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jamlover

Favorite best scented shrubs for zone 5 or colder

jamlover
19 years ago

I am just getting into shrubs. Have lots of perennials and would like to add shrubs to the beds. Am interested in knowing your best fragrant shrubs for zone 5 or colder.

Comments (20)

  • stinkypink
    19 years ago

    It's hard for most Midwesterners not to think of lilacs, and they're among my favorites too, but for that first hit of spring perfume, I really like my viburnum. I used to have a star magnolia I really liked the scent of too, and while mock oranges smell divine later in the season, I've never found them to be the world's most dependable bloomers. People keep saying that witchhazel smells nice, but I'm never all that interested in tromping through the snow to sniff them up.

  • jamlover
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Pitimpinai, What color is that buddleia? Hope it is also one of the more hardy ones!! And a lilac without mildew!! Bring it on. Color?
    Stinkypink, any particular mock orange or viburnum? I'm really on the line between zone 4 and 5 so not so far removed.

  • bellarosa
    19 years ago

    I love lilacs. I have two wonderful varieties: Miss Kim and Donald Wyman. Both are disease free and have a great fragrance.

  • stinkypink
    19 years ago

    I wish I knew which viburnum I have--it's been at this house much longer than I have, and I imagine it's some really common variety that's been sold for 20 years or more. It's next to a very lovely, old, floriferous kolkwitzia/beauty bush, which I'm also very fond of despite its lack of fragrance. My viburnum doesn't have the great berries or fall color that many currently in-favor varieties boast, but it is loaded with sweet, blushed flowers at just about the time in the year you want to start opening windows. The only mock orange I have right now is a variegated one--very attractive, and so far it's flowered lightly though it's still young. A place like Forest Farm or other exhaustive catalog can give rundowns on different varieties.

  • pitimpinai
    19 years ago

    Buddleia 'Lochinch' has sky blue flowers with an orange eye. The flowers are not as big as others, say 'Black Knight', but bloom continuously until hard frost. I don't think it dies back either.

    The small leaved lilac has dark pink flowers. It blooms later than Syringa vulgaris. It blooms very young. I got mine as 6" cuttings from a friend and the little cuttings bloomed the very next spring!

  • birdsnblooms
    19 years ago

    Butterfly bush...um, wish it was blooming now. Toni

  • tadeusz5
    19 years ago

    Azalea " Rosy Lights" or "Jane Abbott" when in Bloom-

    Korean Spice Viburnum "Carlesii".

  • kevin_5
    19 years ago

    Vinurnum carlesii
    Viburnum carlcephalum
    Viburnum x burkwoodii
    Daphne x burkwoodii
    Calycanthis 'Athens'

  • tadeusz5
    19 years ago

    Kevin;

    Viburnums?? could you expand on:
    Which one has the strongest scent, and so on; Reading Dirr's does not shed a light as to which one I want to buy.

    thks.

  • pitimpinai
    19 years ago

    tadeusz,

    There's a thread in the shrubs forum called 'Fragrant Viburnum Sniff-Off' where the scent of various viburnums
    was discussed. It appears that's there was a tie between Korean Spice carlesii and judii.

  • jamlover
    Original Author
    19 years ago

    Does anyone know ___is the compact v.carlesii compacta with a mature height of only 4 foot as fragrant as the foot taller Korean Spice?

  • kevin_5
    19 years ago

    Tad:

    The V. carlesii hybrids duke it out with the V. x burkwoodii group for fragrance. Even the V. carlesii 'Compactum' packs a huge fragrant wallop for a small plant. I like my V. x burkwoodii 'Chenaultii' the best among the cultivars in these two groups. V. x juddii is also excellent. For best fragrance, and unfortunately the worst form, V. x carlcephalum is the absolute best to my nose. Any of these related types, though, is a pleasure to sniff. Pick your plant on size and overall form.

  • mike_in_kc
    19 years ago

    Gotta be Korean Spice Viburnum for a 'knock your socks off' fragrance! We've had one at our last two houses ... one in Omaha where it can get as cold as -25° (if that's zone 4, I'd hate to be in zone 2 or 3!) and it never missed a year in blooming profusely. It will perform well, even in shade or partial shade!

  • dwk001
    19 years ago

    Clethra alnifolia and its named varieties for July-August fragrant blooms.

  • mysteryrose
    19 years ago

    Jamlover: Don't forget mock orange; the scent is heavenly. I recommend Phildelphus coronaria variegata, which can be found at Arrowhead Alpines.

  • mysteryrose
    19 years ago

    Jamlover: A picture can be found below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Philadelphus coronaria variegata

  • pitimpinai
    19 years ago

    mysteryrose, thanks for posting the link. Gorgeous mockorange. I planted a variegated one last year. Forgot now if it is the same cultivar. Hope it is as pretty.

  • Cyrus_McCorm
    18 years ago

    Korean Spice Viburnum "Carlesii" is by far my favorite, and currently blooming right now in front of my house! I am wondering why of the 4 Carlesii I have in front, 3 have lots of blooms, and 1 of them is sporting just one small bloom!?! If I recall, that same shrub had 1 or no blooms last year. Is there anything I can do to encourage more blooms in the V.Carlesii for next year?

  • psnave
    18 years ago

    Lilacs, Peonies, and of course, Roses~

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