Fragrant White Flowers

Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum sambac, Melati):

At the moment, the Arabian Jasmine that is grown in a pot has many flowers. I think the temperate climate of Melbourne has made the flower size kind of smaller, but the fragrance is still the same, delightfully sweet. I picked a handful and now during the night, the amazing smell fills our living room. 

Si Putih Wangi ‘Choisya ternata’

 

Sekarang ini tanaman Choisya di kebun kami mulai berbunga lebat karena curah hujan yang tinggi akhir-akhir ini. Di daerah Melburne, tanaman ini tumbuh dengan subur dan tahan embun beku. Disaat musim panas menjelang, pemakaian mulsa dan kompos membantu untuk menghindari kekeringan.

Melati Jasminum polyanthum

Disaat musim dingin hampir berlalu dan musim semi menjelang, tanaman melati jenis Jasminum polyanthum mulai berbunga. Wanginya yang semerbak akan tercium jauh terbawa tiupan angin. Tanaman yang merambat ini terus berbunga beberapa bulan sebelum musim panas tiba. Disekitar Melbourne sini, banyak orang menanamnya dengan merambatkannya di sepanjang pagar, tiang rumah atau di atas para-para.

Garden Mid Autumn 2016

It was a very nice warm day today around 25 deg. C. Many of the Cymbidium orchids have grown flower spikes. Jade plants (Crassula) also started to develop flower buds, the second flowering time of the year. Our deciduous bonsai trees are displaying bright autumn leaves. Few plants that are worth noting right now:

Our small Feijoa tree failed to bear fruits in the last few years due to extreme high summer temperatures,

Arabian Jasmine – Melati Menur

This Arabian Jasmine plant (Jasminum sambac) is still in its original pot since I’ve bought it about 2 years ago in Caribbean market. At first, I was not very sure that this tropical plant could grow well here in Melbourne. The seller assured me that it would grow reasonably good here in a pot or in the garden.

The better choice is by growing it in a pot, so that the plant can be moved around. In the summer it can be placed outside in the sun and when the temperatures are low during winter, it can be kept indoor near bight window or under a covered veranda. This way, the plant will not drop foliage during winter time…..

Fragrant White Flowers

Lilium longiflorum – Christmas Lily

This year the Christmas lily flowers are short and there aren’t as many flowers as they used to be. However, the flowers themselves are still pretty and fragrant as ever. I cut few stems to put in a vase to decorate the living room. At night, the scent lingers…. sweet and spicy 🙂

Christmas Lily – Lilium longiflorum

Bunga Menur

Bunga Menur semerbak mewangi

Hari Jumat yang lalu saya beli tanaman bunga melati yang kelopak bunganya bertumpuk/dobel. Ingat dulu di daerah Solo, orang bilang kalau bunga melati kelopak bunganya tunggal namanya melati, tapi kalau kelopak bunganya bertumpuk atau dobel namanya menur.

Jasminum sambac – Melati/Menur

Tanaman bunga menur yang saya beli masih kecil tapi sudah banyak juga kuncup bunganya. Semalam dua kuncup bunga mekar dan aromanya semerbak harum mewangi. Bunga melati selalu mengingatkan saya pada alm. papa yang dulu menanamnya diberanda samping rumah.   

Michelia yunnanensis ‘Scented Pearl’

Michelia yunnanensis ‘Scented Pearl’ and Mirid Bugs

What I like most of this Michelia yunnanensis ‘Scented Pearl’ is the small size. It is perfect for a small garden or a small courtyard. Michelia yunnanensis is an evergreen shrub/small tree from Yunnan and surrounding area in China. It is hardy and respond well to trimming and shaping. The Scented Pearl sp. has pure white flowers as big as a 50 cent coin, while another species has yellow blooms. The sweet scent is very delicate. The hairy flower buds have an attractive copper colour.

We have had this plant for many years and it is only about one and half meter high. It has a habit of having horizontal branches, and I always trim them to make the plant grow rounder and compact. This is spring time here in Melbourne now and it has exceptionally outstanding flowers – so many flowers, the best as long I can remember. Among the leaves and flowers, I saw quite a few of bugs breeding ( I think they are some kind of stink  mirid bugs). I leave them alone and I just hope they will not do damage later on.

Michelia yunnanensis ‘Scented Pearl’

‘Scented Pearl’ – Michelia yunnanensis

 

Murraya paniculata (Kemuning)

Another fragrant white flower is Murraya paniculata. Some people call it Orange Jasmine or mock orange and it is the close relative of Murraya koenigii  the curry leaf tree that is used in Indian cooking. In Indonesia people call it ‘kemuning’ and there is a very popular song about the flower. I always think that most of the beautiful scented flowers are pure white in colour like for example jasmine, gardenia, tuberose and stephanotis.

We have two murrayas grown in the garden, one in the front yard and the other one in the back yard. It is very easy to grow here in Melbourne as we have quite warm temperate climate. I grow them mostly for the delicate sweet scent, but when not in flower, this evergreen little bush can add colour during cold and dull winter days with its pretty green foliage. Naturally grows in compact shape, Murraya paniculata respond well to pruning and trimming. Some people use this plant for hedging.

About the plant:

• Tropical evergreen rounded shrub that can grow up to 3m high or more.
• Native to South, Southeast Asia, China and Australasia.
• Sweet scented white flowers which produce fleshy small red-orange fruits.
• Very easy to grow in warmer climate, tolerate wide range of garden soil conditions.
• Mulch and apply manure and compost for better flower.
• Spray the plant with white oil for sooty mould and scale problems.
• Traditional medicinal use of leaves, barks and roots as analgesic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

There is a love song ‘Kemuning’, an old Indonesian song but still well loved. This version was sung by Mus Mulyadi:

Links to read my previous blogs on Fragrant White Flowers:

https://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/gardenia/

https://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/tuberose/

https://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/jasmine-flower/

 

Gardenia

When summer is approaching and the gardenias are blooming, the heat of a slightly balmy evening heightens the sweet sensuous fragrance. I don’t know why, but I think the best perfumed flowers are white in colour, like for examples Jasmine and Tuberose.

https://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2008/09/01/jasmine-flower/

https://kiyanti2008.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/tuberose/

Gardenia  is native to the tropics and subtropics of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania. In Indonesia it is called kaca piring. There are approximately 250 species of gardenia and they belong to the coffee family Rubiaceae.

The name Gardenia came from a Scottish American naturalist, Dr. Alexander Garden.

Most gardenias are milky white that will become yellowish by age, while few species are real yellow. The most common varieties grown here in Australia are from two different species: G.augusta and G. thunbergia.

The most popular Gardenia augusta species are Florida, Aimee Yoshiba, Magnifica, Fortuniana , Prof. Pucci, Golden Magic and the prostate dwarf variety is Radicans. These species have attractive deep green foliage with double flowers.Gardenia thunbergia is also known as star gardenia which has single petals. This species originally found in South Africa and it is also known as wild gardenia of forest gardenia.

Gardenias grow best in warmer, moderate and humid climate. It hates frost and cold temperature. Can be grown in partly shade area for hotter climate or in moderate climate it will be happy to be in full sun. The soil has to be rich and well drain. As gardenia tend to lose traces elements in soil (yellowing of the leaves), it is good to apply a complete fertilizer which contains major trace elements. Once the plants are established, they only need to be fully watered once every forth night.

Gardenias are prone to have problems with scales and mealy bugs so regular spray of white oil will help to keep these bugs away.

If you love white flowers and you enjoy the sweet sensation of lingering fragrance in your   garden or verandas, gardenia will certainly fill this purpose. As gardenias will continue to bloom from late Spring to Autumn, the beautiful scents of this versatile flowers will greet you for longer time.

This is an old song by The Deans with the title “Little White Gardenia” 🙂 The gardenias always remind me of this song…….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cWB7zVdCFw

Happy Gardening!