hi robert!
quite predictably, I too got an osmanthus like you this summer but mine I think is rixianggui if it is labeled correctly.. I also have an osmanthus burkwoodii from spring when I still hadn't done much research on osmanthus. I also got a chimonanthus praecox La Mei..these are my winter provisions so far! I plan to keep everything outside though. Oh, I forgot, next month we are placing a big order with the guys from my greek forum at a nursery in holland that has myriads of plants especially rhododendrons, azaleas, lilacs&co so I'm saving for that now (and for taxes :-/ but that's another story!)Any suggestions for fragrant but apparently non-tropicals???I realised I'm not very familiar browsing through his catalogue and it's just so loooong!

Hi Fenius!

I should have figured you'd have similar plants! Laugh.
I'm not that familiar with hardy fragrant winter plants (you've already got a wintersweet).
Do you have any daphnes? I know Kemistry loves the scent of his Daphne odora 'Zuiko Nishiki'.

Robert

Daphne is the perfect late winter/early spring fragrant plant! It smells so good and is so fragrant! : )

What about some freesia? They are easy to grow and look so cheerful.

I searched some older posts about daphnes but cannot decide on the cultivar I want to try. How would you describe their scents?? I see only a daphne tangutica and a d.laureola philippi that are available, the odora aureomarginata does not have a price.

Fenius, winter daphne (daphne odora) is what you want. Within that species there are several cultivars.

It has a spicy flora scent that to my nose it's a mixture of lemon grass, freshly cut ginger root, honey and gardenia. :)

This is a superscent then! ok I'll get it from ebay I found a daphne odora aureomarginata (is it the same scent as plain odora?) from sommeone in the uk, maybe I should wait till september though as it's still too hot here..oh and my mantis from the other post is back! I found it yesterday evening under a plumeria leaf (busy with spidermites I hope!) Things are looking up!

Robert, congrats. you finally gor your sweet olive. it is one of my favorite plant. I once visited a city in China where forest of sweet olive was planted in ground, the air was filled with sweet scents. Feel like in heaven.

Fenius, I second to Kemistry's recommendation. The Daphne ordora has more powerful and complex, yet pleasant scent of all. Be careful with its roots though. It does not like its roots be disturbered. Often, they die after repoting.

here is a picture of LaMei, the winter sweet I took a while ago. Nice scent for the wintertime when there aren't many other flowers with snow on the ground. Growing from seeds takes too long. I have tried the cutting without much success. Airlay might be a better method.

Looks beautiful! Thank you for sharing.
Wintersweet (Chimonanthus) is definitely one that I'm considering adding to the garden! :)

I don't think Daphne odora could handle Oklahoma's extreme summer temps (110+) which seem to be the norm now.

-Robert

Great topic Robert. It's been so hot here and the plumerias and fragrant plants are doing fantastically well...but my poor, poor roses are taking a beating from all this heat. So yes, I look forward to some winter weather for my other love...ROSES.

Kasie

Hi Kasie!

Please share which varieties of roses you love for their fragrance!

Thanks to spazplant I can now also add evening scented stock to look forward to once the temperatures start to drop! :)

-Robert

hi robert, fenius & kemistry,

i've had Daphne odora from home depot for 2 winters now and don't notice the smell like i did at the nursery, so i can't remember the smell in order to describe it! several of them did not survive my care. neither of the two survivors have given many winter blooms, but are growing and have those lovely two-toned leaves. i'm very happy with the look and shape, but my nose disappointed. i may move them to more sheltered areas before winter.

I also have large & small 'fragrant sweet box', Sarcocca ruscifolia. This evergreen has berries through the year, and late winter/early spring bursts with astoundingly aromatic tiny white fibrous blooms, like a very sweet pittosporum, a plant whose smell i usually don't like. They are sheltered by the front & back doors & when i get cabin fever i leave the doors open however cold & let the wind blow the fragrance in. The small unsheltered ones got mowed over and haven't recovered so they keep getting mowed over lol. The large unsheltered ones suffered through the winters and are slowly recovering.

Thank you for the sweet olive introduction.

~spazplant

Hi Robert, Kemistry, Fenius, OlympiaG,spazplant -with all the talk about Daphne Odorata plant, I now have regrets. The scent was(to me) too powerful and had given me a headache on the drive home that I had to make a uturn to take the plant back for a refund. It had variegated leaves and the white flowers with burgandy untone was so beautiful.

Robert - I'm a hoarder of roses and there are so many that smells really nice at a certain time of day. The ones that comes to mind that smells at any time is The McCartney(pink) rose, Fire Fighter(red) and David Austin rose call Sharifa Asma (love this one so much that I had to have 2).

Kasie

Hi, All. You guys are so lucky. I have been searching Daphne ordor every summer at HD/Loew, and nearby by nursaries in hoping of discovering one to bring it home. We have hardy daphne here , but not ordora. I ended up ordered a stick. I love the scent of all the Daphne that I have smelled, but ordor's scent is the most sophisticated one.

This forum is terrible for us collectors!
I totally want to try a Daphne odora even though I know it will fry in the summer and I want to at least smell the Sharifa Asma rose and I forgot about sweet box!

Kasie,

One more question. Can you name some of your favorite plumeria varieties for fragrance?
I've already go too many but my latest obsession is Gold Coast Peach(y). I'll probably break down and order one but I'd like to hear your favs for scent!

-Robert

Hi Robert - Aztec gold...for the ripe peach scent, Kauka Wilder...coconut Hawaiian Tropic scent, Celedine...for citrus scent, Tillie Hughes...for sweet floral scent. I chose these because the scent stays the same at any time of the day over here in my hot, hot climate.

I googled Gold Coast Peach and the description fits your criteria Robert. Happy growing!

Kasie

Thanks, Kasie!
Of the ones you mentioned I have Celadine. I'd love to have Aztec Gold however it gets too large and I'm growing them in pots. Never heard of Tillie before.
So many fragrant plants out there and so little time and space! :)

-Robert

I started looking at roses now too after the sharifa asma! I stumbled on one called glamis castle and fell in love does anyone have info on its scent maybe??

Robert, You started this, you are the " bad influence" .

I am somewhat glad that these roses do not grow in my zone. But don't get me started with Plumeria. So far, I am only lurking, have not pulled out credit card yet. If I do order a Plumeria, Robert, you know who I will blame. LOL

Ha!

I totally am a bad influence when it comes to Plumerias (still I can blame Kemistry for starting this latest addiction of mine!).
This morning I broke down and ordered Gold Coast Peachy. I just couldn't resist the possibility of a highly fragrant, compact Plumeria that smells like jasmine, coconut and hot cinnamon candies!
If mine ever blooms I'll let everyone know my thoughts on its scent. :)

-Robert

Hi everyone!

Lol Robert. Another plumeria? Yay! :D

Wow that picture of the wintersweet is awe-inspiring;
Does it require a period of cold weather to induce flowering? I had the opportunity to smell its flowers last Winter and I love, love that scent! Wish I can grow it! : )

Yes fenius, aureomarginata should have the same scent as the other odora. That particular cultivar has beautiful variegated leaves.