Almost OT: Per Chantell's suggestion above, I bought some lavender essential oil, and also something called "pillow oil" (or something like that) to mix with water and spritz on pillows. Now I just need to find a sprtizer. I'll let you know -- but we're really excited to try it. I wish I could grow lavender. I think it must require a ton of sun. I have killed every single lavender plant I have tried, and I have tried a lot. Actually, I think mine rots even before I get to the point of sun-starving it.
Scented plants, only the nose knows!
Happy - yea you!!! As for the "spritzer" I would like old perfume bottles (if they can be opened and cleaned) would make a fine enough mist...just a thought. I'm sorry about your lavender plants...mine do seem to thrive in the full sun so it might not be your care but lack of sun. They seriously don't require a lot of fussing. I mean, when babies, yes you have to pay attention and make sure they have enough water but they're far from the water hogs Brugs are.
Hi kathy! Cold there too, huh?
"Cold" does not begin to describe it!
What's the temp now, pray tell, Kathy?
It finally got up to positive 10. Will start dropping again in an hour or so. But at least we got to double digits in the positive range!
Ugh...I shall cease complaining...for now any way
Brrrrr.
Ok guys! I'm home from work and taking charges of this thread again! Stay on topic!!!! Can't leave you alone for one minute!!
You know I am just kidding.
Lavender also need good drainage. Don't give up Happy. Maybe you just have to find the right spot for it.
By the way, it is now 8º and dropping. I have been cold all day, and I think it was coldest up closer to Lake Erie where I work. When I got out of the car this morning and walked across the parking lot I thought my nose would freeze.
Weather bug showing a whopping 13 degrees in Wdbg right now....mercy!!! Hmmm - drainage and lavender...I've got perfect poor draining clay soil...must have dumped some of that good ole turkey grit beneath my lavender patch.
Frozen noses....oooo-weee...not a good thing...how will you smell all the pretties come spring and summer. Good night for homemade cocoa...w/marshmallows......ohhhh yum-meee!!!
Happy, You hit the nail on the head! The Flora Pleno Snow Drops are fragrant, but the cold often can make the scent hard to detect. I read several comments that it is very noticable on warmer winter days.
I also planted 2 types of Winter Aconite that are fragrant. One is Eranthis Hyemalis described as having a sweet honeysuckle scent. The other is Eranthis x tubergenii Guinea Gold described as having a citrus scent.
Happy, I also planted the Double Bloodroot. I've seen it called Flora Pleno and also Multiplex.
Even I, who LOVES winter and went outside several times today without a coat, am finding tonight's indoor temperature chilling!! Time for the hot spiced cider!!
I've never noticed a scent emanating from the Winter Aconite -- might only be noticeable if you stuck your nose into it. Which brings up a question: Which of the plants we have been talking about are the best wafters (I know -- not a word), so that you are walking outside and wonder "where is that wonderful smell coming from?" Other than lilies, I don't have anything that does that now.
Happy, I get that "where is it coming from" scent from the Clove Current bush, Honey Locust Tree. Out of the flower category, I achieved it with the Night Scented Stocks that I planted in with my hanging baskets, when stepping out at night and the breeze was from the right direction it was Hummmmmmmm, smells good!
Everything else it's get your nose right in and sniff.
If I sniffed the Winter Aconite someone would call 911 "Woman down and can't get up" LOL
Lady -- you are so funny (and so right) about the winter aconite -- if it smells, it won't do any of us much good since it hugs the ground. But the rest I'm gonna hunt down!
Lady: For the Honey Locust tree, do you mean Gleditsia triacanthos, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/38373/? My experience with locusts has been awful, and I don't recall them having any scent.
Mine don't have those wicked thorns! Might be one of the thornless verities. It has been growing on the property forever. Drops a lot of limbs when we get strong winds.
Here is a picture of my trumpet vine growing up the trunk.
For me, it's probably the Daphnes plants in the shrub borders along my front walk. Visitors always ask about the smells. Here's a Daphne source that I've never ordered from, but they have a nice selection. It was sent to me by a DGer in Oregon when I posted a search thread for Daphne Cneorum Ruby Glow.
http://www.tinytreasuresnursery.com/Genus/Page%20D.htm
Lady, I've been eyeing your Clove Currant since you started this thread. I've read that it can sucker quite a bit. Is yours old enough to know it's growth habit?
When researching it, I came across this site, which is great because you can sort by light, wind, soil, etc. Sorry, no fragrance sort. I thought it might be useful to everyone:
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/shrubselector/detail_plant.cfm?PlantID=431
Stormy, I have had it for a long time, got a piece of it from a friend that has passed away. When I saw she had one I remembered it growing in my parents yard when I was little and loved the scent.
It is not one to plant for it's eye appeal as it is a wildly shaped shrub and pruning it cuts off ( in my experence) most of the flowers. If I notice any suckers this spring that I can get at easily I'll let you know. I don't know if it will root from stem cuttings, I was going to try that but never got around to it.
This message was edited Jan 17, 2009 3:35 PM
Stormy - I haven't ordered from the Daphne vendor either BUT (and sorry for what may sound negative)...I emailed him at least 2x last year with NO response. Also noticed he was advertising in threads which (I could be wrong but) I thought was a no-no here on DG
Found this, ordered seeds +. ok, Cabin fever is setting in big time!!!
And not to mention all the Hot Chocolate I've been drinking, I just could not resist.
http://summerhillseeds.com/centaurea-chocolate-moschata-sspsuaveolens-p-44.html?cPath=27
I saw that our Jill, critter, had good things to say about this company and only good reviews from other DG folks, and the seeds were less expensive then other companies and the shipping cost is $2.99 no matter how much you order. I was in seed heaven!
This message was edited Jan 17, 2009 6:09 PM
Great another seed site....someone help me
This is an addiction and with the whole "Go Green" movement, nobody will look for a cure. Not a single 12 step program out there for us!
And IF there was I'd avoid it like the plague....
ROFL Chantell, Truly an honest statement!
Chantell, feel free to be negative! I don't know anything about that company except that someone sent it to me. I passed it along because they had a nice selection. It's better for you to share your experience and save us all a lot of trouble. His prices are not cheap enough to put up with rotten service. Thanks for letting us know.
I've been looking around for some fragrant white or yellow fall blooming crocuses. I kept reading that you should plant them amidst ground cover. I was finding this perplexing until I saw some of the photos on this site.
http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/FallBloomingCrocusThree
Does anybody grow any of these? What do you mix them with?
Lady, Thanks. I read that it had an untidy habit and could sucker quite a bit. That's the only reason I haven't ordered it. The scent sounds lovely and the flowers look pretty, but I don't want to add any high maintenance shrubs. Of course, if I continue to have shrub failures along side the road, I may go for it. Apparently it is pretty hardy. I've had great luck with other Ribes, but they are not fragrant, just beautiful.
Happy, Have you tried any of these fragrant Corydalis for shade?
http://www.bigdipperfarm.com/cgi-bin/searchstuff.pl?Botanical=Corydalis
Happy, locust trees have a wonderful scent when they're blooming. There are some new varieties that don't have the awful thorns.
One of the new varieties, Purple Robe, has the prettiest dark reddish purple blooms. It's also fragrant. The photo here doesn't do it justice. The blooms on the one I've seen at a local nursery are much darker. It also has a wonderful scent.
http://www.willisorchards.com/product/Purple+Robe+Locust
Er, Chantell, don't get too carried away... remember you already ordered a couple packs from Summer Hill during the co-op! (Chocolate Centaurea, Carnation Clove Drop, and heck what was that other one? LOL)
I've only thought of locusts as messy, thorny trees to avoid. Now I will be looking for 'Purple Robe' -- and looking for a spot to plant it! :-)
I put a witch hazel next to the deck last year, and I'm looking forward to having it bloom -- in late winter, and fragrant too, I've been told!
Ahhh Jill...you're great...I was getting ready to ask you what I ordered...LOL....I'll have to find that dmail of ours
Aha....found it: Carnation 'Cascading Clove Drops', Wallflower 'Cloth of Gold', Centaurea Chocolate
This message was edited Jan 20, 2009 5:08 PM
I'll bring 'em to the seed swap, unless you need them earlier.
That was a fun co-op, and I think the vendor is looking forward to doing a similar discount for us next year.
:-)
Mercy...not needing those THIS soon...LOL...I just appreciate you letting me "tag along" with your order.
I know I have seeds I need to start this week, although I don't think any of yours are "need a looong head start" varieties. It'll soon be time to start winter sowing, too!
I'm starting to sort through my seeds and figure out what needs space under the lights and what will be winter sowed... needless to say, fragrant plants definitely get priority! :-)
I have seeds for several nicotiana this year, including 'Perfume Deep Purple'... that even sounds delicious!
I grew that last year...at first I didn't notice much of any scent...a bit later....though I could smell it. Evening scented like the other nicotianas and not as strong as the 'Fragrant Cloud'...but nice compact form with such a pretty color!!
Critter, if you don't find it up your way, Fort Valley Nursery in Woodstock carries it. I have found, though, that most nurseries will be happy to add a particular tree to their next order for you. I've been lusting after it for some time.
Diane - do you know or could you find out for me if they carry something called 'Rock Daphne' there? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/50030/
Chantell, is there any chance you have 'Fragrant Cloud' seeds to share, or is that a hybrid?
Hart, you're right about nurseries being willing to look for a special tree for you... that's how I got my Key Lime!
Actually I'm sure I do...just need to locate them...and they may not be true as I gathered them from my plants. Just please remind me when it gets closer. They're not a "pretty" plant...better placed behind others for support...silly me, I always plant them in the pots out front b/c I loved to smell their scent but they're awful gaggly (sp?)
Stormy: As a matter of fact, I bought more than a few Corydalis Berry Exciting and Blue Panda plants last year; as I recall, all the Blue Panda's died, and the Berry Exciting's all made it (it might have been the reverse!). But they were tiny - no flowers. I hope they return and prosper. I didn't realize that they would be fragrant. I haven't tried Canary Feathers or Blue Heron -- they sound nice, but I'd better wait and see how my current batch do! Thanks for the suggestion!
Critter gave me my first Corydalis plants, and I love them -- the foliage is a bright green-blue that is very attractive, and the flowers are great. But I will say that they peter out by mid-season, leaving big bare spots, and they reseed like crazy, so I have some mixed feelings. I think they last too late in the season to be a good companion for hostas. Critter, I've been meaning to ask you whether yours also vanish mid-season, and how you deal with that.