Diabetes affects our blood vessels and nerves and therefore can affect any part of the body. However, certain parts of our body are affected more than other parts.
I don't think dogwoods have (much?) scent, maybe just lightly floral. The white petally looking things are not actually petals they are bracts, like a poinsettia has. There's something called an English dogwood that is very fragrant, but it isn't a true dogwood and is also known as mock orange. Bradford pears have a smell that this author described as sweaty socks, so if your tree doesn't smell very good that's probably it: http://www.gardenguides.com/106133-dogw ...
Growth Rate: Dogwoods grow at a slow to moderate rate (about 20 feet in 25 years). Ornamental Features: Each species brings its own value to the landscape. The flowers of the flowering dogwood and kousa dogwood are not actually flowers, but bracts, which are modified leaves that look like petals.