WHY DO FLOWERS HAVE A SCENT?

1. Each flower has its own smell. This smell is called a scent. Roses are know for their sweet scent. They are often used in weddings.

2. A flower's scent comes from oil. This isn't like oil in a car. It's a special oil deep in the petals of the flower. Bits of the oil escape and get carried into the air. It reaches your nose as a pleasant odor.

3. Bees also notice the scent of flowers. This draws them deep inside the flower. The bees search for juices that can be taken back to their hive. At the same time, part of the flower gets stuck on their bodies. It is called pollen. Pollen is tiny seeds that need to be spread from flower to flower. The bees do this job for the flower without realizing it.

4. Not all flowers smell nice. Some have bad scents that attract flies. People don't usually grow those kinds of flowers in their gardens.

5. Other flowers don't seem to have a scent. They don't attract bees or other insects. Instead the wind picks up their pollen and blows it into a nearby flower.