Perfumed plants

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John J

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #15 on: May 01, 2020, 08:03:31 AM »
Carole, we've had one growing up a support at the front of the house for several years. It often starts to show signs of flowering as early as February. This year it was a little late, maybe because we had a 'real' winter for once with lots of rain and cooler temperatures. It has mostly gone over now and looking a bit sorry for itself. The photos were taken towards the end of March.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Umbrian

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #16 on: May 02, 2020, 08:26:32 AM »
That is stunning John and I can imagine the perfume ........ I am hoping that mine will flourish now that it has obviously put down good roots. I find the early years, with things that are borderline regarding hardiness, are crucial and mine certainly had a good start with the mild winter. It is planted in the angle between the front boundary wall and a smaller retaining wall that bounds the steps and path to the front door. In that corner the soil was very stony, I added some compost before planting, topped dressed it heavily with gravel and kept it well watered last summer. Fingers crossed 🤞
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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John J

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #17 on: May 02, 2020, 09:10:34 AM »
You are right, Carole, we find that some plants will take quickly and establish in no time while others can take 2, 3, 4 or even more years before they look at all comfortable. A friend and fellow MGS member who lives in a village on the other side of Limassol says the same thing in her garden.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Umbrian

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #18 on: May 03, 2020, 07:12:48 AM »
Not a really obvious choice today but nevertheless one I value through the winter months - Violas. There are two plants in this pot that have been growing, and smothered in flowers since late autumn. On sunny days in particular, and there were many this last winter, the delicate scent is very welcome.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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John J

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #19 on: May 03, 2020, 08:52:26 AM »
Not sure if this qualifies to be included on here but it's a plant that we discovered for the first time last year in a local nursery. The leaves are tiny, glossy green and when rubbed have a citrus/lemon scent. Apparently it has tiny red flowers in spring but the 3 specimens we bought have not produced any this year, so maybe we'll have to wait until next spring to see them. They should be followed by bunches of tiny berries, hence the common name of Chinese Pepper Tree. Looking up Zanthoxylum beecheyanum on Google produces little information and that often contradictory. For example 2 or 3 sites state that it is deciduous, which it quite obviously isn't. Some say it grows up to 5 feet in height while others put it at half that. Anyway we look forward to seeing how it progresses over time.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Umbrian

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #20 on: May 04, 2020, 07:31:35 AM »
Me too John - it has very pretty leaves and something I love to do when in the garden is to stroke or rub leaves of aromatic plants and release their scent. Yesterday I was adding things to two planters where I had already placed my scented Perargoniums that had overwinter intact this year. Just brushing agains the leaves as I worked filled the air with the most wonderful scent and added to the pleasure of the work.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

Umbrian

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #21 on: May 08, 2020, 06:27:57 AM »
Obviously can't ignore Roses in this thread. Not a huge fan of Roses and really only like them if perfumed - (with one or two exceptions such as Rosa mutabalis for example.)
However, my Zepherin Drouhin is dripping with blooms at the moment and the scent wafting around it is lovely.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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John J

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #22 on: May 08, 2020, 11:41:10 AM »
A few years ago we bought a rose with a label. The name on the label was for a pink rose. The first time it flowered we realised that the label was incorrect. It has taken a long time but we feel that we have at last identified it but there is very little information forthcoming about it. We are fairly sure it is a variety called 'Le Pas du Paradis'. If anyone can either confirm or refute this we'd be grateful.
Whatever it is called it has a pleasant perfume.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

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Charithea

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #23 on: May 08, 2020, 04:34:09 PM »
Carole, your rose Zepherin Drouhin looks amazing. I was not happy  paying out so much for  roses that used to die or just looked pathetic but  since we discovered Avramis Roses from Greece the plants do better and this year we have them blooming all over the place. Our Damask rose has been blooming since the beginning of December and the blooms last for quite a while.
« Last Edit: May 09, 2020, 02:39:41 PM by Charithea »
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Umbrian

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #24 on: May 09, 2020, 06:38:21 AM »
An old fashioned favourite for perfume today - Dianthus 'Mrs Sinkins" not the easiest plant to sight as it can become very straggly. The perfume is intense though - if you like that particularly heady kind, really reminiscent of cloves. This particular clump has behaved very well this year - against all the odds - under an Olive tree and surrounded by taller growing plants on three sides. It has kept compact and produced good, upstanding flower stems. Another, planted at the edge of a border alongside a small patio has sprawled onto the paving and produced very weak stems........
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

Umbrian

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #25 on: May 10, 2020, 07:55:31 AM »
Lavenders of course are universally known for their perfume but my photo today features Salvia lavandulifolia that exudes a mix of S.officinalis, the common cookery sage, with the perfume of Lavender. It only flowers once, early in the year, when it puts on a spectacular display but the dark sage green leaves retain this wonderful mix of perfume throughout and are always a delight to brush your fingers through.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

Hilary

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #26 on: May 10, 2020, 08:06:08 AM »
I enjoy reading all these posts about perfumed plants and am trying to train myself to notice scents.

I once read an article about how to write travel writing. It said you have to make people see, hear and smell the place you are writing about
 In all the weekly letters I sent to my parents and newsletters I wrote to friends about our holidays here in Greece and later foreign travel I don't think I mentioned once the scents, smells I experienced
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Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

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John J

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #27 on: May 11, 2020, 05:54:42 AM »
Our Carissa macrocarpa is coming into flower. To my mind they have a scent somewhat similar to jasmine. They have a fruit that is apparently edible although I have never tried it as our plant rarely produces one. With their vicious spines they would make a good security hedge.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Umbrian

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #28 on: May 11, 2020, 07:01:42 AM »
Beautiful little white flowers too John.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

Umbrian

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Re: Perfumed plants
« Reply #29 on: May 11, 2020, 07:15:34 AM »
Spartium junceum - for me the perfume of late spring here in  Umbria when it is a joy to drive along the country roads with the car windows down and the car fills with their glorious scent. Although  gardening in  a much reduced space now I have found room for one and am enjoying its display now. When called upon to give help and advice about things to grow in gardens here in Umbria I used to find people turned their noses up at including it  remarking ' oh that grows wild everywhere'. My point exactly when they were complaining that the stony soil and climate were causing them problems.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.