What are these flowers?

[Toastiemaker]

I was walking near a river and I came across these flowers which smell devine. Can anyone tell me what they are please? Some were purple and others white. Thanks!

Look like stocks?

Yes stocks, probably the night scented variety. Stocks really have a beautiful scent, I grow the perennial white variety, they fill the night air.

I don’t think those are stocks, I would have said that was sweet rocket (Hesperis)

Ah, that was on our 'need to identify' list as well - again, by a river. Rocket came to mind but I didn't know it grew wild. It does look exactly like one of the photos on the wiki page.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesperismatronalis#/media/File:Dame'ss_rocket2.jpg

I don’t think that’s stocks either.

Have you tried Google lense?

Phlox have 5 petals, so I think @ErrolTheDragon is correct.

Dame’s rocket

Sweet rocket I think. That's what these are and I grew them from seed.

This time with picture

Sweet rocket, I think

I think sweet rocket is correct, they are exactly like the pics I found online. But stocks look lovely too! Decisions decisions... Thanks all!

Dame's violet, Hesperis matronalis - but it seems sweet rocket is an alternative name, as I presume is Dame's rocket.

Closely related to the stocks (Matthiola sp) in that they're both in the cabbage family - hence the 4 petals.

Night scented stock, Matthiola longipetala, is much tinier and with narrower petals.

Def NOT Night Scented Stock