On 20 Mar 2004 11:15:26 GMT, (MallowKat) wrote:

~I am going to buy a mock orange but I'm unsure which one to get. Can anyone
~suggest one for me, please?
~
~It will be grown on chalk, south facing - and in the south. I want a nice
~smelly one which will not grow more than about 5ft.
~

They don't grow that fast at first, and tend to sucker a lot, so if
you want to keep one small, you just have to whack it back when it's
too big. I inherited a large one that was a bit out of control and
have since reined it in. I bought a couple of others when we got the
house.
I have in my initial planting notes:

Philadelphus x lemo Silver Shower
Quite a small variety - only 1.2m.
Philadelphus Coronarius Aureus 2.5m
Rather taller than the above with golden leaves.

After 5 years they are still only 3' tall and the coronarius has so
far had one flower on! That's on chalk. I just popped out to look, and
the coronarius is leafing up already while the other is still only
just at bud burst.

I can't say from experience if the silver shower is smelly - maybe
another year or so! But it's certainly the right height for you. I've
never met a mock orange that isn't pungent. Least not the single ones.
A site I found described it as having very abundant flowers and being
very perfumed.

I hope yours grows a bit faster than mine...




--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

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