2012 a new year for fragrant delights?

12 years ago

I'm sharing what I hope will bloom this year that I have or I've ordered and will be arriving this year along with my disappointments of last year and some of my wants for the new year (yes, I have too many plants already but you know how you always desire new fragrances!).

Have but hasn't bloomed that I'm hoping will bloom this year:

Brunfelsia densifolia/densiflora

Brunfelsia isola

Jasminum officinale (that is if it survives the winter)

Hoya obscura

Epiphyllum anguliger

Mandevilla laxa

Petunia 'Old vining' from Seed Savers Exchange

Begonia 'John Smith' and 'Sunrise Scentiment'

Brugmansia 'Golden Lady'

Hedychium coronarium

H. 'Daniel Weeks'

H. 'Peach Delight'

H. 'Tai Mammoth'

H. 'Tai Monarch'

Disappointments from last year:

Murraya paniculata- the fragrance was too generic floral for me and doesn't smell to my nose like citrus blossoms.

Jasminum nitidum- scent not strong enough but is a gorgeous plant to look at.

Brugmansia 'Cherub'- scent not strong compared to 'Charles Grimaldi' and 'Betty Marshall'.

Bouvardia longiflora- scent not strong enough and to my nose similar to Nicotiana alata (plus the fact that I killed it by over watering!).

Brunfelsia nitida- Only bloomed once for me in the two years I had it.

Hoya lacunosa- generic floral scent similar to Murraya paniculata IMO.

New plants I'd like to try for 2012:

Telosma cordata

Petunia 'Priscilla'- might not want this after I smell the old fashioned vining ones!

Passiflora mooreana- has a scent similar to gardenia or jasmine?

Passiflora serratifolia- Logee's states it has a rich and pleasing fragrance?

What's everyone else's hopes and dreams for 2012?

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Comments (9)

Dar Sunset Zone 18
12 years ago
Hi Robert,

Of my new additions from last year, the best choice which also happens to be the cheapest at a mere 2 bucks and some change was Aloysia virgata. It has a sweet scent with notes that remind me of uncooked jasmine rice, cherry-magnolia handsoap (from SoftSoap), and a little bit of mothballs.

I was slightly disappointed with J. grandiflorum. The new flowers smell great like gardenias but the older flowers smells like Paperwhites which I loathe....

Major Disappointments:
Miriostigma axillare
Viola odorata
(Couldn't detect any scent from either)

Plants that I hope will bloom this year:
Mali Chat Jasmine
Belle of India Jasmine
Jasminum volubile
Jasminum tortuosum

Brunfelsia isola
Wrightia antidysenterica
Rangoon Creeper
Rondeletia splendens

Magnolia coco (this has buds, but will they survive under my care?)
M. liliifera (waiting 2 years already)
M. maudiae (mislabled as M. macclurei, tsk tsk)

I added some new plants to my collection in the last two months and am very low on space now. So I decided to look towards orchids two weeks ago and manage to amass a whole lot of baby orchids including cattleyas, pescatoreas, and others.

I'm looking forward to these with descriptions I found online:
Chysis bractescens - akin to vanilla
Maxillaria variablis - cedar and caramel
Zygopetalum - hyacinths

In the meantime I'll be enjoying a fragrance cone I bought from Kmart that untintentionally smells like gardenias; It is suppose to be a tropical smell with pineapples and coconuts lol.
Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
Original Author
12 years ago
Hi Musaboru!

It always makes me feel better to see I'm not the only person who has a vast collection of fragrant plants. :)

I've only smelled Aloysia virgata in a greenhouse. I liked the scent (reminded me of cherry cola or something) but my partner did not...I'll probably end up getting it anyway. Laugh. I especially like that it attracts wildlife.
It's too bad I only see its cousin, lemon verbena, available locally.

I hope your Belle of India blooms this year. It's my favorite sambac. Such a sweet high note that reminds me of honeysuckle.
Of course eventually I want to try Mysore Mulli. ;)

-Robert
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Ispahan Zone6a Chicago
12 years ago
Hi Robert,

Great thread! I have spent so many years focusing on exotic tropical "indoor" plants, that now I am practically bursting with joy at being able to establish my own outdoor garden this year.

I will be planting some old favorites that I enjoyed in my old Michigan garden:
Hemerocallis citrina
Hosta plantaginea
Peonies
Phlox (many, many types)
Roses
Honeysuckle

And this past fall I already planted many bulbs of what I hope will be a new favorite: Lilies! I can't wait to see how they perform for me this year as they start to settle in. Many of the ones I selected are particularly renowned for scent.

It is fun to read how all of you perceive different fragrances. I happen to enjoy Jasminum grandiflorum and think it one of the best of the true jasmines for pure, clean scent. It is nothing like the putrid J. polyanthum which so many people seem to love...

Aloysia virgata can be mildly pleasant from a distance but up close it is coarse and unattractive. This plant was one of my biggest disappointments from several years ago, along with Mitriostigma axillare which had one of the worst fragrances I have ever sampled. Bleck!

Robert, I can almost guarantee that you will love the scent of Hoya obscura. I also did not care for H. lacunosa, but H. obscura is a different animal entirely, being much sweeter, cleaner and much more tolerable.

As for the hedychiums, they usually have very nice scents. If you are familiar with Lonicera periclymenum, you will find that many hedychiums have an identical scent, so much so that if you closed your eyes you would not be able to tell them apart.
Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
Original Author
12 years ago
Ispahan!

I can't believe you're teasing us by naming generic plants like lilies and roses without giving us the details. Laugh.

I also grow both (I'm always trying to squeeze some more lilies in whenever possible). My favs are Silk Road and Casa Blanca. The latter smells of spicy cloves to me.
My fav rose is Jude the Obscure. I'm still holding out for Hansa which is supposed to smell strongly of cloves but so far has not lived up to my expectations. I'll probably replace William Shakespeare 2000 with another Jude since William is not as scented as I would like him to be or maybe I'll replace Will with Pope John Paul II? Have you smelled that one? Awesome citrus scent however when the white flowers age and turn brown they're not so attractive.

I'm looking forward to my Hoya obscura blooming but so far it's still just a small plant and Kartuz stopped offering them right after I placed my order (figures).

And of course now I want Lonicera periclymenum though I wonder if it would suffer from mildew in our hot humid summers? I guess I can just sniff my Goldflame for now.

Oh, you didn't mention mock oranges...I don't know if you like them or not but I adore it when my Snowbelle blooms. :)

-Robert
Ispahan Zone6a Chicago
12 years ago
Haha, I guess I was just being lazy with not writing out the varietal names! For lilies, I have unfortunately steered away from the wonderful orientals like 'Casa Blanca' since they tend to peter out in the local alkaline soil after a couple of seasons. I opted instead for the likes of Lilium regale and many of Judith Freeman's wonderful creations and offerings from The Lily Garden, including 'Silk Road'. In fact, I planted so many that I am having trouble recalling names without consulting my spreadsheet.

As for roses, I did indeed plant 'Jude the Obscure'. It is my favorite Austin for fragrance. Others that I planted include 'Madame Plantier' (which produces probably my favorite of all rose fragrances), Rosa x centifolia 'Muscosa', 'Stanwell Perpetual', 'Nastarana', 'Spray Cecile Brunner', 'Marie Pavie' and 'Rose de Rescht'. I am looking forward to seeing how they settle in this year.

Hmmm...I don't recall ever seeing mildew on Lonicera periclymenum. My favorite clone is 'Serotina' or 'Serotina Florida', since it has the prettiest blooms and tends to flower the longest. Some clones like 'Graham Thomas' look exciting in catalogues but then look anemic and sickly when you actually see them in person. With a plant like L. periclymenum that is naturally somewhat understated, I think it is best to choose the cultivars with the most "oomph."

Ah, mock orange! I love them, but because of space constraints I will have to sacrifice them in my own garden. Instead, I will have to enjoy the perfume from the many wonderful specimens growing in other peoples' gardens throughout the city. Same with lilacs.
mandieluck
12 years ago
Robert, do tell:

From where are you ordering your fabulously fragrant favorites? I am just beginning to plant in Atlanta and could use all the resources possible.

Many thanks!
Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
Original Author
12 years ago
Hi Mandie!

I admit I've had to search high and low to find all these beauties. ;)

Of course it depends on what you're looking for but good starts are:

Logee's Greenhouses - www.logees.com
Almost Eden - www.almostedenplants.com
Pepper's Greenhouses - www.accentsforhomeandgarden.com
Kartuz Greenhouses - www.kartuz.com
Ginger Plantation - www.gingerplantation.com
Zone 9 Tropicals - www.zone9tropicals.com
Olallie Daylily Gardens - www.daylilygarden.com
Sequim Rare Plants - www.sequimrareplants.com

For large plants I've had most luck with Almost Eden and Zone 9 Tropicals.
For cheap unusual plants (though they are small) I like Pepper's Greenhouses.
For cheap gingers I like Ginger Plantation.
My all time favorite is Logee's. They can be pricey at times but the plants are always good and the customer service is awesome.

Good luck!
-Robert
nance
11 years ago
Hi Robert,
Just a note to say many thanks for the good information.
I sent my sister a gardenia for her birthday and decided to get some information before I get one for myself.
Have a good day.
Nancy
Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Nancy!

You're welcome.
I try to share as much info as possible to make it easier for people searching for the same plants I am. :)

Good luck with your gardenia.
Although I personally don't grow them this is an excellent forum for gardenia info.

-Robert

2012 a new year for fragrant delights?

Comments (9)

Dar Sunset Zone 18

Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
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2012 a new year for fragrant delights?

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Dar Sunset Zone 18

Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)Original Author

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