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Medicinal Container Design!
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Here in Seattle, we're having the most beautiful break in the winter rain. Five days of uninterrupted sun + relative warmth = the perfect walking weather. A reset from the absolute inundation we are all experiencing, of, well, make your list. And if you've been taking that breather, I bet something has caught your attention - a scent on the air akin to jasmine. “What IS that?” you've thought to yourself or asked your walking partner. What IS that scent?
Winter scented plants are mysterious and subtle, much like winter beauty. Unlike the riotous blooms of peak summer, winter scents are graceful and unimpeded, floating on the air without competition, and calling us to look a little closer to find them. A few to seek out:
Witch hazel (Hamamelis), pictured above, is blooming in my medicinal garden right now, right next to the valerian roots that are building strength for next season. Keep an eye out for orange, purple or yellow “flowers” on the multi-stemmed structure of these trees and get a little closer to take in their truly astonishing fragrance.
Bonus: For an outstanding experience, walk through the Arboretum and seek out the Witch hazel lined pathway. Note the under plantings of hellebore and sarcoccoca, and the shock of vibrant winter color as you walk through those paths into the display of bright red and yellow dogwood (Cornus sanguinea). A true winter garden in its glory.
Sweet Box (Sarcococca)
Sarcococca is a favorite of mine because it's an absolute workhorse. Thriving in difficult conditions such as shade and drought, it always looks perky, glossy and healthy. So subtle are its seriously fragrant flowers, you have to know what you're looking for to find them. As seen below, they hang underneath the stem in an oh-so-hidden fashion. Once you identify this beautiful plant, you'll notice it everywhere.
