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Alan Titchmarsh, mock orange, orange blossom, Philadelphus 'Manteau d'Hermine, Philadelphus x lemoinei, scented flowers
There are times in the gardening calendar when it’s a struggle to find a ‘plant of the moment’ but in burgeoning June with flowers at every turn it is much less of a challenge. I try to pick plants for my ‘Plant of the Month’ posts that are ‘good doers’, as Alan Titchmarsh would say, and therefore will work well in small gardens. However, occasionally a plant might sneak in that doesn’t fit this criteria and the choice for this post is in that category.
Philadelphus is a plant that means a lot to me. We had one growing by the garden gate when I was a child. I don’t know which one it was but it was about 5ft tall and would be smothered in beautiful ivory flowers in early summer. I loved standing by the gate and inhaling the intoxicating perfume reminiscent of orange blossom, hence its common name the mock orange. But, for some reason my dad took against this shrub and with his ‘slash and burn’ policy towards gardening (I really have no idea where my green genes come from) its days were numbered. Many a plant went the same way, Forsythia, Buddleia, Weigela, I could go on, all to be replaced, and it pains me to say this, by . . . conifers.
Now I’ll freely admit for ten and a bit months of the year a Philadelphus shrub is a fairly nondescript looking plant. Its season of interest is short, flowering from June into July, it’s deciduous, its mid green leaves are not particularly interesting and neither is its form. Garden designers would say it was the wrong plant to use, especially in a small garden, suggesting something like Choisya instead, which is evergreen and produces scented flowers for a much longer period. And to be honest, I agree with them but gardening isn’t always about the perfect design and the perfect plant for the perfect place, which can sometimes result in ‘designing by numbers’. Plants can mean things to people and therefore don’t fit these logical principles. This is why you can often tell the gardens that have been designed by someone for a client and the gardens that have evolved and have been created by the owners. A Philadelphus might not have been the ‘right’ choice for my small front garden but it is the scent from my childhood, a time when I was discovering the natural world and plants and learning to love them and for those reasons it was inevitable that when I took on my first garden a Philadelphus would find its way in there.
The intention was to follow some sort of logic and I chose the compact and double-flowered ‘Manteau d’Hermine’ however, when it flowered I discovered that the nursery must have labelled it up incorrectly as mine wasn’t double-flowered. After some research I found that I had actually bought Philadelphus x lemoinei, a hybrid created by Victor Lemoine in 1884 when he crossed Philadelphus microphyllus and Philadelphus coronarius. Not only is it not double-flowered, it isn’t dwarf either. I could do a whole post on garden centres and nurseries labelling plants incorrectly. Anyway, it is not a complete disaster as with a bit of judicious pruning I should be able to maintain my Philadelphus in the years to come. In some ways growing this variety is better as the simplicity of its single flowers are much more attractive to bees and hoverflies. My plant, lemoinei, grows to about 1.5 metres tall with a similar spread so is still manageable in a small space but for those of you looking for something smaller ‘Manteau d’Hermine grows to half this size.
Philadelphus are fully hardy and love full sun. They are easy plants to grow and are tolerant of most growing conditions making them good choices for seaside gardens and urban areas suffering from pollution. Most garden centres and nurseries stocking shrubs will sell at least one variety but there are some great mail order nurseries if you would like a bit more choice.
So, Philadelphus, a plant that makes my heart overrule my head. I’d love to hear about plants that you grow for sentimental reasons or that go against design principles.
I too have a philadelphus and purely for the scent which transports me back to Aunt May’s country garden decades ago. Cistus ‘Sunset’ for the scented leaves and for the same memory.
Good for you, I too have planted 2 Philadelphus, one Belle Etoille and the other coronarius Aureus. The second one has the advantage of yellow leaves as well as the beautiful perfume.If I ever move from here half the garden would have to come with me!!
It’s funny how plants can stir up memories of our childhood. For me it’s lilac, we had one in our garden when I was a child, and when we looked at the house we live in now, I noticed that there was a lilac tree in the front garden. It’s actually right outside my bedroom window and it’s scent floats in through the window when it’s in flower. I think the variety you have is lovely, I much prefer simple single flowers than doubles. I bet it smells gorgeous.
I love Philadelphus too, and would always try to find a space for one, the perfume is too good to miss. I also have a mis-named one although I had seen it flowering and knew it to be sweetly perfumed and an attractive flower although it does have the purple splodge at the centre of the petals as ‘Belle Etiole’ should have. You could grow a large-flowered clematis over the shrub which would extend its period of interest. Christina
even if it was the perfect plant by the rule book, it is my garden, so each one is chosen for sentimental reasons. Some have a story to tell, and the roses with their intensive care demand for water in 40C summer heat are utterly a sentimental and senseless choice. We have 4 citrus trees for that orange blossom scent …
Hello WW, I agree with you about nursery mis-naming; nothing more frustrating…But Philadelphus seem to me to be very variable. If you Google p.lemoinei images, you will find both the one you think you have and the one I think I have (both different) plus a whole range of others. Also, a number have been introduced under collection numbers over the last two decades, and they have no doubt added to the mix! So I have rather given up trying to be exact. As long as you steer clear of ‘Virginal’ and its cultivars in a small garden, there’s nothing much that can’t be kept under control by pruning (see my post http://gardeningattheedge.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/humane-massacr…g-philadelphus/ ). I have six philadelphus, and couldn’t live without them.
The scent of Philadelphus reminds me of my childhood. My Mother always loved it and so do I.
love this plant..had to move mine and it did not survive…I definitely need to have another in the garden and I think I have just the spot.
This is a plant that I’m not familiar with so I enjoyed reading all about it. xx
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