May Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Mock Orange

Philadelphus coronarius
Sweet Mock Orange or English Dogwood

Blooms are spectacular this year on my Philadelphus coronarius, most often referred to as Sweet Mock Orange or English Dogwood. Our established shrub is completely covered with the fragrant dogwood-like white blooms.

Philadelphus coronarius is a deciduous shrub that grows quickly into a large shrub, so give it plenty of room. 

Because of our very mild winter, Mock Orange bloomed a little earlier than usual this year. Usually blooming in late May, the Mock Orange reached its peak bloom the first week of May here in our Georgia garden.

The white flowers with 4 petals smell like orange blossoms, hence the common name Mock Orange and resemble blooms on the Dogwood Tree. Leaves are tender and dark green. On the Sweet Mock Orange, even the bark is lovely, which is exfoliating and orange-tinged. 

This large growing shrub will eventually be up to 12 feet tall and just as wide with a rounded habit, so it's perfect at the edge of the property. 

Philadelphus coronarius can be grown in full sun to light shade, but ours is in pretty much full shade here in Georgia. It might get a little peak of morning sun, but I don't think so. 

Although rich fertile soil is best, our soil is hard clay, and our large shrub gets no supplemental water. This year we received more than enough rain during the Winter and Spring, which might be why our plant showed out so well this time.

Mock Orange is a popular old-fashioned shrub in the Southeastern states, and although it might look delicate, it can be grown in most of the United States, since it is hardy in USDA Zones 4-7.

If you want a hedge of Mock Orange, for Summer privacy perhaps, space them about 5 feet apart for good screening. The shrubs will quickly grow to fill the space. 

If pruning is needed, do so immediately after blooming by removing old canes at the base and cut back remaining branches to create a rounded shape. If your space allows it, don't prune your Mock Orange at all. 

July Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Clethra, Summersweet, Sweet Pepper Bush

Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'

Blooming in the heat of summer with temperatures hovering near 100 degrees is Clethra alnifolia. Also known as Sweet Pepper Bush or Summersweet, Clethra attracts many pollinators with its honeyscented blooms of pink or white. Clethra is a deciduous blooming shrub native to the Eastern United States. I'm a little late with this post, since our Clethras all bloomed earlier in July and have now finished blooming.

Because I love all things pink, my favorite Clethra is Ruby Spice. Vivid pink bloom spikes adorn the tips of almost every stem in late July or August. Ruby Spice Clethra is a tall shrub, reaching up to 8 feet tall at maturity.

Clethra 'Hummingbird'

If you prefer white blooms, Clethra Hummingbird is a popular choice a lake at Callaway Gardens. 

Hummingbird Clethra encircles the edge of Hummingbird Lake behind the Discovery Center. This shrub has pure white bottlebrush blooms spikes about 3 inches long. The fragrant blooms which smell kind of spicy attract pollinators from a great distance.

Another white bloomer is Clethra Sixteen Candles, selected and named by horticulturist Michael Dirr from the University of Georgia. This Clethra is so named because when in bloom its upright flowers resemble candles on a birthday cake. These blooms are up to 6 inches long! Due to its compact habit, this one grows well in containers so it would be great on a patio or sunny porch where the blooms and their fragrance could be better enjoyed.

Clethra 'Sixteen Candles'

No matter the flower color, butterflies and bumble bees love the nectar produced by Clethra blooms. I'm watching to see if our honeybees visit the blooms too.

Clethra needs regular water to grow well. In its natural environment it is found growing on the banks of a creek or lake. Full sun makes the plant bloom prolificly in the latter part of summer. You'll want to be able to reach the plants with a hose when summer drought arrives. 

Clethra can be grown literally all over the United States, since it is hardy in USDA Zones 4 - 9.

July Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Black-eyed Susan

Rudbecka 'Goldsturm' in July

Probably the showiest plants in the late summer garden are the Rudbeckias. 

When adding new plants to my garden, I always prefer natives. Rudbeckia is a native flowering plant with showy coneflower blooms that attract all kinds of pollinators. The United States has many different Rudbeckias that are native, some are perennial while others are self-sowing annuals. 

Most often referred to as Blackeyed Susan, many types of Rudbeckia have been developed. The most widely planted one remains 'Goldsturm.' And for good reason! 

Bright golden yellow sunflower type blooms are held up high on strong stems that do not require staking. When given moderately fertile soil and just an occasional watering, Rudbeckia will self-sow and spread into quite a sizeable family of plants, making an eye-catching show in July and August. Since Goldsturm thrives in hot, sunny spots with little water, it should be included in any roadside garden or xeriscape planting. But if you don't have an area with full sun all day, don't be afraid to try it anyway. Although full sun is loved by Blackeyed Susan, they bloom in shade here in our garden. And if you're on a budget, you can start with just one plant!

Another Rudbeckia we added to our garden just last year is Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers.' Our plant has really taken off this summer. Unlike Goldsturm, Rudbeckia subtomentosa 'Henry Eilers' does require staking or some type of support. It would look great against a wooden fence or wall. The stems are 8 feet tall this year and just coming into bloom. This rudbeckia is named for the horticulturist who found it growing wild. Petals on Henry Eilers Rudbeckia are true yellow instead of gold. The foliage carries the distinct fragrance of vanilla, which is why this one is often referred to as Sweet Coneflower or Sweet Black-eyed Susan. I have it planted right alongside Hibiscus coccineus where the blooms can be enjoyed together along the path beside the greenhouse.

Rudbeckia 'Henry Eilers' in July to August

Sweet Coneflower does enjoy moist soil, so it is more suited to a spot where you can water it when needed. It can be grown in full sun or partial shade, but it cannot withstand long periods of drought. 

All rudbeckias attract pollinators into the garden. Butterflies, hummingbirds, bumblebees, and honeybees love them as much as we do. 

The strong stems and long life of the flower make them excellent cut flowers for bouquets to be taken indoors.

Don't remove all the spent flowers. Allow your plants to go to seed and rudbeckia will self-sow to fill a large area. And by the way, the seeds are a favorite food of all finches. 

Coneflowers can be grown in most areas of the United States in USDA Hardiness Zones as cold as Zone 5. We should all make room in our garden for coneflowers of every color. 

April Blooms in my Georgia Garden: Week 3

Michelia figo

Banana Shrub, Michelia figo, is a large-growing evergreen shrub in the Magnolia Family. Banana Shrub enjoys shade and regular water. Blooms are highly fragrant and really do smell like bananas. The petals are the color of a banana peel but with a burgundy center. A large bush will fragrance the whole garden and cause your friends to go on a search for the source of the scent.

Calycanthus floridus

A native shrub blooming in my garden this week is Calycanthus floridus, most often referred to as Sweet Shrub, but also known as Sweet Betsy, Bubby Bush, and Pineapple Shrub. Blooms are very fragrant, but the fragrance can vary from one bush to another. Some don't have much of a scent while others will. There's a reddish brown blooming species and a yellow blooming cultivar. The yellow blooming 'Athens' is said to be much more fragrant that the species.

Bignonia capreolata

Crossvine is a vigorous native vine often confused with Trumpet Creeper/Trumpet Vine/Cow Itch, but it's a different plant altogether. Bignonia capreolata is an evergreen vine with orange to red blooms like the flames of a fire. Hummingbirds love it even more than I do. Blooms are fragrant, but we seem to disagree with eachother on what the flowers smell like. Some say they smell like curry, but others insist it's mocha. Crossvine needs a strong support but is not invasive. Native to the Southeastern United States.

Aesculus pavia

Red Buckeye, Aesculus pavia, is my most favorite native tree. This small native tree grows with a shrubby habit and is native to the Eastern United States. It naturally occurs in shady woods but when grown in full sun, the flowers are huge red and yellow spikes that are showy from a great distance. Red Buckeye is one of the first plants to bloom when the hummingbirds return in the Spring. This buckeye is drought tolerant and very easy to grow.

Clethra: Sweet Pepper Bush

Clethra is one of my favorite native plants, but more importantly, it's a favorite plant of butterflies and other pollinators! Clethra alnifolia, better known as Summersweet or Sweet Pepper Bush, is wonderful native plant that blooms in late summer. Obviously the common name 'Summersweet' comes from the very sweet-smelling blooms that appear right in the heat of the summer. The other common name 'Sweet Pepper Bush' comes from the attractive seed capsules that closely resemble Peppercorns.

The fragrant blooms which are 6-inch long spikes last for more than a month and attract many pollinators.

There's a Clethra for every garden, since this shrub is available in both large-growing and dwarf varieties. But when I say 'available' I realize that Clethra is truly difficult to find in nurseries. Why, I do not know.

My favorite is 'Ruby Spice' since I'm a fan of pink flowers, but the white-blooming 'Hummingbird' is much sought after, probably due to the beauty of the shrubs planted en mass around Hummingbird Lake at the famous Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.

If your garden requires a dwarf shrub, seek out 'Sixteen Candles'--a more compact plant that seems to have more bloom spikes than possible! The name was given to this plant by Michael Dirr because the upright bloom spikes really do resemble candles on a birthday cake. This plant is truly spectacular!

Whichever you find, you can count yourself lucky to have this plant in your garden. It requires only consistent moisture to keep it happy. (I'm sorry, I do know that consistent moisture is hard to provide in Georgia these days, but if you have a wet spot, a pond edge, a soaker hose, or even, as in our case, stopped up field lines because your wife didn't know any better than to plant a Weeping Willow in the wrong spot, this shrub is definitely worth the trouble!)

Of course, my favorite online source for native plants is Shady Gardens Nursery.

Calycanthus floridus: Sweet Smelling Shrub with Many Names

Calycanthus floridus, Sweet Shrub
Shady Gardens Nursery

Calycanthus floridus has many common names: Sweetshrub, Carolina Allspice, Strawberry Shrub, Pineapple Shrub, Sweet Betsy, but my favorite is “Bubby Bush,” since we call our little boy Bubby.

This beautiful deciduous shrub grows slowly and will eventually form mounds up to 8 feet tall. As the sweetshrub suckers vigorously, the mounds increase in width and will eventually form a thicket.

The many common names of Calycanthus floridus refer its aromatic properties. Most of you are probably familiar with the wonderful fruity scent produced by the unusual flowers. Rusty reddish brown or brownish red blossoms are 1-2 inches across. The blooms adorn the plant in Spring and sporadically  throughout the Summer months. Not only are the flowers sweet-smelling, but also the leaves, bark, twigs, and even the roots have a spicy fragrance.

The 4 inch long leaves are rich deep green. Soft and fuzzy to the touch, they turn bright golden yellow in autumn.

Calycanthus floridus is native to the moist woodlands of the Southeastern United States. Its range extends from Virginia, south to Florida, and West to Mississippi.  Sweetshrub is appreciated as a landscape plant in Europe and deserves more attention from gardeners here in the United States.

Sweetshrub is easy to grow in average soil, is easy to care for, and is essentially pest-free! Deer do not usually eat Sweetshrub.

Light: Thrives in medium shade or filtered sun.

Moisture: Likes moist soil. Water when dry. This shrub can survive periods of drought if necessary, but will perform much better with regular water.

Calycanthus floridus can be grown throughout most of the country, as it is hardy in USDA Zones 5 - 9. 

Try drying the flowers, leaves, twigs and bark for use in potpourri.

For an even sweeter fragrance, try Calycanthus floridus ‘Athens’ – a yellowish white blooming selection favored for its extremely sweet fragrance.

Clethra Attracts Hummingbirds and Butterflies to the Garden in Summer

If you're lucky enough to have a moist spot in your garden, consider Clethra alnifolia. Clethra is also known as Summer Sweet or Sweet Pepper Bush.

Blooming in the middle of the hot summer is enough reason to name it Summer Sweet, but I think that common name derives from either the sweet fragrance or the sweetness of the nectar. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators love it as much as you will, and they'll appreciate you for planting it in your garden.

Once the blooms fade, dark black seeds are visible on the tips of the stems, hence the other common name Sweet Pepper Bush.

There's a Clethra suitable for just about every garden, since a variety of types are available.

• Ruby Spice has rosey pink blooms on a large growing shrub up to 10 feet tall.
• Hummingbird has white blooms on a more compact plant around 3 feet tall. This is the one seen growing around Hummingbird Lake at Callaway Gardens.
• Sixteen Candles 6 inch long white flowers on a tidy shrub about 4 feet tall.

All Clethra varieties are very fragrant, reminding me of fresh honey.


Clethra is easy to grow, but does need regular water. Perfect around a pond or stream, but you can grow it right in your garden as long as you can water it weekly.


Clethra grows well anywhere in USDA Zones 4-9.


An added bonus is that Clethra displays lovely yellow foliage in fall! 


For Clethra plants by mail, go to Shady Gardens Nursery.

Osmanthus fragrans: Sweet Tea Olive

One of my most favorite evergreen shrubs has to be the Tea Olive! When in bloom, my whole garden smells like peaches! I must say Osmanthus fragrans is one of the easiest plants to grow. This large growing evergreen shrub grows well in full sun to partial shade. Not picky about soil, the tea olive tolerates clay soil and is drought tolerant (once established.) The most sensational bloom is in fall, but Osmanthus fragrans blooms sporadically year round. The fragrance is most notable in the evening on warmer days. Blooms are so tiny that you'd never suspect the heavenly fragrance is coming from them! Evergreen foliage is a rich green that holds up well in floral arrangements. Osmanthus fragrance is hardy in USDA Zones 8-11, but is often seen in Atlanta which is Zone 7. Can withstand temperatures down to 10 degrees with no foliar damage.