dbarron lovely photos.

Robert I hear you, my unscented phal is taking it's sweet time to flower too, 2-3 months, I lost track :-)

Here is a photo for you btw, Jasmine sambac's mini flowers, what a divine scent....

Yep, I have to agree they smell much better than they photograph (MOO).

After a week in December of near freeze and freeze here in SF Bay Area, I guess being covered by a frost blanket stimulated these daft beauties to bloom a month or two before any other jasmines. These are Angelwing Jasmine, they have a clean, sweet, soapy jasmine scent, they smell very much like a florist's shop, actually!
My narcissus are putting up leaves and freesia are putting up flower stalks, can't wait for freesia season,
Pea

Robert, what a beautiful picture of chloranthus inflorescence. It is one of my favorite fragrant plants. I love everything about it: shiny leaves, habitus, resilience, repeat blooming...And of course the scent. It just has to be catched at the right time. it really wafts feets away. Yes, it takes time to develop and is fragrant only for one day but there's something esoteric about it. I can't imagine my fragrant collection without it.
dbarron, do you like the scent of african gardenia and how would you describe it?

I love all the jasmine pics! Makes me long for spring even more.

Misha, thank you! I'm currently in love with my chloranthus again since it's the only thing blooming for me. I brought it outside since it's an unusually warm day and the scent is wafting and even has brought in some bees to work the blooms!

I'm trying to not go crazy with my seed buying this year but of course I can't stop.
Just bought some Ipomea alba (moonflower) and Lathyrus odoratus 'Cupani's Original'. I've never tried sweet peas before. This variety is supposed to be very fragrant and heat tolerant. We'll see!

-Robert

... I love that chloranthus... not heard of it before.. we grow Lathyrus 'Cupani' over here, it's still very popular and yes it is quite fragrant... I love the colour too..

..this is Daphne bholua 'Jacqueline Postill'... last year's photo but the flowers have just opened in the last few days...it will soon become smothered and the scent is just wonderful for this time of year...

Robert, Cupani sweet peas do well for me in San Jose ( hot)- they lived through 100 degree days last may. They reseed freely too. Tip: they are real pigs, I planted mine in a trench full of worm castings. Direct sun can fade the blossoms. If you need to inoculate legumes in your area remember these are technically legumes too :)

Pea

My gardenia surprised me this week - didn't notice there was a bud big enough to bloom!
Maggie

Meanwhile, while cleaning up beds outside, a wonderful scent let me know lonicera fragantissima was in bloom. Love how this fragrance wafts

Robert, bees in January, you're lucky. We're frozen solid !

Princess, that Jasmine is divine...

Marlorena & Maggie, you're so lucky, Daphne & Lonicera two on my wish list :-)

Thanks for the info on the sweet peas! If they can survive that amount of heat surely I'll get at least some blooms this year and if I don't oh, well! Seeds are a heck of a lot cheaper than the usual tropical plants I buy. Laugh.

I love all the pics!

Maggie, I've been checking the Lonicera fragantissima (winter honeysuckle) in the park where I walk my dog for buds but so far no luck. It's a treat when it blooms.

Marlorena, Your daphne is gorgeous.

Maybe one day I'll be brave enough to try a daphne though for now I'm going to try and grow scented annuals from seeds like Old fashioned vining petunias, Flowering tobacco (Nicotiana alata), night scented stock (Matthiola longipetala subsp. bicornis), etc.
I also got some Henna seeds (Lawsonia inermis) though I found a nursery in OK that carries plants so knowing me I'll probably take a road trip and buy some come spring. ;)

My mini phal orchid opened one bloom however still no scent yet.
I'm sure in time it will develop and at least it's pretty to look at and doesn't take up much space at all in the kitchen window. :)

-Robert

Update! I went home at lunch and my mini phal is starting to produce a scent! Yay (yes, I'm desperate. Laugh).!

This post was edited by robert1971 on Wed, Jan 21, 15 at 13:27

Maggie, Robert how different is the fragrant lonicera from Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) that is habit, leaves?

We have a patch of Diervilla and they flower for 2 weeks and and after that there are some fruit. But it works good as a hedge.

Nice phal Robert, I love the way the sunlight is illuminating the flower,
I went a smelt mine, it had a faint smell ;-)

Robert, what a beautiful Phal!!! It must smell good. I too am getting into these..What kind is it?

I love all the flowers everyone and I hope everyone is well. Let me see if I can pull some pics together soon..

))

MIke

Sorry, True-Blue, I don't know that honeysuckle.
Glad your orchid has a slight scent! :)

Mike, we want pics!
The orchid is labeled Doritaenopsis Jiuhbao Pamela. I know there are way more fragrant beauties out there but this will do in a pinch. ;)

-Robert

Thanks Robert.

I sniffed the phal a bit more. I think it was coming from the neighboring Clivia....

Or maybe from Grand soleil d'or....

Robert, you must try a daphne - they are one of my absolute faves & I have several cultivars. A couple are even doing well in pots. The best performing is daphne odora 'Zuiko Nishiki.' Scarcely any frost damage to foliage which is evergreen. The fragrance really wafts too. I smell it as soon as I open the back door & it is so nice when not much else is blooming. (I had one in the front & someone stole it!). I've got buds now & will post when they open up.

True-blue,
The lonicera fragantissima gets a bit of criticism for not being that attractive but I don't mind it. It does send up long unruly arching branches but I've pruned mine into a nice roundish shape. In my area it's semi-evergreen and is tough enough to do well in the deep dry shade right next to a huge cedar, so that is a real plus. The leaves are thin, almost papery & there is not much fall colour.

Beautiful photos all and a wonderful Azalea Bonsai :)
Robert i agree with charlottelily if you do not have any daphne you must try them again i have 3 varieties none in flower at the moment :( but one of the highlights of the winter season there fragrance can be outstanding!

wonderfully scented cattleya

{{gwi:2125420}}

wildcat

{{gwi:2125421}}

coelogyne cristata said be fragrant have not noticed anything yet but still a stunning display

{{gwi:2125422}}

chimonanthus another winter scented fav

{{gwi:2125423}}

{{gwi:2125424}}

I even have a flower on michelia alba at 3c!!!

{{gwi:2125425}}

And after two failed buds i think due to time of the year my weird looking Artabotrys hexapetalus is starting to give off a really nice frgrance to me its fruity friends have described it like pears

{{gwi:2125426}}

charlottelily thanks for detailed explanation. It will be perfect for where I want it then. How long is the bloom down?

kientaonhadep lovely bonzai.

Brian, speechless :-)

This post was edited by true-blue on Thu, Jan 29, 15 at 6:24

True-blue,
Bloom time is good because buds don't all open up at the same time. I think you can see in photo lots of tiny buds.
Maggie

Great, thanks a lot Maggie.

Haha. You guys are killing me with the daphne suggestion. Of course I want one, just wish they weren't evergreen. :(

Found some fragrant bulbs at Lowe's today; Gladiolus callianthus and Hymenocallis narcissiflora. I've been disappointed in both of their scents in the past but I'm giving them another try. ;)

Today I enjoyed the scent of the winter honeysuckle at the park along with the witchazel. :)

-Robert

Just curious, what d'ya have against evergreen plants? ☺️

Maggie

Deciduous plants are easier for me to over winter in the basement than evergreen plants. If I had a greenhouse or sunroom it wouldn't matter. :)

Daphnes are supposed to be hardy in my zone but would probably fare better in a pot so I could bring it in during times of extreme cold.

I bet if I ever smelled one I'd give it a go! ;)

-Robert

My 3 have been outside in pots this year lowest temp so far is -9c (15f) no problems! Come on Robert you know you want one :)

Haha. You're terrible, Brian.
I'm sure come spring I'll start looking for one.
BTW your orchids are gorgeous as usual. :)

-Robert

Robert,
All my daphnes stay outside - we get to about -10C some nights. I would say that the bigger-leaved odoras have a much nicer scent, very pure. Reminiscent of tuberose maybe. The foliage does die back a bit in winter but comes right back. The one I mentioned though (Zuiko Nishiki) stays really lovely & green. Nicely behaved & compact too.
Am I doing a good sales job?

Zuiko Nishiki this morning all dewy & loaded with buds

Maggie

Zuiko Nishiki this morning all dewy & loaded with buds

Maggie

{{gwi:2125417}}

Haha. Yes. You're an excellent sales person, Maggie!
Your plant looks gorgeous and I bet you're stoked about sniffing so many blooms soon!

-Robert

Maggie do you have any of the Daphne Xs, Lawrence Crocker or Eternel Fragrance?

True-blue,
I admit a weakness for daphnes:)
These are the ones I have:

Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata’
Daphne odora ‘Alba’
Daphne odora ‘Mae-jima’
Daphne odora ‘Zuiko Nishiki’
Daphne tangutica
Daphne x transatlantica ‘Eternal Fragrance’
Daphne x transatlantica ‘Jim`s Pride’
Daphne x transatlantica ‘Summer Ice’
Daphne x medfordensis 'Lawrence Crocker'

I like Eternal Fragrance best of the transatlanticas. It flowers almost the entire year, except maybe during the coldest 2 months - there are still buds but they stay tightly closed, I like the odora fragrance much more, but it is nice to get the year-round bloom. It is a tough plant too.
I just got the Lawrence Crocker last fall so no flowers yet. It is tiny (so cute) so I think I will keep it in a pot like a bonsai.

Maggie

Wow you're so lucky!

I am tempted by Eternal Fragrance, especially if you say it flowers most of the time, but I like the diminutive form of Lawrence Crocker. It will fit right in my garden :-)

I forgot this little guy I just bought - d. x rollsdorfii 'Wilhelm Schacht'

It matures at 12" and is extremely slow-growing. (Perfect for you, Robert - it's very portable;)
Said to have a very strong perfume though so I look forward to seeing some this spring. Should be an awesome bonsai specimen and I'm looking for a nice little pot for its permanent home

That's quite the little cutie, Maggie!
Love its current colander home. ;)

Please keep us posted on its scent should it bloom come spring.

I'm floored by your daphne collection! :)

-Robert

That's a cute little one, Maggie.

I see you need to add a couple of Burkwoodis and maybe a Daphne cneorum ;-)

Btw what is the sun exposure your Daphnes get?

Part shade. I have a few trees so there's shade everywhere. I'm always looking for a bit sun:).

Went down into the basement just now and smelled a familiar scent. Discovered a lone Brugmansia 'Charles Grimaldi' bloom on this last day of January. :)

-Robert

Mmm...so lovely. I've always wanted to try one of these, but I'm the opposite of you - I only want plants I can leave outside :)
These get pretty big right? Is it worthwhile hauling in and out? What's the best scented one in your experience?

Maggie

Man, I wish I was a practical gardener! That's why I've been trying to get myself to grow more things from seeds so I don't have to lug pots about. Laugh.

Anyway there are many, many fragrant brugs and yes they can get pretty big though you can always cut them back.
I've had some come back from the ground after being heavily mulched but you won't get many blooms and then only in the fall right before the cold comes and cuts them down again so growing in pots is best for me to get more blooms. So far my personal fav for scent is Charles Grimaldi but there's also Angels Golden Dream, New Orleans Lady, Dr. Seuss, Schlossburg, Tiara, Double White, Shredded White, Frosty Pink, Seminole Moon, Shooting Star, Dalai Lama, Xena, Rosamond, Isabella, etc.
Some have a citrus like scent, others a spicy scent, others smell clean like soap, others like perfume. The list goes on and on.
I think you should definitely try at least one if you love scent though they are only fragrant at night. :)

-Robert

This post was edited by robert1971 on Mon, Feb 2, 15 at 10:13

Ah that explains why I sniffed some in the nursery & was not impressed;)

I'm more into fruity citrus fragrances (hence my obsession with magnolias). I've seen some gorgeous huge brugs in public gardens that look very mature. Not sure if they sink the entire pots & pull them out to overwinter or trash them (yikes)

The only plant I now bring in and out is a litte heliotrope standard. Not sure why I bother but it's hung in there for a few years

Maggie

Well if you like citrus then I recommend Charles Grimaldi, Dr. Seuss, New Orleans Lady, Shooting Star or Angels Golden Dream.

I don't know what you can get in Canada. :)

-Robert

thanks Robert!
If I see one of those, I just might take one home:)

Maggie

Hey everybody..I hope everyone is doing very well these days..It's been a killer of a winter I tell you...Arctic blasts one after the other and over 60 inches of snow in just a week..I'm tired..But my fragrant flowers get me through and so do all of you every time I come here..
Good to see you all posting beautiful pics..I need to get my hands on a few of those, especially Dafne..lol

Here are a few of one this past week)

{{gwi:2123562}}

{{gwi:2123563}}

This one smell like Vanilla Butter

{{gwi:2123564}}

{{gwi:2123565}}

{{gwi:2123561}}

My first Japonica miniature Phal that smells so good today!

Hoya blossoms opening..Smell soooo good! Like Chocolate and Vanilla..

One of my favorite Oncidiums that has been flwoering for 3 months..This is a fresh spray that just opened after two others!

Angraceum

One of my jade leaves glistening in the sun finally!! All these plants are brining joy today although it's only 12 out...

Robert, I can't believe that your Brug is flowering!!! What the?

Must be the lights and good care..Good for you..Mine are all resting, bare in fact in the cellar hoping the spring comes as quickly as I want it...It's been too long in waiting for the hot sunny days..None last summer(

Wow to get all those beauties flowering now you must be doing a really good job :) all look happy and healthy nice dark green leaves. My hoyas are only now starting to stir into life first few flower buds forming.

p.s you should of started a February thread ;)

Are some of those orchids in a greenhouse? what lighting and heating are you using please?

Hi Fragrant!! Thank you)

The Oncidiums, Hoya's, Fragrant Phal,and Citrus are in a sunny wondow..Some to the side receiving just late day sun or morning sun and other full sun...

The others are in a greenhouse because I have no room inside for them. No matter what kind of air they get, they all flower well as long as I water them correctly and give them lots of light)

My heating system is forced hot air in the home which can cause a dry atmosphere, but my orchids don't mind..The greenhouse of course if much more humid if I water during the morning...

MIke