Banana Shrub (Michelia figo):
Click here for more info on this shrub.
Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus) aka Sweet Shrub...I think the fragrance smells like strawberry yogurt...especially strong in the late afternoon, early evening. I was very up on this shrub until this year. It's quite happy, apparently, where it is growing and is now rather large. All well and fine as this means lots of blooms. However, this year I have found it growing very near the backless daphne and into the variegated mock orange nearby...suckering is okay, within bounds...throwing out ones a good 3 feet or more away is not. Hmph. Still love the way it smells, though.
Sensation lilac (Syringa vulgaris 'Senation'), one of the prettiest:
And Miss Kim (Syringa patula 'Miss Kim'), smaller blossoms on a smaller shrub:
Broom (Cytisus 'Moonlight') has a powerful fragrance:
In draft mode are the first clematis, iris, fragrant azaleas and lots of other plants. Visits to Herbs Galore and Lewis Ginter's plant sale are also coming up...I just love spring!
Until then, here's Leo...guarding the iris, I hope...more likely plotting how he'll roll on that garlic!
17 comments:
Your yard must smell wonderfully!
Thank you for sharing, GottaGarden - your fragrant shrubs are beautiful!
I have Michelia now, but had to leave my Carolina Allspice behind when we made a move twenty years ago. It never suckered or spread at that IL house - maybe you've made the bed too comfortable.
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Nice pictures! Had to come back and visit you. Our lilacs are blooming as well over here in Germany. We still need some rain. It is been a very dry April with no April showers. Take care, Andrea
Oooh... I love that broom! Is it manageable for you, or does it spread a lot? (If only I had a whole acre... *sigh*)
I learn an incredible amount from reading your blog - shrubs I've never heard of or seen pictures of. I enjoyed reading about the banana shrub ... Zone 7 (marginal) - I can only dream. I do know Daphne, since one variety is hardy enough to grow here.
The Sensation Lilac is beautiful - I love the colour. I have two small broom shrubs, which are just beginning to leaf out!
Give Leo a pat for me and let us know if he did fall asleep on the garlic!!
Have a good weekend ... I was glad to read that you only had to be concerned about main-floor cleaning. Good going!
Oh I wish I had a bigger garden. I would love to find space for daphne and lilac. thanks for sharing yours :-)
I try, OldRoses, I try...I do love fragrance.
Or maybe it's the opposite, Annie, and it's trying to escape...lol! Down from it, I have a clethra that is all over the place, too...anyone need some?
Hi Exile61, I do hope you get some rain...thanks for coming over!
Me, too, BS_G: I'd love an acre...and flat, too, please! No, it's not a problem at all...I think out west and I know in the pacific northwest they do no like the brooms...but this one is well behaved. Its glory is now with the fragrance...then it becomes a large green shrub....last year I hacked it back quite a bit, so I'm happy it's blooming as well as it is...I might try it again so that it doesn't become as large as it would like...lol!
Hey Kate! I learn from you...about lots of things...so this is a good thing, right! I bet you can grow lots of things that struggle here...things that like a cooler summer? Like delphiniums? I wish.
Leo, Leo, Leo...he is the reason that clump of garlic is there...I obviously missed it last year...because he/they took to lying all over it and I thought it had been lost...I say garlic is tougher than we realize, but I didn't realize just how tough! I'm probably going to have fence the little patches off from him. His rolling and rubbing on things can be hazardous to their health!
Yeah, I was/am feeling much better! It is amazing how things can just work out sometimes! I'm waiting on quiche to finish cooking now...and then I think we're off to Mount Vernon...You, too! Thanks so much for your words!
Hi Chris...well, if you follow my philosopy of "if I want it, I'll find a place for it"...you, too, can have things all over the place...lol! No, I know and I enjoy looking/reading at other blogs for that reason, too.
Thanks all! Hope you all have enjoyable weekends and good weather!
That Sensation lilac is really beautiful. I've never seen a lilac like that!
Oh banana shrub is one of my favorites! Love the scent. As always, love the kitty pic as well :)
Your pictures are great! I might have to look into the Banana Shrub. I love your lilacs!
All of your pictures look lovely, but I simply love that Carolina Allspice! I've not seen that before, it's really pretty! :)
What wonderful photos of your plants. Don't you just love all the Spring garden sales? Happy GTS.
Wow, that banana shrub looks really great. Almost like an exotic magnolia. I love the dusky yellow with purple lining of the flowers. Too bad I can't grow it here.
I bought two small containers of Calycanthus at a big box store. When the plants formed leaves they looked like lilac not the shiny leaves of the Calychanthus. I kept hoping for 3 years that they were the Carolina Allspice but they finally bloomed this spring and are lilacs and very plain ones at that. There should be a law against mislabeling plants for sale. It's heartbreaking when you wait for 3 years only to find out it's not the plant you were naively hoping you bought.
Very smelly that garden of yours, but in a good way. ;-)
That banana shrub looks interesting, it's a pity that I can't grow it. But luckily I can grow delphiniums. :-)
Loved the lilacs too, they have such a wonderful fragrance. Do you cut a few flowers for the vase?
There's nothing sweeter to my senses than a lilac in bloom. I've always tried to plant them near my windows for that reason.
My favorite photo is "Kitty on a Safari" :o)
Lilacs and cats! What a perfect combination. I love your photos.
~Dawn
Hi Christa: It is pretty nice and I got lucky, I think, because I ordered it...I saw a local nursery had some last year and not all were blooming correctly (another one to maybe buy in bloom to make sure it is what it is!)
Hi Acey: Banana shrub is a bit of a stretch here, but it's in...so far...a good location for it...this year it is really blooming well...I think, maybe, it has decided to stay! Since the cats think it is their garden, they're pretty much always around!
Hi Jean: Thanks! Oh, I think you'll like it...who doesn't like fragrance in the garden??! Good luck with it...and thanks!
Hi Michelle: It's an old fashioned shrub (read that as durable and hard to kill!)...it does have a long bloom period...I'll try to track it this year...of course, the larger it is, the more blooms...I have a swing down there on my bottom deck and it's nice to sit and breathe it in! Thanks!
Hi Chris: Yes, I do! Too much! I think it's the thrill of the hunt or something! I'm so excited that I found gas plant at one! Now, to just find a spot for it...lol!
Hi Ki: I wish you were closer. I dug up some and I would have gladly passed it on to you! If it persists in suckering out (I'm not encouraging this behavior!), I might have more...tough as it is, I bet it would mail to you just fine! I'll keep my eye on it, if you want some.
Oh, that is heartbreaking...I agree! So, long...and of course, no way to do anything about it. I'm sorry.
Hi YE: You know, I didn't. I should have! I envy you the delphiniums! They do not like our hot summers at all here. I have larkspur getting ready to bloom... I will have to make due with that!
Lol! I LOVE a smelly garden! And, more smells to come, I sure hope!
Hi Mary: Do you know he DID roll on some of my garlic!! Right in front of me...and it was fenced! I thought that was supposed to deter him...not! Fortunately, I got him off it and I think it's fine....that's all I need is more broken garlic and more patches springing up here and there!
I tried planting a lilac under my front window (good intentions)...much too shady and so it almost never blooms (boohoo). However, I am going (famous words) to have a tree taken out...and then more sun will be there...but the lilac is very leggy and I'm not sure I'm up for the rehab. I'm thinking of just putting something else in there and enjoying the others...but I agree, fragrance by a window is heavenly.
Sorta funny story...someone I once worked with told me she planted pyracantha under her daughter's window (no climbing out or climbing in!)...
Thanks, Dawn!
Thank you all! It was nice chatting with you and I hope you'll come back!
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