A beautiful shrub is flowering in my garden right now: Philadelphus coronarius, also known as Mock-Orange, flowers in June here and is quite something…
Unfortunately this cultivar has practically no scent, unlike many other Philadelphus. So if you are planning on buying one, make sure it is fragranced. The flowers alone are, however, worthy of a spot in any garden.
This particular shrub is about 3 metres tall and about 3 metres wide. It was probably planted when this house was built, over 30 years ago. I have pruned it very cautiously a few times. This year it will need a lot of old wood removing, but even of it is not so spectacular next year it will help growth long-term.
The overhanging branches laden with flowers look lovely in the front garden as I come up our hill. Especially if there is some blue sky behind them.
Here are a few more images of it. Enjoy!
Today I am joining Kimberley again at Cosmos and Cleome for her meme ‘Thursday’s Feature’. Please join us in featuring a plant each Thursday, so we can see what grows in other parts of the world too!
Impressive tree! Those with scent smell even in darkness. The carousel at the end looks dark at the moment and I watch flowers at night and smell the scent. 🙂
🙂
Now I can see them!
The slideshow seems a bit temperamental this time…. 😉
I have two Philadelphus because I love the scent so much, luckily they flower at slightly different times but both in May. They can take hard pruning without a problem as long as you do it straight after flowering.
I have cut back a fair bit of this one before. I am always very wary though as it is such an old plant.
They are very tough, but if you need to prune back hard the best method is one stem in three as you said.
Although it is disappointing that there is no scent, that is a spectacular display. Beautiful.
It even looks lovely without the blue sky today! 😉
Lovely floral display, but I haven’t heard of a Philadelphus without a perfume. We have two, P Belle Etoille which flowers later than P. coronarius Aureus which is out now and perfuming the garden.
Well, I now have two other comments about them without scent, so I am not alone! I thought maybe mine was a freak! It is a shame, but it still looks wonderful!
One of my favourite plants, I have three different ones but smaller than yours. Mine have been particularly good this year, I think because we have had so much rain. Amelia
Yes, the rain has given everything a boost. I wonder if your shrubs will have a scent… Your bees will love them!
They are all scented and have been flowering for some years but they do not attract much interest from the bees.
We have an old Philadelphus that was being strangled by a Privet when we moved here. I cut back the Privet (I would have removed it but it’s based in the neighbor’s yard) and now it is doing a bit better. However, it also has no scent. Why would anyone grow a variety of Philadephus with no scent???
I am so glad to hear mine is not the only one on this planet with no scent! Still, the flowers are pretty.
True.
I tried to grow one, a variety with an especially large blossom of striking white. But it had little scent! What was the point of hybridizing for a larger blossom with little scent? I let the deer have their way with it!
The flowers are lovely though and since I originally didn’t know it was supposed to be fragrant I don’t mind!
Beautiful, one of my favourite shrubs: I have a special post with mine here: http://timpingradina.blogspot.ro/2016/06/lamaita.html
Lovely post Anca. I think yours is a Philadelphus virginalis. I have a small one struggling under trees here, and it has a slight perfume.
I know a good prune can be a shock to the system (ours, not the plant!) but many shrubs and trees do seem to benefit, don’t they? I like your Thursday feature. Several years ago I used to post what I called Blooming Thursday, but I guess I drifted away from that on to other things. Your Philadelphus is stunning.
I shall have to spend a lot of time summoning up my courage and deciding which branches to cut down. I lost a lovely rose once out of sheer ‘tidiness’, cutting it back too far!
I’ve over-pruned a time or too I’m sure. Some plants are forgiving and other’s give up the ghost so to speak. Best of luck.
It is pretty but I am surprised at the lack of scent. The scented ones really do spread their fragrance round the garden..
At least we have had the peonies and elderflowers to scent the garden. Although the rain has prevented us from being outdoors much anyway. I think I will start building the ark later today…. 😉
Our philadelphus is definitely a feature at the moment although the heavy rain has not done it any good. Its has a heady perfume and attracts many bees.
The bees have been out on ours too every time the rain stops – I admire their perseverance, but then it is survival for them. Hope your weather is better than ours at the moment Phil!
Beautiful Thursday feature Cathy! So nice to see a big philadelphus that’s been given its due!
Thanks Cathy. Yes, even without any fragrance it is still a wonderful shrub worthy of its own post!
What a gorgeous shrub. Beautiful photos and I’m quite envious of your lovely blue sky too!
Hi Gillian. The blue sky appeared briefly between very heavy rainshowers and a thunderstorm! I rushed out with the camera at just the right moment! 😉
What a beauty Cathy. Mine is a untamed monster which started life as a cutting from my parent’s garden. It has the bonus of scent. The flowers have still to open.
I am a little envious of the scent Anna, but I still have a couple of peonies and the elderflowers which smell wonderful. 😉
What a spectacular plant to have in your yard. I always hated pruning my flowering shrubs and trees but getting some of the old growth out will definitely help the shrub in the long run.
Hi Karen. Yes, I hate doing it too! It is always a dilemma which branches to take out!