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Category: bethie's world | Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:36 pm

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Well, I thought since we are all living and breathing gardening right now I would just take my camera and go for a meander in my yard. I am hot and heavy into scent gardening here. The very first good smell comes with the daffodils in February.

I grow many varieties even one that is scented like gardenias. I love pansies and violas that exude their sweet scent and beautify everything they touch.

Hubby's fave is in bloom right now-Queen Fabiola. She has a very delicate light scent that gets right in your throat.

Everyone's favorite is the spicebush. A sprawling messy bush that blooms very early, is native to here and smells like cloves. He sends runners up and is good for sharing but must be transplanted very early.

Hot on the heels of this is the native Carolina Allspice.

She is another sprawling shrub that is impervious to drought. Her blooms look like little waterlily's and smell like strawberries. On these warm spring days these can be smelled all over the yard.

I love her so much I was able to find a chartreuse version that smells like oranges.

The akebia vine aka choclate vine is also in bloom now. He's a 30 footer but very polite in habit.

My poor sorry little lilac bush is in bloom also.

Lilacs don't do well in this climate and mine is no exception. I am able to eke out a few great blooms though and I do love them.
My magnolia vine, schizandra chinensis is finally starting to grow well.

It's flowers are little and fragrant and this vine has many medicinal properties.
Wallflowers are an easily grown biennial that blooms very early and is fragrant. They reseed easily. I start mine on August the first for bloom the next spring. This first one is not fully opened. They are the orangest! Try these.

That's what's smelling up the place here. Then it's on to wisteria, lily of the valley and gardenia. Later in the summer it's cestrum nocturnum and autumn clemmie. She's a cloud of fragrant white. Of course I grow a lot of herbs too.
If I could bottle this smell today I could be a millionaire-I guess I already am.



Last edited: Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:38 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 7389 times

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toni wrote on Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:45 pm:

I really have to concentrate on finding very fragrant plants for my garden. I had a moonflower vine two years ago that would knock you socks off every evening.

I have got see if Spice Bush and Carolina Allspice will grow here and where I can find them. Cloves and Allspice are two of my favorites scents.

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toni wrote on Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:45 pm:

Ooooops, meant to also say thanks for the photos. Your garden is really coming to life.

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cajunbelle wrote on Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:07 pm:

Thanks for the scent-sational tour Bethie, everything look great. I would love one of those chartreuse allspice. Where did you find it.

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Netty wrote on Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:16 pm:

Great shots Bethie. I'm going to put more thought into scent gardening after that tour!

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glendann wrote on Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:52 pm:

Loved the tour Bethie. I can't wait for the next scented tour.You have a great show of blooms already.
Beautiful flowers.

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katsback wrote on Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:58 pm:

wonderful pictures, i can smell the lilacs,lol.

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Desert Rat wrote on Thu Mar 29, 2007 11:13 pm:

There is more to the garden than just smelling the roses. Good pictures.
dr

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Polly wrote on Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:36 am:

I can almost smell some of them. Lilacs are one of my favorite scents in the garden. Mine don't grow well - hubby gets too close with the trimmer sometimes.

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aloes wrote on Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:13 pm:

I did not realize daffodils has a smell. They do not do well here. Next time I visit a nursery and there are daffodils, I am going to smell and see what I missed. It is just wonderful to smell flowers.
Very good photos.

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Gardenstew wrote on Thu Apr 12, 2007 5:27 pm:

How did I miss this blog entry? Awesome Bethie, just awesome!

I'm in agreement, that Queen Fabiola is fabulous.

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