Brad, perhaps, 'most' humans like the scent of flowers.. Think about summer..if you garden outdoors, or walk past a beautiful Lilac, most often, you'd stop and sniff the air. Also, we who live in cold climates enjoy winter fragrances..It's either apple pie w/cinnamon or flowers..or both. lol One Hoya, 'Krinkle' emits fragrance day and night. For some reason I can't smell other hoya blooms..Don't know if it's me, because I detect odors..in fact, if there's a fire, I smell it way before hearing fire trunk sirens. And the FD here is fast. They get a call and seconds later they're on their way. So, I don't understand. Citrus smell wonderful. I love Gardenias, but to be honest, the scent isn't my favorite..same w/Easter Lily's. My father couldn't stand smelling flowers..he said they reminded him of funeral parlors..lol..But he passed away 37 yrs ago. Back then, tropicals were pretty much unheard of in Chicago. However Easter Lily's were given away at Church. Maybe he thought all flowers smelled like EL's. Toni

I wish I could only plant all my favorite trees right into the ground... I have always dreamed of one day being able to plant an Olive and Michelia right next to my house..lol You yard must smell so good and well as those whom have them as hedges, my goodness...Yes, mine is just growing new leaves,,,It's quite strange..I though full sun and cold temps triggered blooms, but not so here. I don't get it. I have 6 trees of all different sizes and not a one budding...I wish I could get them to flower by now, but it seems to me they stay green and healthy almost all year...Oooo, if it does not give me any flowers, especially my 8 foot tree that I can barely carry into the house anymore, it's going to sit outside all winter in our blizzards..I'm serious..lol I have just a mind to let it go. Now, you have to go to the zoo! Do you have any idea how happy all those animals will be to see you? They love to see faces and then you can get a pic of that tree. It must be just about to set flowers by now. Boy, do I wish I could see one of those up close. I hope yours does the same as you still stay on this earth nice and healthy for a long time..I hope it's not like a cactus that outlive a human life span before it flowers..Goodness. I hope this winter is much milder than the last. I would be afraid that if your tree goes through that again, it would not make it..Watch for the long range forecast..If you think it's going to be brutal, try to see if you can insulate it? If you are anything like me, if it has to be insulated, then it's tough.lol I got tired of insulating my shrubs and fig tree. I stopped that and if didn't survive my winters, then it didn't belong out there...I find native trees and shrubs that can handle such cold temps a lot less nerve racking and less work. It's always good to see your pics and your plants. You do such a wonderful job with them, especially your gardeinas! I am going to call you the Gardenia Whisperer. You have a way of making thinks look so delicious... Thank you for sharing and I'll be back soon. I have to dig up a pic for you speaking of Sweet Olives)

I had the same promblem until I went to the grower who has a huge 18 footer in his greenhouse and asked him the same question. These trees or plants will only bloom and smell unbeleivable if you let them grow in COLD conditions for a period of time. His does not bloom all year until fall and winter. It is in a greenhouse that is kept in the 40's to 50's all winter, and boy is that tree loaded with flowers at that only time. Sometimes the flowers will appear out of no where if the morning in cold enough for them to come out! I tried it. I have 3 of them. One of which I left out in a cold room with sunlight, one I left outside under shrubs so frost wouldn't get to it, and one I brought indoors into my warm sun room. The one outside grew tons of flowers and lasted until the end of October, until it was to cold to keep it outside. The one in my cold shed flowered throughout the whole of winter. The one indoors, nothing. Just constant new growth. Given warm temps, they only grow leaves, and as soon as the warm sun hits the plants after a cool morning when I get flowers, they frizzle up and die. Try it. Leave your plants growing in cold conitions for a while. Do not over water, and don't fertilze ok. They do not like fertilizer like most plants. In fact the grower never feeds his. I hope this helps. I have great sucess with this plant!! They have the most fragrant yet suttle scent!!! Remeber, because you are going to keep in in cooler temps, back off on the watering ok. Mike

Thank you for your Info. I do have my Sweet Olive where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade, drainage may by an issue as I have it near a down spout for my gutters. It just may be getting too much water. Do you know if they move well? I had to move a Banana shrub last season and I do believe it now hates me!