"Sacha" wrote in But to get onto
truly heavenly scents, I'm after Matthew and Ray to order
some Populus balsamica because the smell of that, after a shower of rain
and
a warmish day is a transport of delight, IMO. I don't really understand
why
it isn't planted more because it's wonderful. Is there some drawback to
it
that other poplars don't have?
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree~~~ a lovely fragrance from the sticky buds. However I have
found it very prone to both bacterial and fungal canker as well as severe
die-back. I've always had to start again from cuttings every few years.
Besr Wishes Brian.

snip
Slightly OT, but on the subject of putrid plant odours I simply have to
mention the durian. snip the
best ones
I had I ate under the tree as a guest of the tree's owner. In hindsight,
this may not have been the safest place to be sitting. I think I was a bit
of a curiosity as a European who actually liked them.


You know, Duncan, I am really SO grateful you did that for me and saved me
from having to find out for myself! ;-)

Don't pass up the chance to eat them, they really are good and for
some reason you don't smell it as you eat.. Even though airlines and
hotels in durian-areas tend to have off-putting signs like "No durians
allowed in rooms/baggage".

I've read this advice on durians before. You can find them for sale
in chinese and indonesian supermarkets in London, Manchester, Amsterdam
and I expect other places. Now, how do I choose a good one, or a suitably
ripe one, or is there any other information that I should know before
buying one?

"John McMillan" wrote in message
...

snip
Slightly OT, but on the subject of putrid plant odours I simply have
to
mention the durian. snip the
best ones
I had I ate under the tree as a guest of the tree's owner. In
hindsight,
this may not have been the safest place to be sitting. I think I was
a bit
of a curiosity as a European who actually liked them.


You know, Duncan, I am really SO grateful you did that for me and
saved me
from having to find out for myself! ;-)

Don't pass up the chance to eat them, they really are good and for
some reason you don't smell it as you eat.. Even though airlines and
hotels in durian-areas tend to have off-putting signs like "No durians
allowed in rooms/baggage".

I've read this advice on durians before. You can find them for sale
in chinese and indonesian supermarkets in London, Manchester, Amsterdam
and I expect other places. Now, how do I choose a good one, or a
suitably
ripe one, or is there any other information that I should know before
buying one?

excerpt from one of many durian websites:- Well worth a try and should
answer all the questions you have.


"Heck, a few countries even BAN the presence of durian in selected public
spots due to its offensive smell (that, to me, is a hopeless rule just like
outlawing fart, when we know that it is such a pleasure and EVERYBODY
secretly doing it!). "

http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~durian/

On 9/2/06 19:17, in article ,
"Brian" --- 'flayb' to respond wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in But to get onto
truly heavenly scents, I'm after Matthew and Ray to order
some Populus balsamica because the smell of that, after a shower of rain
and
a warmish day is a transport of delight, IMO. I don't really understand
why
it isn't planted more because it's wonderful. Is there some drawback to
it
that other poplars don't have?
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I agree~~~ a lovely fragrance from the sticky buds. However I have
found it very prone to both bacterial and fungal canker as well as severe
die-back. I've always had to start again from cuttings every few years.
Besr Wishes Brian.

Oh dear! Maybe that's why it isn't more widely seen.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)

In article , Sacha
writes


Oh dear! Maybe that's why it isn't more widely seen.



Bob thinly of Cotswold Garden plants recommended it to me at an HPS
meeting, he said you have to cut it down every year and grow it as a
small shrub/tree rather than let it go berserk. If it's so fragrant I
might be tempted to have a go myself but isn't it notorious for going
for drains etc?
How would you recommend to grow it ? Would you Pollard it every spring?

Janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Dalmatian Telegraph
http://www.lancedal.demon.co.uk

On 10/2/06 9:55, in article , "Janet Tweedy"
wrote:

In article , Sacha
writes


Oh dear! Maybe that's why it isn't more widely seen.



Bob thinly of Cotswold Garden plants recommended it to me at an HPS
meeting, he said you have to cut it down every year and grow it as a
small shrub/tree rather than let it go berserk. If it's so fragrant I
might be tempted to have a go myself but isn't it notorious for going
for drains etc?
How would you recommend to grow it ? Would you Pollard it every spring?

Janet

I don't know, Janet but I'm going to try to find out. However, we have a
sort of mini arboretum in the field behind the car park, so I think it would
go in there and be left to do its own thing. There are no mains pipes in
that area and as long as its kept well away from the pipes from the pump
house to the tunnels, I don't think it can do any harm. I've tried a couple
of places to see if they have it but with no luck. I'll email Thornhayes
this afternoon to see if they've got it. It's not in their catalogue but
the Plant Finder lists them as stockists so I'll see what luck I have.
Otherwise, I'll ring the Duchy Nursery.
I found this info on it
"Cultivation details

An easily grown plant, it does well in a heavy cold damp soil[1], though it
prefers a deep rich well-drained circumneutral soil, growing best in the
south and east of Britain[11, 200]. Growth is much less on wet soils, on
poor acid soils and on thin dry soils[11]. Does not do well in exposed
upland sites[11]. Dislikes shade, it is intolerant of root or branch
competition[200]. A fast-growing and generally short-lived tree, though
specimens 150 - 200 years old have occasionally been recorded[229. This is a
pioneer species, invading cleared land, old fields etc, but unable to
tolerate shade competition and eventually being out-competed by other
trees[229]. It is not fully satisfactory in Britain[11]. In spring and early
summer the buds and young leaves have a strong fragrance of balsam[188,
245]. Poplars have very extensive and aggressive root systems that can
invade and damage drainage systems. Especially when grown on clay soils,
they should not be planted within 12 metres of buildings since the root
system can damage the building's foundations by drying out the soil[11].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[200]. Dioecious. Male and
female plants must be grown if seed is required.
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants....us+balsamifera

Apparently, it can grow to 30 metres or so, so it's not exactly a front lawn
sort of tree but very good for the sinuses. ;-)
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)

"Sacha" wrote
[re balsam poplar]
In spring and early
summer the buds and young leaves have a strong fragrance of balsam
snip

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants....us+balsamifera

Apparently, it can grow to 30 metres or so, so it's not exactly a
front lawn sort of tree but very good for the sinuses. ;-)

There's a row of what I've always taken to be Balsam poplars that I
often walk past and they do have a very pleasant fresh scent in Spring.
It's usually noticeable again in Autumn when the leaves start to turn
yellow. My hubby claims not to be able to detect it, but then he can't
smell the appley scent of sweetbriar leaves either. Another thing I like
about those trees is the way the slightest breeze is caught in the
canopy and makes a wonderful rushing sound which reminds me of the sea.
If I had acres to plant trees in I'd definitely have a few of these.

--
Sue

On 10/2/06 16:46, in article
ws.net, "Sue"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
[re balsam poplar]
In spring and early
summer the buds and young leaves have a strong fragrance of balsam
snip

http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants....us+balsamifera

Apparently, it can grow to 30 metres or so, so it's not exactly a
front lawn sort of tree but very good for the sinuses. ;-)

There's a row of what I've always taken to be Balsam poplars that I
often walk past and they do have a very pleasant fresh scent in Spring.
It's usually noticeable again in Autumn when the leaves start to turn
yellow. My hubby claims not to be able to detect it, but then he can't
smell the appley scent of sweetbriar leaves either. Another thing I like
about those trees is the way the slightest breeze is caught in the
canopy and makes a wonderful rushing sound which reminds me of the sea.
If I had acres to plant trees in I'd definitely have a few of these.

I don't know that I'd describe it as a fresh scent but these things are so
subjective. To me, it comes within the same range as e.g. sandalwood. It's
a little spicy and 'warm'. It seems to be most noticeable (IME) after a
shower of rain and when the sun comes out again - I suppose a slight
humidity increases the dispersal of the scent.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
)