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Posted by Swedboy (U14400604) on Saturday, 14th January 2012
OK this is going to be a tall order. I have a very sheltered corner just outside my garden door. In that spot, which don't get much direct sunlight (I think it is northwest) there is a massive pot with a black bamboo in it. I would like to replace this with some shrub which strong scent so every time I open the door I can smell it wafting in. I think it would be lovely to have that instead of this black bamboo the previous owners left behind. Any ideas for a scented none sun loving shrub in a pot?
Christmas box, or Sarcococca confusa.
Evergreen shrub, highly scented white flowers in midwinter. Great in a tub and does fine in shade. Should be able to find them in garden centres now.
That sounds ideal! Thank you.
Sarcococca is a low growing shrub, around 1 ft tall in my garden. If you want something bigger try osmanthus x burkwoodii, an evergreen shrub that can be kept to around 5 feet in height, and produces a mass of white jasmine fragrant flowers in February. I trim the flowering stems after flowering to encourage new flowering shoots and to keep it at my preferred height.
That sounds lovely too but it seems to need full sun or part sunny location. My location is not very sunny and has two high walls and a concrete banister around it.
Mine faces north east and is close to a 6 ft fence to the south. Provided you get a couple of hours of dappled sunshine a day it will be fine.
I have noticed that every one of my house walls gets at least two hours of sunshine a day in summer. It has taken me quite a while to figure out how that happens. My cold greenhouse is a leanto against a garage wall and faces due north, yet I grow tomatoes in it and have to give cuttings a spot low down to stop them getting scorched.
I also have a choisia 'Sundance' very close by, right up against the fence, so it gets no sunshine at all. It is really lovely right now, glowing bright yellow in a dark spot - it really catches the eye right next to my favourite shrub of all, cornus x sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire', which looks just like its name suggests - like a great open fire with stems starting yellow low down and turning fiery red near the top. I have a blue picea close by too. The sarcococcas are just in front of them, and just to the left is a viburnum x bodnantense Dawn, in flower now - lovely fragrance.
They are all just a few metres from the front door, and this time of year they give us great pleasure every time we go out or return home.
I have just taken a photo of them but can't find the lead to connect them to thecomputer. When I find it I'll upload them.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by jollystrawberry8 (U14057234) on Tuesday, 17th January 2012
I would like to throw mahonia japonica into the mix. This often overlooked evergreen shrub will be coming into flower in the next few weeks with a scent like lily-of-the-valley. It will tolerate shade well and is very easy to grow.
Also my favourite group of shrubs are the daphnes. My daphne bholua "Jacqueline Postill" has a lot of buds almost open even in these very cold days at the moment and the scent follows me round the garden when she flowers. Hope you get fixed up - there are so many lovely scented shrubs it is difficult to pick just one.
I've been eyeing up daphne bholua ever since I moved to my new flat. The thing that's stopping me is the price. I think they are rather pricy last time I looked. Are they shade tolerant? The Mahonia's are in full bloom in Bristol. They smell lovely but not keen on the look
I would choose Sarcococca confusa,too - it looks good in our garden all year round !
Pam x
, in reply to message 8.
Posted by jollystrawberry8 (U14057234) on Thursday, 19th January 2012
I've been eyeing up daphne bholua ever since I moved to my new flat. The thing that's stopping me is the price. I think they are rather pricy last time I looked. Are they shade tolerant? The Mahonia's are in full bloom in Bristol. They smell lovely but not keen on the look Although my original daphne bholua was very pricey, I have since purchased several for friends at a very reasonable price after asking my local nursery to stock it. I suggest you should shop around as prices can vary - I don't know where you live but here in the Northwest of England we have some small specialist nurseries which tend to keep prices down compared with the big garden centres. I now have two plants of this variety - one facing east which receives quite a bit of sun and the original facing north-west which is quite shady. Both are doing well although I do think they probably do prefer a bit of sun at least. Anyway hope you let us all know what you decide on and how it does for you.
Hi
Are you looking for a particular season for the plant to be scented in? A winter scented one is no good if you never open that door in the winter!
There are lots of winter scented things, because the flowers tend to be insignificant at that time of year to protect them from bad weather so the scent is necessary to attract pollinating insects, but there are plenty of spring scented shrubs as well which might be more suitable if you're not going to venture out much in the winter...
Margi x
I don't spend that much time in the garden during winter but I open the door out there once a day. I'd love something that smells nice in the evenings during spring & summer. I have a witch hazel that is about to flower but its too far away to waft through the door.
Viburnum carlesii, one of the sweetest and strongest scented bushes, tolerates some shade, easy to trim. Spring-flowers last a long time.
Bought a Christmas Box yesterday for the container. Not sure if it has red or black berries as the labels on it said both... The Latin name on the label is S Ruscifolia
The berries turn from red to black,
Do they. The other garden centre sold the red and the black berried plants as separate cultivars.
"Blooms are followed by slowly developing drupes. These ripen blood-red to red-black by early autumn & last until autumn's end."
My Philadelphus (Mock Orange) is in the shade see here;
I bet it smells glorious TeeGee !!!
That looks glorious. I have a small one and almost bought a single flowering one instead of the box but I have no space for another shrub at the moment.
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by mattthegaffer (U14184801) on Wednesday, 21st March 2012
How about Choisya ternata or Choisya Sundance. Usually grown in sun but very happy in shade too. Aromatic foliage and orange blossom scented flowers in late spring.
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