout the growing season. For maximum fragrance impact, plant these roses along pathways or near seating areas where you can fully enjoy their perfume, and consider cutting gardens to bring the scents indoors.

What roses smell the best?

The most fragrant roses include Sweet Drift Rose with its sweet, true-rose scent, Livin Easy Rose offering a citrusy fragrance, and Violet's Pride Rose featuring spicy-citrus notes. Rugosa roses and David Austin English roses are also renowned for exceptional fragrance, typically thriving in zones 4-9. Traditional Hybrid Teas like Mister Lincoln and Double Delight produce intensely fragrant blooms from late spring through fall. Plant these varieties in full sun locations where you'll frequently walk by to fully enjoy their perfume.

Are drift roses fragrant?

Yes, drift roses are fragrant, with Sweet Drift Rose being one of the most fragrant varieties in the Drift series. Sweet Drift produces a sweet, true-rose scent that never overwhelms the senses while delivering double-petaled soft pink blooms throughout the growing season. These low-growing groundcover roses reach 18-24 inches tall and are hardy in zones 4-11, making them excellent choices for pathway edging where you can enjoy their fragrance up close. Plant them along walkways or garden borders where their continuous blooms and pleasant scent can be appreciated daily.

Do roses have a scent?

Yes, many rose varieties are highly fragrant with scents ranging from sweet and classic rose to citrusy, spicy, or fruity notes. However, fragrance intensity varies significantly between cultivars, with some modern hybrid roses bred more for appearance than scent. Groundcover roses like Sweet Drift, Floribunda varieties such as Livin Easy, and traditional Hybrid Teas typically offer the strongest fragrances. For maximum scent, plant fragrant roses near walkways, patios, or windows where you can enjoy their perfume daily.

How do I prune fragrant rose varieties like Double Delight to encourage more blooms?

Prune fragrant hybrid tea roses like Double Delight in late winter or early spring (zones 5-9) when buds begin to swell but before new growth emerges. Make clean cuts at a 45-degree angle about 1/4 inch above outward-facing buds, removing dead, diseased, and crossing canes first, then reducing remaining healthy canes by one-third to one-half their height. Remove spent blooms throughout the growing season by cutting back to the first five-leaflet leaf to encourage continuous flowering. Focus on opening the center of the bush for good air circulation while maintaining 3-5 strong, healthy canes as your framework.

Do roses smell good?

Yes, many rose varieties are highly fragrant with scents ranging from sweet and classic rose fragrance to citrusy and spicy notes. Fragrant varieties include groundcover types like Sweet Drift Rose with its true-rose scent, and Floribunda roses like Livin Easy with citrusy fragrance and Violet's Pride with spicy-citrus notes. However, fragrance intensity varies significantly between cultivars, with some modern roses bred more for appearance than scent. Choose varieties specifically noted for fragrance and plant them near pathways or windows where you can best enjoy their perfume.

Do roses smell sweet?

Yes, roses are naturally fragrant with most varieties producing sweet, pleasant scents that range from classic rose fragrance to citrusy, spicy, or fruity notes. The intensity and character of fragrance varies significantly between rose types, with varieties like Sweet Drift Rose offering a true sweet rose scent, while others like Livin Easy Rose provide citrusy aromas. Fragrance is typically strongest during warm morning hours after dew evaporates. Choose fragrant varieties like Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, or rugosas and plant them near patios, walkways, or windows where you can best enjoy their perfume.

What is the best time to plant fragrant roses like Double Delight or Angel Face in my garden?

The best time to plant fragrant roses like Double Delight or Angel Face is in early spring after the last frost date, or in fall 6-8 weeks before your first hard frost. In zones 3-6, spring planting (April-May) gives roses time to establish before winter, while zones 7-10 can plant successfully in fall (October-November) when cooler temperatures reduce transplant stress. Plant bare-root roses as soon as soil can be worked in spring, and container roses anytime during the growing season with adequate watering. Choose a location with morning sun, good air circulation, and well-draining soil for optimal fragrance production.

How much full sun do varieties like Sweet Drift or Zephirine Drouhin need daily for optimal blooming?

Roses like Sweet Drift and Zephirine Drouhin require a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal blooming and disease resistance, though 8+ hours produces the most abundant flowers. Morning sun is particularly crucial as it helps dry dew from foliage, reducing fungal problems common in humid conditions. In zones 9-10, some afternoon shade can actually benefit roses during peak summer heat. Position your roses where they receive strong morning light through early afternoon for the best fragrance production and bloom count.

What type of soil is ideal for growing highly fragrant roses such as Chrysler Imperial or Julia Child?

Highly fragrant roses like Chrysler Imperial and Julia Child thrive in well-draining, fertile soil with a pH between 6.0-7.0. The ideal soil should be rich in organic matter, with good air circulation around the root zone to prevent fungal issues that can diminish bloom production and fragrance intensity. Amend heavy clay or sandy soils with 2-3 inches of compost before planting. Test your soil pH and adjust with lime or sulfur as needed, then mulch around the base to retain moisture and suppress weeds.