Skip The Hydrangeas: The Fragrant Shrub That's Filled With Beautiful White Flowers

Hydrangeas definitely have their positives — they are easy to find at garden nurseries, and they have eye-catching blooms. But there are times when you may want to reach for something different. If you have the right growing conditions, you can add Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum) to your garden instead. This is one of the low maintenance alternatives to hydrangeas you'll love for its beguiling fragrance and beautiful white flowers. Plus, it's native to a wide swath of North America, making it a great option for attracting pollinators to your yard.

Just like some hydrangeas, Labrador tea provides a floral display composed of showy white blooms. Maxing out at 6 and ½ feet tall, Labrador tea is one of the best flowering shrubs to plant if you have a small yard or garden. And its foliage is great for adding texture to your space, with oblong leaves that have leathery, green tops, and rust-colored, hairy undersides. That foliage has a spice-like scent, and its white flowers with prominent stamens are also fragrant. This evergreen shrub is a type of rhododendron and is well-adapted to northern climates — it's native to the Pacific Northwest, Upper Midwest, Mid-Atlantic states, and New England, as well as parts of Canada. If you live in one of these regions, you may have some growing in your backyard already.

For those in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 6 who don't yet have any of these shrubs, this is one of the plants you need to create the perfect secret garden getaway — especially if you have moist or boggy conditions in your yard. Labrador tea can grow in typical garden soil, but it also thrives in damp conditions. If you have a wet or moist zone in your yard, you can include this branching, rounded shrub no matter the sun exposure, although it's best to skip growing it in hot locations. And unlike hydrangeas, this fragrant option will even thrive in full shade. However, while it is flexible on its sun requirements, it is particular in its soil preference — acidic soil is vital.

The attractive, lacy, white flowers of Labrador tea will draw in pollinators such as bees and butterflies, making it perfect for a native plant or pollinator themed garden. You can expect fragrant blooms from late spring until the end of summer. This low-maintenance hydrangea alternative also works perfectly in woodland gardens, and of course, bog gardens. However, you may wish to keep this slow grower out of your edible garden to avoid mix ups, as all parts of this species are highly toxic.