Growing Wise : fragrant flowers

Hyacinths

Elisabeth — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 12:48:00 GMT

In my neighborhood the hyacinths are in bloom and wherever more than a couple are clustered, the fragrance hits you as you pass by. I love them and can't figure out why more people don't grow them.

I suppose that others may not love the sweet, heavy fragrance quite as much as I. Hyacinths are beautiful in a bouquet, but if you place more than one or two of the full figured blossoms in a room, the scent is overpowering. I can't resist cutting hyacinths, but if I want a sumptuous arrangement, I put it outside on my back porch where the fragrance will be dispersed.

The problem can't be color--unless you dislike shades of blue, purple, pink, yellow, peach and cream. (And if you do dislike those colors, you are going to have trouble in the garden, no matter what you do.) Maybe the problem is hyacinth's growth habit. The first spring after the bulbs are planted, the flowerheads are so full of florets that they are prone to toppling over under their own weight. The second year, however, the florets are a bit farther apart. This results in a slightly less formal flower that also has the benefit of being easier on sensitive noses.

Some of the hyacinths in my garden have come back for years, though never as full as the first year. I don't mind this and I still prize them for their many virtues.

Back in the nineteenth century, gardeners could choose from hundreds of hyacinth varieties. Now there are relatively few. Mark your garden diary and plant a few next fall. They are worth saving.

Making scents

Elisabeth — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 16:11:00 GMT

Soon the long months of January and February will be upon us, and it will be time to hunker down and dream of next season's gardens. One garden dimension that often get short shrift is fragrance. The following is a handy list of five fragrant plants that no garden should be without:

Lilac: Spring would not be spring without lovely, sweet-smelling lilacs. You can choose from a host of cultivars that have purple, white, blue, near-yellow or bi-colored blooms. There are even relatively small varieties like dwarf Korean lilac (Syringa meyeri 'Palibin') that work in smaller spaces. Lilacs need sun and good air circulation, plus occasional pruning. If they are happy, they will live for generations.
Old-Fashioned Pinks (Dianthus): These low-growers generally smell like cloves. They are great for pots or the front of beds or borders and like sunny to partially sunny conditions
Mock Orange (Philadelphus): While Philadelphus does not really provide more than one season of interest, the white flowers are among the sweetest-scented blossoms around. Many people liken the scent to that of orange blossoms, hence the common name. A sun lover, mock orange is available in single, double-flowered and compact forms.
Roses: Not all roses have a pronounced scent. Read labels and merchandisers' copy to make sure that you invest in those that do.
Lavender: Given well-drained soil and a sunny exposure, lavender will produce lots of sweet scented purple, pink or even white blossoms. Gardeners in northern climates should be sure to select hardy varieties. Remember that the leaves and stems of the plants are almost as fragrant as the flowers and can also be used in fragrant potpourri, sachets and arrangements.

Sweet Smelling Spring

Elisabeth — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 22:39:00 GMT

Fragrance is essential in a successful garden. If you are choosing spring-flowering bulbs remember to check labels for any reference to scent. Hyacinths, of course, are the stars of the scented spring garden, but some varieties of tulips and daffodils are also fragrant.

I am fond of double daffodils, and two doubles--'Cheerfulness' and 'Tahiti'--have sweet scents. 'Cheerfulness' has white petals touched with gold towards the centers, while 'Tahiti' sports bold yellow petals with warm orange at the middle of the flower. Both do well in the ground or in pots and can be forced for early spring bloom.

You don't necessarily associate tulips with fragrance, but some have it. I especially like the double early tulip 'Monsella', which is yellow with bright red strips. The big, showy, Darwin hybrid tulip 'Daydream' is apricot-yellow (depending on soil and other conditions), looks great in bouquets and exudes fragrance.

In my garden, looking good is a good start, but to make my all-star list, flowers must be fragrant. The birds, bees and butterflies agree.