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Friday, March 1, 2013

Fragrant on The First-- March

How did it get to be the first of the month already?? Wow, guess all the wishing for spring to come helps.  The blooming fragrant plants in my garden are similar to what was fragrant last month with a few additions.   Walk with me around the yard as we see what is fragrant in my garden.

First, along the driveway, still blooming, Narcissus 'Grand Soleil d'Or', the yellow paperwhite.  What a nice long bloom period!

Walking toward the house the next fragrant (though only slightly) is my yellow crocus, Crocus chrysanthus 'Advance'.   None of my other crocuses have bloomed, yet.  

My poor little Hyacinths are still holding on, some have been eaten from below, so I enjoy the ones remaining.  Hyacinth 'Jan Bos'


As we head past the house and walk toward the backyard, the fragrance of the Edgeworthia is heavy on the breeze.  This is the prime time for Edgeworthia chrysantha.  You can smell the scent from up on the deck all the way down to the water.   How many of you have purchased an Edgeworthia this year??  My work here is done.  


A new plant to add to the list of the fragrant blooms is Daphne genkwa, Lilac daphne.  I read a number of reports that this pretty little shrub is slightly fragrant, though, I don't get any fragrance from it.  I will include it in my monthly post, but can't vouch for its scent.  

This is an unknown Narcissus from a multi-pack of daffodils.  It has a slight fragrance and really not very appealing.  I can't wait for some of my really fragrant daffodils to bloom.  


Coming back around the house and heading back toward the front, I have a number of Viburnum tinus compacta 'Spring Bouquet'.  This pretty bloom's fragrance is fleeting.  I remember last year finally getting a chance to experience the fragrance.  Some plants give off more fragrance at certain times during the day.  Maybe I miss this one more than I catch its scent.


In the front yard by the shed is one of the Daphne odora aureomarginata, Winter daphne.  It has a lemony fragrance, another great winter fragrance that keeps on blooming.  So glad both my Winter daphne are doing well.   



Finally, Osmanthus fragrans, Tea Olive, is still blooming and super fragrant.  This evergreen shrub blooms from late summer through fall and winter into early spring.  I have eight of them around my garden.   They can reach heights of 20 feet or more.  Imagine a shrub that size full of blooms -- heavenly!!

What do you have fragrant in your garden?  


©Copyright 2012 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

50 comments:

  1. Nothing blooming in my yard yet, but last week the sarcococca was. It's fragrant (like vanilla) if you stick you nose down near the ground to smell it. I have to remember to look for it in the spring since it was planted out of the way.
    Ray

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    1. Finally catching up with responses to comments. I will double check my Sarcococca to see if I can detect more fragrance. Vanilla sounds good.

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  2. Nothing, just 4 wet dogs. :o) Edgeworthia isn't hardy here, which is a bummer. I'm looking forward to my sweetbox blooming. The flowers are super teeny but the fragrance is strong.

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    1. Tammy, Wet dogs are just a lovely fragrance aren't they? Sorry Edgeworthia isn't hardy for you.

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  3. Very nice! The two plants on your list that interest me most - Edgeworthia and Osmanthus fragrans - are not hardy here in zone 6/7. Sadly.

    But I do have high hopes to grow the native Osmanthus americanus (a.k.a. Devilwood) someday. Native to the Southeast zones 8/9, it is still supposed to be hardy to zone 5! http://www.floridata.com/ref/o/osma_ame.cfm

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    1. Aaron, I am sorry to tempt you with a plant that isn't hardy to your area, what a bummer. Good luck with the Osmanthus americanus.

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  4. I love to smell the daffs, crocus and hyacinths...but the look of the daphne is amazing...fabulous spring so far for you Janet.

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    1. Donna@GEV, Daphne is a wonderful shrub, such great fragrance.

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  5. For the first time in years, we are having a cold spring. Ice and snow still cover the ground, so I have nothing in bloom, let alone anything fragrant. You got me interested in Edgworthia - but I looked up and it's only hardy up to zone 8, so that's that. I like that Lilac Daphne.

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    1. Jason, this spring has been most conflicted, first warm then cold, very wet, and still cold. Hoping spring is here finally!

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  6. Dear Janet - I wrote such a long comment, and now it is gone! (One only has a certain time, I think, then they disconnect). So in short: I admire your variety of "noosegays"!
    With narcissus (yellow) I am a bit cautious: in vases they sometimes smell - horselike -; though the paperwhites are lovely, though strong. And crocus has such a sweet fragrant honey scent.

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    1. Britta, I am sorry you had trouble with the comments. There are some lovely fragranced narcissus, just have to pick and choose.

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  7. No one can accuse you of having neglected the sense of smell in your garden Janet, that is quite a collection! The daphne would be worth a place in the garden without scent. I've not had a whiff of anything from my Viburnum tinus, but then I think my sense of smell may be compromised. And my Edgeworthia is on its way...

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    1. Janet, no, I do have lots of great scents in the garden. Hope by now your Edgeworthia is there by now. Next you need a Daphne odora!

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  8. Early daffodils are a teaser for the really big show that comes later. Well, excepting the long-gone Erlicheer that pops up first warm weeks before everything else.

    Tea Olive is worth having in any garden, like a quiet visitor who leaves a pleasant aura.

    I noticed today Wisteria full of blooms beginning to show color.

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    1. NellJean, I have daffs going from January through May. Love it! I do not have any wisteria, though I love the purple.

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  9. Ha, nothing yet, Janet. You're way ahead of us. I knew when I started perusing blogs today that someone would have something bright and pretty to see, and it was you!

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    1. Victoria, I know you have had a lot of winter. Hope your spring is close!

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  10. You've got great blooms! Wonderful! Spring IS coming...soon.

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    1. Freda, thanks! I have been lucky to have flowers all along from January to now.

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  11. I'd love to smell the daphne. I bet it is a nice smell. Your edgeworthia is beautiful. I purchased mine a few years ago but this year for the first time the Nashville Lawn and Garden show had them for sale and many of my friends were excited to buy one!

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    1. Tina, the daphne is out of this world. I am looking to propagate my Edgeworthia now. Crossing my fingers!

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  12. Still winter in the Falls, with snow and ice. Long past when the calendar says it is spring, we still will be having cold weather likely, which is fine by me. What I find is different plants bloom together from years past. I really makes the gardens a different place when the trees don't bloom on cue. One year when I had a pear, cherry and crabapple, all three bloomed at once along with the lilacs. It was quite a show. The cold weather makes for a lot of guessing.

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    1. Donna @GWGT, Your winter has really been wintery. My plants have been blooming a bit different from previous years. There is no schedule for Mother Nature.

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  13. haha - Yes, I purchased an edgeworthia this year! :) I love the picture of the entire bush. Usually one just sees a close-up photo, but, to me, that bush shot is much more amazing than just one bloom blown up.

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    1. HolleyGarden, I am so glad you have an Edgeworthia!!! You will love it more and more each year. Glad you liked the big picture of the bush.

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  14. Beautiful flowers!
    I can imagine the lovely aromas!
    Have a wonderful day!
    Lea
    Lea's Menagerie

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    1. Lea, thanks so much. I think aroma in the garden is so important.

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  15. Great post. I'm going to look into edgeworthia. I love it.

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    1. Carolyn @NC, You will love Edgeworthia!! Keep me posted on whether you find one!

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  16. I went to the big garden show at McDonald's Garden Center in Hampton on Saturday. While I was there I saw a couple trying to get information about Edgeworthia on their smart phones. I couldn't help myself and just blurted out "you should get that plant, trust me".

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    1. Les, I love it!!! Don't you wish you could follow up a year later and see how much they do love that plant??

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  17. I have to laugh when you say daffodils are STILL blooming. We are months away from seeing daffs here, it's such a joy to see yours along with all the other spring bulbs.

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    1. Marguerite, I know we are way ahead of you in the north country....by the time you all have daffodils we are well into our summer blooms.

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  18. Someone needs to invent scratch and sniff for the computer!

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  19. Lucky you! So many things in flower. Fragrance is always such a nice bonus. The ground is still covered with the white stuff here. It is supposed to warmer by the weekend. Fingers crossed!

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    1. Jennifer, I think fragrance in the garden is such a great added benefit. Hope your weather is more spring like!

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  20. I've wanted to order sweet olive and Grand Soleil d'Or for a while. Nice late winter collection!

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    1. Sweetbay, I think you need to get a few tea olives and many Grand Soleil d'Or!! Such great additions to the winter garden.

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  21. I wish I could smell your garden! You are ahead of us on most things. Nothing really fragrant blooming right now, the Sarcococca finished blooming a little while ago and it smelled great. Soon the Daphnes will start and some of the hyacinths will be ready too.

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    1. Catherine @AGardenerinProgress, yes, smell-o-vision would be great. I need to embrace my Sarcococcas more.

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  22. I never noticed any fragrance on my lilac daphne either but the winter daphne is heavenly. the buds on my edgeworthia are tightly closed.

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    1. Carolyn @Shade Gardens, yes, winter daphne is out of this world!! What zone are you? think you are pushing the zone on the Edgeworthia, giving hope to many north of me.

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  23. I can't believe it is spring, either! The birds are certainly telling me. Also, thanks for solving the mystery of the viburnum I saw blooming the other day. I was baffled!

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    1. Eliza, we have a lot more bird activity here too. Love watching the woodpeckers swooping around. I am glad to solve the mysterious viburnum!

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  24. Your edgeworthia is just stunning--I wish I had a "scratch and sniff" computer screen! I'm afraid mine didn't fare well over the winter--we'll see if it rallies. I honestly don't know the lilac daphne--it's lovely, even if it's not terribly fragrant. I always love your garden tours--your blooms and photography are so lovely. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Julie, it is a great plant. Hope yours rallies!! I am trying propagation with them...if I am successful, and yours croaks, I will share.

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  25. Thank Janet for your visit to my blog. What a smal world it is, that Soignes is connecting you, your sister and me, I have so great memories from my walks there! I love your fragrant post, my favorite this time of year. Sweet scent for the weekend!

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    1. Lula, it is a small world for sure!! I am glad you like the fragrant posts....will be doing more.

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