Scented Bloomers

Datura, or Moonflower, chose the pasture... Lovely.

Often descriptions in a book stand out and become sensually very real. The novel 'Love in the Time of Cholera' written by the late Gabriel José Márquez, a Colombian novelist, is among the best for descriptions of scent. As one walks through the iron gates of his imaginary court yard, the bustling, odor-filled, turn of the century South American village disappears and his garden is filled with delicious scent described so well that one travels on a journey of wonder.




Since gardens are created for enjoyment, one must not forget the pleasure of an evening stroll filled with the night bloomers scent gently wafting through the moonlight. There is still time to plant a few to enjoy through out the summer into fall. And although scent has given way to form in recent years, there are still some old fashioned flowers available that have retained this charm.





Many of the marvelous evening bloomers are white to attract the night flying moths who feed on their nectar and pollen. Datura, or Moon flower as we call it locally, can still be planted to establish itself for next year. It will bloom a with few trumpet shaped, lemony smelling flowers by late August but the tuber will establish itself over the season. If started now, next year it will bloom by May and last through fall. Remember that it is poisonous so plant it where it may not be ingested by children or pets. Pick a place where it has room to grow to the size of a medium shrub in light shade.





Sweet Autumn Clematis can still be planted and since it blooms in the fall, you will have it to enjoy when other flowers are spent. The white starry flowers are intensely fragrant and beautiful. Four O'Clocks may be planted all season as well. They too become very large over time so planting a few new 'babies' now and again will give fragrant filler at a low level in a garden spot. Nicotiana may still be found at nurseries and although it looks rather tired and spindly in the two inch peat pot, it will fill out in your garden and bloom all summer, filling the evening with sweet scent.





Still available as well is Garden Heliotrope. Growing up to five feet tall with blossoms that exude fragrance after dark, it is always a hit. Some say it smells like vanilla, others say apple pie. Regardless, it produces one of the sweetest fragrances and its tiny flowers, in a range of pink to deep purple, add a splash of color.




Lastly is Evening Primrose with such a delicate sounding name for a rather weedy looking plant. Their large yellow flowers begin to exude an outstanding aroma by evening, making them an absolutely stunning addition regardless of their rag-tag appearance.



Take an evening walk, listen to the winged night fliers, bask in the moonlight; it is Summer and it will be gone before we blink twice.