That sounds like a fragrant tea olive - osmanthus fragrans. Smells almost like bubble-yum bubblegum. They're really more like a shrub when they're small but you can limb them up into tree form. They grow to maybe 25 ft tall. Green, slick leaves with tiny white buds. You can smell them from a mile away and they're the best smelling thing I've ever smelled outside. Honeysuckle, jasmine, etc. don't even come close to the scent of a fragrant tea olive.

Hey Jeff! I can't think of you without thinking of the camellia 'Magnoliaflora' (or something like that). I have 20+ osmanthus 'fragrans' here in Vincent and they do quite well during our typical winters. Any tender fall growth is killed back during harsh cold, but that's minimal. It quickly regrows during spring. My two oldest shrubs are approaching 10-ft. tall. I have 2 michelia 'figo'. The species is somewhat protected by the deck and surrounding shrubs, and still loses quite a few leaves during the upper teens. Likewise, it quickly replaces them in spring. The selection 'Port Wine' is unprotected and takes a little bit of a beating during bitter cold, but is still a very handsome shrub come mid-spring. I can't imagine not being able to enjoy both! Having said all that, I'd be a bit sceptical about either one thriving as far north as the TN line. However, I'd still try both if they could have excellent protection during winter. I'm interested in hearing comments from those in north Alabama who grow either of these. According to the "Southern Living Garden Book", there is an area near, or even north of, Florence, that is considered "Lower South", which is the northern range for either of these shrubs. Maybe your sister is lucky enough to live in that area. Let's hope so! Nelson

Yes, GNPS has decided to not have the plant sale again this year (we didn't have it in 2008 either). The primary reason is the drought: a) are we likely to have customers, and b) one source of our plant sale material comes from nursery donations and many of those nurseries are struggling. We are also lacking a plant sale committee chairman (looking for a volunteer). In the past, the sale has been a big effort; we are considering have two or more smaller sales per year instead going forward (especially if that would make it less daunting to a new chairman). We are planning to sell plants at the Symposium (and Lazy K will be involved) and as I said may pull together a smaller sale for the fall if we can. We hope that our project at Stone Mountain can be a source of plant sale material in the future and perhaps even a location for a sale (on a small scale). We very much hope to be back to selling plants in 2010 (if not fall 2009) as it is a large source of income for us. Under the "about us" tab on the website you can read some of the past Board minutes which might give you some more information (especially October). On the plus side, several Atlanta organizations have been having native plant sales (Fernbank, Dunwoody Nature Center are two that come to mind). I know the variety is not as big and doesn't include the very cool rescued plants donated by our members. We hope to get back to it soon! Here is a link that might be useful: More info about our Stone Mountain Propagation Project

in my experience with tea olive, the fragrance can be strong at times, depending on weather conditions. when mine flowers (fall and winter here), if i am near it in the early mornings or at night when it is cool and perhaps damp from dew, i can not detect a fragrance. however, as the air warms and especially on dry autumn days with high air pressure, it will waft a long distance from the shrub, smelling just like apricots to me. also notice the same scenario with nicotiana and even petunias. check the box store garden centers in your area. they stock them here (i want to say about $6.00 for a 2' tall plant)and they should be blooming now.