Scent in your garden

[maggiepie]

Rodger, I love the scent of Cyclamen hederifolium but have found the small white flowered one has the strongest scent.
To me, the scent of clematis betty corning is very similar as well as several of my integrifolia seedlings.

Lesley, lemon verbena is another of my favourites, also the lemon scented geranium, I like to keep one of those inside the house for winter so I can brush my hand over it when I pass.
Rosemary is another I winter indoors and love to touch as I walk by.
It's also very handy to have for cooking too.

[Paddy Tobin]

Lesley,

Mary and I argued over a description for the scent of Azara earlier in the summer. She went with vanilla while I feel it is more of chocolate. We later read a magazine article where it was described as "vanilla/chocolate". It's a nice scent however one describes it. We grow Azara microphylla variegata.

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

I said vanilla Paddy because that's how the scent is always described in catalogues or books. I'm inclined to think vanilla ice-cream, though yes, there is a hint of chocolate too. All a matter of perception I suppose, or, more likely, association. A scent in passing can take one right back to one's childhood they way the sight of something does not.

The variegated Azara is a lovely thing. I had it in a previous garden and regret not taking cuttings before I left. I may have had the only one in NZ as I imported it from Spinners Nursery in Dorset, in 1981. I've never seen it elsewhere in NZ.

[Paul T]

I have a small flowered "florist" Cyclamen (i.e a smaller, more species style of Cyclamen persicum) that has a strong and spicy scent.  Has been flowering prolifically this spring, and when we had it on display at Floriade over the weekend (the Hort Soceity had a display in one of the Marque at Floriade) everyone was amazed at the perfume.  It was one of the reasons I originally bought it a few years ago.... although that was mainly for the lovely white to pale pink flowers with the magenta edge.  

I see that Lesley has already mentioned the Lemon Verbena as well....... I just love brushing my hands through the leaves to release the smell.  Dried leaves keep their scent for a LONG time as well, you just need to brush them lightly to release it.  No need to crush or anything like that, just brush the surface lightly.

[Len Rhind]

Acidanthera (Gladiolus murielae) is a welcome aroma in my B.C. garden right now.

[David Nicholson]

I'm getting quite worried about my olufactory systems I've never detected a scent on my Gladiolus murielae

[SueG]

I'm getting quite worried about my olufactory systems I've never detected a scent on my Gladiolus murielae
[/quote
David - if they are like some other glads, they may only be scented at the times to attract their pollinators - some moth pollinated species like G tristus are only scented at night. i'm not sure about g murielae - guess you may just have to go and have a sniff at regular intervals over the next 24 hours!!

[vivienr]

I'm getting quite worried about my olufactory systems I've never detected a scent on my Gladiolus murielae

David, I find the scent of this plant quite feint in my garden - perhaps not sunny enough - and I had to stick my nose right into the flower to get the scent. But it wast worth the effort as to me it is the scent of a tropical paradise and I had to inhale it every time I walked down the garden in this rather miserable summer! I think it is similar to the scent of Chlidanthus fragrans which I was lucky enough to get a flower of this year. If anyone knows any other flowers with this scent I would be pleased to know about them.

I have a Clematis montana, which I think is Grandiflora, growing up a holly tree that has a lovely vanilla scent. Also a large and very prickly green-leafed Berberis with yellow flowers that can scent the whole garden on a warm spring day.

[Lesley Cox]

I see that Lesley has already mentioned the Lemon Verbena as well....... I just love brushing my hands through the leaves to release the smell.  Dried leaves keep their scent for a LONG time as well, you just need to brush them lightly to release it.  No need to crush or anything like that, just brush the surface lightly.

The dried leaves make a very nice tea too.

[Lesley Cox]

David, I too am worried about your olfactory sense as you've mentioned a number of times you couldn't small something which I find very scented. I suggest you test your smellability by buying (if you don't already grow), a couple of the more spectacular Arum species. I'd bet you'd smell those all right. Darren Sleep describes one superbly in that thread. If you can't smell them, then I'm afraid there's no hope for you at all.

[Lesley Cox]

No, not in the Arum thread. I'll find it shortly, unless it wasn't an Arum and it wasn't Darren. Help me Maggi!





edit by Maggi: a search reveals that the Forum is scattered with references to the stinky, rather than scented, properties of Arum and other aroids.... rotting flesh is the most popular ( polite) description  

[Michael J Campbell]

Lesley,I didn't realize that Polyxena longituba was scented until you mentioned it. I checked it today and sure enough it is beautifully scented, although one has to be fairly close to the flower to get the smell.

[David Nicholson]

David, I too am worried about your olfactory sense as you've mentioned a number of times you couldn't small something which I find very scented. I suggest you test your smellability by buying (if you don't already grow), a couple of the more spectacular Arum species. I'd bet you'd smell those all right. Darren Sleep describes one superbly in that thread. If you can't smell them, then I'm afraid there's no hope for you at all.

I thnk I'll just take his word for it Lesley, and yours!

[Paul T]

Aw, David.  Where's your scents of adventure!!