It started when I opened the poly tunnel .
I grow Amorphophallus konjac for its leaf really, but this is a bit of fun at this time of year. To its left in the 'establishing shot' is a low shrub. It was adding a chemical version of overripe banana to the smell.
It is the first time Magnolia figo has had more than the odd flower and to be honest it isn't a very nice smell; even in contrast to the Amophophallus.
Retreating form the tunnel I was refreshed by the sweet scent from Amomyrtus luma [which used to be Myrtus lechleriana but still smells the same].
With a more floral scent and almost lost in the scent from the myrtle there is still a whiff from Osmanthus × burkwoodii as it goes over.
The real floral olfactory tonic is round the corner though. It is usually evergreen and the flowers are usually pristine white. Prolonged Easterlies through March have defoliated it and turned the flowers slightly brown but it still has the most 'expensive' scent in the garden.
I grew this from seed when it was called Michelia maudiae, then it was clarified to var. platypetala. Then Michelia was subsumed into Magnolia and var. platypetala was reassigned to Magnoia cavaleriei! I'm still calling it Magnolia maudiae var. platypetala in line with Grimshaw, but I think it may be more correctly known as Magnolia cavaleriei var. platypetala. Again, its flowers by any other name would smell as sweet.
And finally as I returned to the house; a disappointment.
A new bed should have been opulent with wallflowers but after slug damage and almost no growth [even the weeds didn't like this bed] I have two rather thin plants and a scent that instead of blowing on the wind needs me to bend over towards the plant to find it all!
How smelly is your bank holiday?
Chad.
