Sunday, June 17, 2007

Bliss in My Garden


Yolanda Elizabet, today you are not the only one who has bliss in your garden. Too bad the internet doesn't have scratch 'n sniff capabilities:



Every time I walk by the trellis where this Japanese honeysuckle (
Lonicera japonica) grows, or even am in the general vicinity of it, I catch a whiff. I breathe deeply again and again. I can't get enough, but I keep trying because it will be gone before I know it.

This is on the invasive species list in several states, including Ohio, but according to The Nature Conservancy, it's not found with regularity in our part of the state. I don't find it to be a problem here in our yard, and we've had it for probably 25 years, maybe longer. I don't really remember how it got here, but it's planted at the base of our large trellis, which wasn't here when we moved in (1977), so we planted it. I hate it when my memory fails me.

We also have Morrow's Honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii), which is also on the invasive species list, back in Max's Garden, in the corner. I hate that thing. It grows VERY fast and isn't generally attractive. It doesn't even have the strong scent that the Japanese honeysuckle has. It was here when we moved here, and given its location, I'm guessing it was planted there on purpose.


It's so large now that it would be a major undertaking to remove it, so we try to just control it by pruning it back extensively a couple of times a year.

Max likes to use it for claw sharpening, and when it's in bloom, you can actually hear the tree/shrub buzzing from several feet away, it's so loaded with bees.


15 comments:

Muum said...

That honeysuckle smell cheers me every day in the garden! Too bad it is such an aggressive plant. love your pics.

Mark said...

Yo carn't beat the smell of honeysuckle on a warm summers evening,heavenly.

Cheers Mark

kate said...

The Japanese honeysuckle must smell heavenly. Yes! Scratch and sniff capabilities would be wonderful... especially because we have yet another rainy & windy day. Grrr...

Max is lucky to have such a good spot for claw sharpening!

Anonymous said...

Your photographs of the honeysuckle are just fabulous. I love Max the cat too.
Sara from farmingfriends

Jean said...

I've never smelled a honeysuckle but the blooms are cretainly interesting!

Laura said...

I love honeysuckle! Your's are beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

Lynn said...

Oh that is lovely.
I can imagine what it is like!

Unknown said...

At least 3 people in our block have those Japanese honeysuckles, based on the smells I encounter when I walk with the pooch. The scent is wonderful.

I have noticed a bunch of them growing like shrubs instead of vines in the nearby national park, however. (And on the way down to Athens for my DSIL's graduation, we saw tons of them on the roadside when we neared columbus.) So I won't plant one... although I not-so-guiltily enjoy my neighbors'!

Gardenmomma Chris said...

I'm walking down memory lane this GTS. I was thinking about the lightening bugs I used to catch when I read Mr. Greenthumbs blog and now I think I can smell the honeysuckle of my childhood looking at your photos!

Anonymous said...

I love the smell of honeysuckle. I have some in my yard but it's already done blooming:(

Max is a very cute kitty.

Kylee Baumle said...

Kim, if you saw it growing in a bush form, it may have been Morrow's honeysuckle. I've updated this post with a photo of the blooms on that one. It definitely has a bush form of growth, not a vine like the Japanese honeysuckle. That one really could get out of hand quickly.

Yolanda Elizabet Heuzen said...

What a blissful post you made. ;-) Love that Japanese honeysuckle, I had it in my previous garden too and it was not at all invasive. I'm going to buy another one for my current garden because it's a great plant to have. It smells devine!

Great pic of Max in action!

Unknown said...

Hmm. I know where one is blooming right now near work. I should see if I can get a picture of it to compare and see if it really is the Morrow's honeysuckle... thanks for updating the post with a pic, Kylee!

Ki said...

We have honeysuckles growing in wildspaces and the city park. They are usually growing alongside the wild roses or brambles and together make a pretty heady perfume. Nice when walking through the park but I don't think I want to battle it in our garden even if it smells so nice.

Connie said...

I have one growing on a trellis near my front door. It threatens to pull the house down if don't keep it well pruned, but the smell is heavenly as it wafts through our open front door.

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