If the problem with the violets is that you are sticking your nose into locally offered stock and not getting a level of fragrance you remember there are two notions I'm aware of that may pertain, if there is anything to them: 1. You may have to have a quantity of them flowering together, the strong fragrance being the result of multiple flowers being open at once, with individual flowers not having enough fragrance to reward close sniffing. This could explain recollections of a strong fragrance not being met when small individual plants are picked up and smelled; even if an outlet is displaying multiple flats in bloom some garden plantings will be considerably larger 2. Conditions here may not lend themselves to the same production of fragrance as elsewhere. An example of this concept being held is the former elderly near-neighbors with a larger- and more involved than usual garden who had mats of sweet violets and told me they smelled much better when they lived in Spokane - and suggested I think that it could be due to a difference in pH or other characteristic of the soil here

A thread titled "Most Fragrants that Waft" began in March of 2000 as a request for a list of fragrant plants that "drift or waft on the air". After reaching the maximum 100 posts, the thread eventually expired due to inactivity. Not surprisingly, after the first post expired, the subject surfaced again in the post "Fragrants that Waft". The original post, "Most Fragrants that Waft", was saved and was kindly provided by yeona_sky. The following list was compiled by Clare_CA from the original "Most Fragrants that Waft" and the later post "Fragrants that Waft". Abelia trilora Abeliophyllum distichum, White Forsythia Aglaia odorata Aloysia virgatas, Sweet Almond Amaryllis belladonna, Pink Naked Ladies Asclepias incarnata, Swamp Milkweed Azara microphylla Beaumontia grandiflora, Easter Lily Vine Boronia Boronia megastigma, Brown Boronia Bouvardia longiflora Brassavola nodosa, Lady-of-the-Night Orchid Brugmansias Brunfelsia jamaicensis (Lady of the Night, Family: Solanaceae) Buddleia asiatica Buddleia davidii Calycanthus floridus, Carolina allspice or sweetshrub Cananga odorata, Perfume tree Cardiocrinum giganteum, Giant lily Cestrum diurnum Cestrum nocturnum (Night blooming jasmine, Queen of the Night, Night Jessamine, Lady of the Night, Family: Solanaceae) Cheiranthus allionii, Wallflower Chimonanthus praecox, Wintersweet Choisya ternata, Mexican orange blossom Cimicifuga 'Hillside Black Beauty' Citrus Clematis Montana Clematis terniflora, Sweet Autumn Clematis (Family: Ranunculaceae) Clerodendrum bungei (Cashmere (Cashmir) bouquet, Glory Bower, Family: Verbenaceae) Clerodendrum minahasse (Fountain Clerodendrum, Clerodendron, Tube flower, Family: Verbenaceae) Clerodendrum philippinum Schau, C. fragrans pleniflorum, c. chinense (Chinese Glory Bower, Cashmere bouqet, Scent Malli, False Pikake, Glory Tree, Family: Verbenaceae) Clerodendrum trichotomum, (Harlequin Glory, Family: Verbenaceae) Clethra alnifolia, Sweet Pepperbush or Summersweet Clethra 'Ruby Spice' Clidanthus fragrans, Fragrant amaryllis Coffea arabica, C. robusta (Coffee, Family: Rubiaceae) Coleonema pulchrum, Pink Breath of Heaven Convallaria majalis, Lily-of-the-Valley Crinum moorei Crinum odorata, Swamp lily Crinum powellii Daphne bholua Daphne 'Carol Mackie' Daphne odora Daphne x burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie' and 'Somerset' Daphnes Datura inoxia Datura metel Datura wrightii Dianthus Barbatus, Sweet William Dianthus gratianopolitanus Dianthus 'Rainbow Loveliness’ Dioscorea batatas, Cinnamon Vine Dracaena fragans Eupatorium ligustrinum Freesia Gardenia Augusta (Bush Gardenia, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia brighamii (Native Hawaiian Gardenia Nau, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia Four Seasons (Gardenia Four Seasons, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia Jasminoides (Cape jasmine, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia jasminoides 'White Gem' (White Gem, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia Radicans (Dwarf Gardenia Radicans, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia taitensis Star of Tahiti (Tahiti Gardenia, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia taitensis Tiare Tahiti (Tahiti Gardenia, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia thunbergium (white gardenia, forest gardenia, wild gardenia, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia Tubifera Kula (Golden Gardenia, Family: Rubiaceae) Gardenia Vietnamensis (Vietnamese Gardenia, Family: Rubiaceae) Genista fragrans, Sweet Broom, aka Cytisus spachianus Gladiolus callianthus, Acidantheras, Peacock Orchids Gleditsia triacanthos f. inermis, Thornless Honey Locust Hedychium coronaria, common white ginger Hedychium coronarium Hedychium coronarium var. chrysoleum 'Yellow Spot', Ginger lily Hedychium flavescens Hedychium flavum Hedychium gardnerianum, Ginger Lily Helichrysum, Licorice Plant Heliotropium arborescens, Heliotrope Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus (species daylily) Hemerocallis, Daylilies highly fragrant daylilies: ‘Audacity Bound’, ‘Barbara Mitchell’, ‘Buried Treasure’, ‘Catherine Woodbury’, ‘Chorus Line’, ‘Citrina’, ‘Earth Angel’, ‘Elegant Candy’, ‘Ellen Christine’, ‘Evening Bell’, ‘Ever So Ruffled’, ‘Forty Carats’, ‘Fragrant Light’, ‘Frosted Pink Ice’, ‘Frozen Jade’, ‘Gingham Maid’, ‘Golden Scroll’, ‘Graceland’, ‘Hudson Valley’, ‘Hyperion’, ‘Ida Miles’, ‘Ice Carnival’, ‘Kathy Rood’, ‘Lemon Lollypop’, ‘Night Beacon’, ‘Pasta’, ‘Raspberry Candy’, ‘Scape Stopper’, ‘Siloam Double Classic’, ‘Siloam Mamma’, ‘Siloam Spizz’, ‘Smoky Mountain Autumn’, ‘Sweet Shalimar’, ‘Tender Love’, ‘Tetrina’s Daughter’, ‘Top Honors’, ‘Traylyta’, ‘Vanilla Fluff’, ‘Willard Gardner’ Hesperis matronalis, Dame's Rocket, Dame's Violet, Mother of the Evening, Sweet Rocket Holarrhena densiflora, Jasmine Tree Hosta 'Fragrant Bouquet' Hosta 'Guacamole' Hosta plantaginea Hyacinthus, Hyacinths Hymenocallis species, Peruvian daffodil Hymensporum flavum, Sweet Shade tree Illicium Floridanum Ipomoea alba, Moonflowers Iris - Highly fragrant bearded irises include 'Dark Passion', 'Fort Apache', 'Last Chance', 'Mary Frances', 'Old Black Magic', 'Pacific Mist', 'Scented Bubbles', 'Stepping Out', 'Thriller', and 'Sweet Lena' Jasminum Jasminum angulare (South African Jasmine, Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum azoricum, Jasminum trifoliatum Moench, J. bahiense, J. blandum, J. fluminense, J hildebrandtii, J. holstii (River Jasmine, Scrambling Vine, J. De Trapo, Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum dichotomum (Gold Coast Jasmine, Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum humile, J. grandiflorum (Italian Jasmine, Family: Oleaceae.) Jasminum mesnyi, J. primulinum (Japanese Jasmine, Primrose J., Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum Molle (Jasminum Molle, Indian Jui, Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum nitidum, J. magnificum, J. illicifolium (Star Jasmine, Angelwing J., Shining J., Windmill J., Royal J., Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum officinale grandiflorum, J. viminale, J. vulgatum, J. Affine (True jasmine, Common jasmine, French Perfume Jasmine, Poet's jasmine, Catalonian J., Spanish J., Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum parkeri (Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum polyanthum, J. blinii, J. delafieldii (Pink jasmine, Winter Jasmine, Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum pubescens , J. multiflorum, J. gracillimum (Downy Jasmine, Angel Hair Jasmine, Star Jasmine, Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum sambac, J. fragrans, J. undulatum, Mogori Sambac, Mogori undulata, Nyctanthes sambac (Arabian Jasmine, J. Grand Duke Of Tuscany, Butt Mograw, Belle of India, Maid of Orleans, Hawaiian Pikake, Sampaguitas, Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum stephanense (Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum tortuosum (African Jasmine, Perfume jasmine, Family: Oleaceae) Jasminum volubile, J. simplicifolium (Wax Jasmine, Family: ) Lathyrus odoratus, sweet peas Lavandula, Lavender Ligustrum japonicum, Japanese Privet, Wax Leaf Privet Lillium "Le Reve" Lobularia maritima, Sweet Alyssum Lonicera fragrantissima, Winter Honeysuckle Lonicera heckrottii (Honeysuckle, Family: Caprifoliaceae) Lonicera japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle, Halls honeysuckle, Family: Caprifoliaceae) Luculia intermedia Luculia pinceana Magnolia (Family: Magnoliaceae) Magnolia grandiflora Magnolia hypoleuca Magnolia stellata Magnolia virginiana, Sweet Bay Magnolia Magnolia x wieseneri Malcolmia maritima, Virginian stock Matthiola bicornis. Night-scented Stock Matthiola incana, Stock Matthiola longipetala, Evening-scented stock Melilotus alba, Wild Clover Michelia champaca Michelia coco Michelia doltsopa Michelia figo Michelia x alba Mirabilis jalapa (Four o'clocks, Family: Nyctaginaceae) Murraya exotica Mini (Miniature Orange jasmine, Family: Rutaceae) Murraya paniculata (Orange Jasmine, O. Jessamine, Mock Orange, Lakeview jasmine, Family: Rutaceae) Narcissus bulbs Narcissus, Daffodils Nicotiana alata, Jasmine Tobacco, flowering tobacco Nicotiana sylvestris, Woodland Tobacco Nicotiana x sanderae, Flowering Tobacco Osmanthus fragrans, Sweet Olive Passiflora belotii, Passiflora Alatocaerulea, Passionflower Peonies Petunias Philadelphus, Mock Orange Phlox divaricata, Woodland Phlox Phlox stolonifera, Creeping Phlox Pieris x 'Spring Snow' Pittosporum tobira, Mock Orange Pittosporum undulatum, Victorian Box Plumeria, Frangipani Polianthes tuberosa, Tuberose Primula florindae, Tibetan Primrose Prunus mume, Japanese Apricots Quisqualia indica, Rangoon Creeper Reseda odorata, Mignonette Rhododendron atlanticum Rhododendron 'Dexter Spice' Rhododendron fragrantissimum Rhododendron occidentale, Western Azalea Rhododendron veitchianum 'Ashacombe' Ribes Odoratum, Clove Currant, Golden Currant Ribes Viburnifolium, Catalina Perfume Rose, Blanc Double de Coubert rugosa Rose, Double Delight - Hybrid Tea Rose (pretty colors) Rose, Fragrant Cloud - Hybrid Tea Rose Rose, Hansa - Rugosa Rose Rose, Madame Isaac Pereire - Antique Rose Rose, Mister Lincoln - Hybrid Tea Rose, Prospero, Golden Celebration, ‘The Prince’, ‘Fair Bianca’ - David Austin Roses Rose, Scentimental - Hybrid Tea Rose, Sombreuil, climbing antique. Rose, Sweet Chariot - miniature "hanging basket" rose Rose, Tiffany - Hybrid Tea Rose Salvia clevelandii, Cleveland Sage Sansevierias Saponaria officinalis, Soapwart, Bouncing Bet, Fuller's-herb, Lady's-washbowl, Latherwort, Old-maid's-pink Sarcococca Hookeriana Humilis Stephanotis floribunda (Bridal Bouquet, Family: Asclepiadaceae) Styrax japonicus Syringa microphylla 'Superba,' Minature lilac Syringa vulgaris, Lilacs Tilia cordata, Linden Trees Trachelospermum asiaticum, Asian Jasmine, Yellow star jasmine (Family: Apocynaceae) Trachelospermum Jasminoides, Confederate Jasmine, Star Jasmine (Family: Apocynaceae) Valerian officianalis Viburnum carlesii Viburnum farreri Viburnum odoratissimum Viburnum x bodnantense 'Pink Dawn' Viburnum x burkwoodii Viburnum x carlcephalum Viburnum x judii Viburnums Viola odorata, Sweet Violet Weigela florida 'Variegata nana' Wisterias Zaluzianskya ovata, Night phlox

Cymbopogons are native grasses that are closely related to the Lemongrass that is used in Asian cooking, I have tasted a few different species, and they all taste bloody awful in my opinion (and smell like cats piss!!), but I have been told by a reliable source that it depends on the species and the growing conditions. I think these species have more potential as insect repellants than in any culinary use, as all the lemongrasses produce citronella. A lot of spices that come to us from other cultures have become part of a culinary tradition primarily because of their medicinal or practical qualities, I have been reading a lot about this in Indian cooking, the inclusion of things like asfoteida (or hing) in many indian lentil dishes is because of its digestive qualities, this is true of fennel seeds, ginger and many others. This is also true of the spicy liqueurs and appertifs of mostly european origins that we enjoy today simply for their flavour rather than their original intended purposes as digestive aids and remedies. I think that this is also true of the way Aboriginal people use plant material, so whilst I agree that they are probably not considered culinary spices, even by Aboriginal people, there are plants used in the preparation of food that have medicinal properties or are used simply for practical reasons (to keep food moist or to insulate it from the intense heat of a fire during slow cooking) and some of these impart some fairly distinctive flavours on the dish being prepared, and as such could also be considered culinary spices. I can imagine that todays use of the spice cinnamon evolved from a similar usage, but that is simpy specultion and the result of a wish to be able to grow my own cinnamon tree, peel some bark off and wrap it around a hunk of lamb and cook in some coals just to see what it tasted like ;-). mudlark

Unless you are living in an area of savannah woodland I suspect a good diversity of native shrubs may have occurred on your site pre-clearing. There should be quite a few local natives, especially in your area (which I envy). I live on hard clay loam and have great success with Banksias and Grevilleas, but they're all species from areas with clay. I know quite a lot of the most popular WA plants come from deep sand so would doubtless kark it on clay. My past experience with Eucalyptus caesia (pretty much a shrub where I was in western Sydney at the time) shows it to be tolerant of clay, as is Grevillea biternata. Other WA species I am familiar with or have heard of taking well to clay include: Alygone huegelii Astartea fascicularis Boronia megastigma (well, maybe touch and go) Calothamnus quadrifidus Chorizema cordatum (if given a reasonable humus-rich topsoil) Eremophila - most seem to tolerate clay around here Hakea laurina, petiolaris Melaleuca coccinea (worth a try), diosmifolia, laterita Solanum aviculare (grows like lightning to about 2.5m) Some of the eastern natives (and are not too tree-like) that do well on clay in my experience include: Melaleuca parvistaminea, ericifolia, styphelioides Kunzea ambigua, parvifolia, ericoides Banksia marginata, ericifolia, spinulosa, robur, paludosa Grevillea hyrids of many sorts, aspleniifolia, juniperina Baeckia virgata Acacia species (most, especially feathery-leaved ones) Allocasuarina paludosa Atriplex nummularia Bauera rubioides Callistemon citrinus and cultivars Calytrix teragona Correa alba, reflexa cultivars Crowea all Dodonaea viscosa Prostranthera lasianthos, incisa, saxicola Philotheca myoporoides (used to be Eriostemon myoporoides) Indigofera australis Jacksonia scoparia Leptospermum, lots Myoporum montanum and various others Westringia longifolia, fruticosa Mind you, if you grow on limestone this list may be of sparse use. While most of these species are pretty hardy, some loathe high pH. Also, this list applies mainly to better drained clay (white or yellow to reddish) not soggy stagnant clay (grey). My personal preference would be your own local natives, you have so many real beauties.