I have reached a personal goal today as this photo essay is my 100th blog post. My blog ideas book continues to fill up with topics, so I will carry on until I reach post number 200. Keep watching this space and drop in for a regular visit.
During last night rain drummed on the roof, and this morning we awoke to a dew drenched world bathed in sunshine. Stepping outside I was engulfed in clouds of perfume from our Mock orange shrubs. Nearly every branch and twig was alive with white flowers, broadcasting their fabulous orange-like scent.
This species of the Philadelphus virginal bush grows in nearly all areas of Australia. It bears small white flowers in spring with a repeat flower again in early autumn. Each blossom is cupped with petaloids in the centre, and with each greater number of petaloids, the more ‘double’ the flower is said to be. For this we have to thank Monsieur Victor Lemoine, a French nurseryman, who began to hybridise the genus in 1833, as different species became available. He continued to release new cultures, with size and colour variations, until 1920.
After the flowers drop, the Mock orange produces attractive clusters of small scarlet berries. Its foliage consists of shiny, dark green leaves that remain evergreen the year around. These magnificent plants grow with ease in full to dappled sun, and are especially effective when used in borders, as hedges, or background to old-fashioned roses. Mock orange deserves a wider recognition among garden plants. When you first experience its beauty and that wonderful heady scent, you could be forgiven for thinking that you had gone to heaven.
I am glad you will be continuing with your posts. 100 posts is a milestone, especially when the posts are as beautifully crafted as yours. I don’t believe I have met the mock orange in real life. I would certainly like to. It does look heaven sent.
Gallivanta, thanks for your comment. This plant is not only heaven sent, it’s also heaven scent.
Indeed!
Congratulations on not only achieving your milestone of creativity, but for what I am sure, is so much inspiration to others. The mock orange has supplanted many of the somewhat scraggy and limited life bushes the BCC used to plant as hedging all over this fair city.
Thank you, Robyn, for visiting and leaving your comment. We’ll be in touch soon.
Congratulations, Mary! What an achievement. I love the scent of the murraya, but I thought it was now considered a weed as it escapes into the bush. However, when in the confines of a garden it really is a beautiful plant. It loves a prune, too, and grows denser after one. More flowers!
Margie, It’s always a joy to read your comments. Some of the noxious weeds on the Queensland list are unfortunately the bearers of lovely flowers. A weed is a weed only when we don’t get to know it.
Beautiful photos of the mock orange plant. Yes, I haven’t actually seen this species before. Your descriptive essay says it all. Glad you are having lovely autumn weather. Congratulations on scoring your century in blog posts! 🙂 Keep it up. 🙂
Thanks, Iris, for your visit and comments. They always uplift and encourage.
Mary, congratulations on your 100th post! White flowers and fragrance are two characteristics I especially appreciate in perennials or shrubs. I covet those blossoms in the first picture. I have a Mock Orange bush that is deciduous and hasn’t bloomed yet. Its parent bush (at our former home) had wonderfully fragrant flowers. I hope this is the year it will bloom. I don’t know its botanical name. I have a small evergreen Mock Orange shrub with waxy leaves that is a faithful and fragrant bloomer – perhaps its success will encourage the other one. Again, I don’t know its proper name either since I’ve not taken the time to check ( I can rarely pronounce them…).
Blessings ~ Wendy ❀
Thank you, Wendy, for visiting and leaving your comment. The particular plant I photographed is a Philadelpus virginal. We have many of these throughout Australia, and they flower and share their beautiful scent regularly. I just love them.
Mary, Luv, how did I miss your post? You are in my reader, darn it! I am so sorry it took me this long to get over here to read and see a most delightul post. Better late then never! Bless your Heart for the Wonderful Work you do as well. Love, and (((HUGS))) Amy
Thanks, Amy for sending this wonderful comment. Hugs to you too.
(((HUGS))) right back to you, Sweet Mary. Love, Amy
beautiful ❤ congrats on the 100th post 🙂 and keep up with it 🙂
Thank you for stopping by this post, silver wing. I was pleased to make my first century and plan to carry on for a while yet. So many wonderful topics to write about in nature.
im barely at my 9th 🙂 long way to go 🙂
i will be talking about nature and art as well . 😀