Perfume in Winter

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23085, 9 July 1938, Page 10 (Supplement)

Perfume in Winter

Choice of Fragrance

The' scents of mid-winter, though few in number, are as rich as those of summer. There are few gardens where one or two fragrant shrubs could not be planted. A small bowl of the flowers of Cbimonanthus fragrans will fill a room with the delicious honey-like scent. This shrub is often grown against a wall to secure the flowers as early in the season as possible, but when grown thus the shrub is shortlived. It either sutfprs .from the drips from the roof, which affect it seriously, or it becomes too dry in summer. In the mild climate of Auckland, the shrub does quite well in the open, and requires but little pruning. A soil rather on the light side is more to its taste than a heavy one. likely to be wet in winter. The winter-flowering honeysuckles, Lonicera fragrantissima and L. Standishii have charming fragrance. Even in winter the leaves are fresh and green. Frequently' the former is shy at bl6ssoming and the tiny pairs of flowers ure almost concealed by the leaves, but the fragrance is out of all proportion to the size of the blooms. In a small garden Lonicera Standishii would require too much room, about four or live feet across, and the exquisitely scented flowers are browned by the slightest touch of frost. The daphne is among the richest scented flowers we liav*, in winter, and a wellgrown bush, laden with flowers, is the envy of ail those who have persevered for years without success. These shrubs do best in a partly-shaded position in a lime-free soil. Good drainage is essential. with plenty of leafmould or peat incorporated with the soil. Among humble winter (lowers there is the sweet-scented tussilago, with a scent indistinguishable from heliotrope. But this is a weed to avoid in the garden. I?lant it, and you will spend many '• "years trying to eradicate the long white roots. Once i becomes established in A garden nothing ever seems to get rid of it. The place for it is in a wild garden where the plants are allowed to run riot. There its sweet perfume will be ;* appreciated in the winter months.