Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Fragrant flowers
I'm new to gardening, and working out lots of things by trial and error.
Got a lovely mini-rose in bloom, but it doesn't compare to the fragrances given off by a climbing variety that I also have (that recently I've need to prune back). I live in a built up area and would like plants and flowers that really give off a scent. I know it's a lot to do with oils, wind and heat etc. and I'll be adding to the lavendars I've put by the pathway next year. With the lavendars, I've been able to get the scent, but, I do need to crouch down - the scent doesn't seem to "hang" as I walk past. I've got colours and design that is ever changing, but I want to add to that with a full sensory experience, so I'm into strong, not light fragrances. Suggestions? |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
In article , Earths_Child
writes I'm new to gardening, and working out lots of things by trial and error. Got a lovely mini-rose in bloom, but it doesn't compare to the fragrances given off by a climbing variety that I also have (that recently I've need to prune back). I live in a built up area and would like plants and flowers that really give off a scent. I know it's a lot to do with oils, wind and heat etc. and I'll be adding to the lavendars I've put by the pathway next year. With the lavendars, I've been able to get the scent, but, I do need to crouch down - the scent doesn't seem to "hang" as I walk past. I've got colours and design that is ever changing, but I want to add to that with a full sensory experience, so I'm into strong, not light fragrances. Early in the season try wallflowers, follow up with Nicotiana (I'd be inclined to avoid the coloured varieties), honeysuckle, night scented stock. Mock orange is good for a short season if you have the space, and in winter Viburnum bodnantense. If your garden is really warm and you have somewhere to overwinter it, Brugmansia is good, but it prefers a greenhouse. Again if you have the space and a reasonably warm spo, Euphorbia mellifera has a strong honey scent for a couple of months. -- Kay "Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river" |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Kay wrote:
In article , Earths_Child writes [...] I've got colours and design that is ever changing, but I want to add to that with a full sensory experience, so I'm into strong, not light fragrances. Early in the season try wallflowers, follow up with Nicotiana (I'd be inclined to avoid the coloured varieties), [...other sound advice snipped...] Old-fashioned pinks are a favourite of mine: very easy to grow, and a cinch to propagate. At the nursery, choose the ones with the best scent. For properly scented roses, the main man is David Austin. Take care when buying sweet pea seed: buy only the ones which make the strongest claim for their scent, as simply "sweetly scented" or something like that is often a big exaggeration. My mother keeps mentioning mignonette; but, as with sweet peas, the breeders have ignored scent (maybe we should cut their noses off, since they obviously don't need them) -- go for the plain old kind, which look dull, but are said to have the best scent. A good place for lavender is right on the edge of a path or by a sunny door, so you brush the plants as you pass. Tall varieties work better this way than the dwarf types. Rosemary's good for brushing through, as well. If you don't mind it getting a bit scruffy after a couple of years, shepherd's thyme is nice between paving slabs, where you'll step on it; it will often survive in the lawn, too. The Buckingham Palace lawns are a mixture of grass and camomile: personally, I've had difficulty in keeping camomile going in grass, but plenty of other people manage it OK. One lawn I had smelt delicious when mowed: I never found out what it came from, but there are a few aromatic grasses. -- Mike. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
In article , Mike Lyle mike_lyle_uk@REM
OVETHISyahoo.co.uk writes Old-fashioned pinks are a favourite of mine: very easy to grow, and a cinch to propagate. At the nursery, choose the ones with the best scent. For properly scented roses, the main man is David Austin. Take care when buying sweet pea seed: buy only the ones which make the strongest claim for their scent, as simply "sweetly scented" or something like that is often a big exaggeration. Matucana, one of the old fashioned varieties, is excellent for scent - available from Thompson and Morgan and, IIRC, Chiltern -- Kay "Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river" |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
For scented annuals try stocks these fill the summer evening air with very
sweet scent. theres also the old favourite sweet peas, or asiatic or oriental lillies go for scented varieties. or for perennials try some varieties of honeysuckle which climb and gring the scent to you. for bush plants try lemon balm near paths giving lemon scent when brushed against, but this can be invasive if given half a chance also check RHS website http://www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantfinder/plantfinder.asp whic i believe lets you search for scented plants regards Cineman "Earths_Child" wrote in message ... I'm new to gardening, and working out lots of things by trial and error. Got a lovely mini-rose in bloom, but it doesn't compare to the fragrances given off by a climbing variety that I also have (that recently I've need to prune back). I live in a built up area and would like plants and flowers that really give off a scent. I know it's a lot to do with oils, wind and heat etc. and I'll be adding to the lavendars I've put by the pathway next year. With the lavendars, I've been able to get the scent, but, I do need to crouch down - the scent doesn't seem to "hang" as I walk past. I've got colours and design that is ever changing, but I want to add to that with a full sensory experience, so I'm into strong, not light fragrances. Suggestions? |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
"Earths_Child" wrote snip I've got colours and design that is ever changing, but I want to add to that with a full sensory experience, so I'm into strong, not light fragrances. Hyacinths, lilies, philadelphus, heliotrope (cherry pie mmm), dianthus. One house I often walk past used to have a front border with an edging of small pinks from which the scent used to waft right across to the other side of the road on a sunny day. Sarcococca makes a smallish evergreen shrub that is rather unassuming until in winter when the tiny flowers put out a very welcome, carrying scent. It will grow in even dryish shade too. It might be a good idea to have a regular 'nose' around garden-centres, show gardens or friends' gardens to see what's in flower and takes your fancy scentwise, because quite often what one person loves another will dislike. |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
The message
from "Earths_Child" contains these words: I'm new to gardening, and working out lots of things by trial and error. Got a lovely mini-rose in bloom, but it doesn't compare to the fragrances given off by a climbing variety that I also have (that recently I've need to prune back). I live in a built up area and would like plants and flowers that really give off a scent. I know it's a lot to do with oils, wind and heat etc. and I'll be adding to the lavendars I've put by the pathway next year. With the lavendars, I've been able to get the scent, but, I do need to crouch down - the scent doesn't seem to "hang" as I walk past. I've got colours and design that is ever changing, but I want to add to that with a full sensory experience, so I'm into strong, not light fragrances. Suggestions? Plant scented herbs (rosemary, lavender, fennel, thyme, mint) close enough to paths that your feet/knees lightly brush past them. Grow scented climbers (rose, jasmine, honescuckle) up trellis or wigwams, of sticks close to windows and doors. Many lilies are also strongly scented, they do well in pots which can be moved to the best position for scenting the air. If you have acid soil, some deciduous azaleas can provide months of spicy scent. firt from the flowers then the foliage. In mild areas only, myrtle flowers for a very long period, on still days I can smell it for yards around the bush. Remember that you may also get wet knees, covered in pollen and buzzed by insects which come in through open windows. But it's worth it. Janet. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Earths_Child wrote:
I'm new to gardening, [...] I've got colours and design that is ever changing, but I want to add to that with a full sensory experience, so I'm into strong, not light fragrances. Jasmine officinale is a vigourous climber with clusters of white star-shaped flowers, very heavily scented. If your garden is sheltered enough you could also try Trachilospermum jasminoides, Star or Confederate Jasmine, which is evergreen. It grows well against a south-facing wall in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. In California it's grown as ground cover, a bit like we'd grow periwinkle. I must try that here. Lilies - B&Q sell them in pots, in bud. You can re-pot them into planters for the patio. Keep them fed and watered and they'll be back, bigger and better, next year. Make sure you get the scented ones; the yellow and orange varieties aren't scented. Lilium regale has a beautiful cool scent but Stargazer is strong and spicey. It's too late this year, but next year you could grow or buy annuals such as night scented stock (Matthiola longipetala), nicotiana and petunias. I find purple petunias to be the most highly scented. Alyssum has a honey fragrance. It's not strong, so plant it close to where you can sit on warm evenings. Kay suggested philadelphus (mock orange) but the p. aureus in my garden smells of bubble gum - not nice. The young leaves are a beautiful colour, though, especially with some alliums flowing in front of them. On paths, where you'll brush past them, rosemary and lavender. Neither smell strong (in my garden) until you brush against them. Also to be brushed past is lemon balm, with a refreshing lemon scent, but this is invasive like mint so plant it somewhere where it can be kept in check. For winter, Daphne mezereum is nice close to a door, where you'll pass it and appreciate its scent. HTH -- Sally Holmes Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
I might add that i get most of my sweet pea seed from here
http://www.eaglenursery.co.uk/seed%20list.htm usually buy at gardeners world live at the nec birmingham, where this nursery exhibits, ( they won a gold at chelsea this year) and plant the seed in the autumn and keep in VERY cold greenhouse over winter. have had good success with the seed regards Cineman "Earths_Child" wrote in message ... I'm new to gardening, and working out lots of things by trial and error. Got a lovely mini-rose in bloom, but it doesn't compare to the fragrances given off by a climbing variety that I also have (that recently I've need to prune back). I live in a built up area and would like plants and flowers that really give off a scent. I know it's a lot to do with oils, wind and heat etc. and I'll be adding to the lavendars I've put by the pathway next year. With the lavendars, I've been able to get the scent, but, I do need to crouch down - the scent doesn't seem to "hang" as I walk past. I've got colours and design that is ever changing, but I want to add to that with a full sensory experience, so I'm into strong, not light fragrances. Suggestions? |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Suggestions?
with roses many modern ones (usually called hybrid tea roses) flower continually but do not smell much. Old fashioned ones often smell wonderful but only get one big lot of flowers a year - they look wonderful (and smell wonderful) this once but then are just covered in leaves. If you want a rose which flowers continually and smells strongly it is best to buy one by David Austin - sometimes called English Roses - they tend to cost more than the others but, I think, are worth it as you only buy them once Also you quite often can either find them reduced in Autumn at garden centres or see offers in magazines where you can buy several at once at a reduced price. Hayley |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
fragrant flowers for shade or semi-shade? | Gardening | |||
Zone 3 or colder plants? Looking for fragrant/bright, long lasting flowers for Calgary, Alberta. | Gardening | |||
Fragrant, Yellow rose recommendation | Roses | |||
Fragrant roses Sunsprite | Roses | |||
Sunsprite Fragrant, Yellow rose recommendation | Roses |