Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Story of the Runaway Jasmine


When it comes to landscaping, one of the most common mistakes gardeners make is not taking into consideration the size of a plant at maturity instead of its size when they plant it. I have to admit that I was guilty of making that mistake a few years ago when I planted a Carolina jasmine plant (also known as Carolina jessamine) on a small trellis outside our bedroom window.

Nice, huh?

Well, that was four years ago, and those little Burfordi holly plants now stand about six feet tall and are completely covered by the kudzu-like jasmine vine ...

And the little trellis has long since disappeared, hidden amongst the hollies in a tangle of jasmine vines ...

Even though the vine has "done its own thing," I enjoy seeing it from our bedroom windows, and love the heavenly scent of its trumpet-shaped blossoms. Here are some closeup shots of the flowers ...


I even like the contrast between the bright yellow blooms and the deep red berries of the hollies ...

In fact, now that I think about it ... anyone can plant jasmine on a fence (like our neighbors' fence shown here) ...

But it takes a special talent to grow it on a living trellis like our hollies, don't you think?

[For more information about Carolina jasmine plants, you can visit this website: Carolina Jasmine]

4 comments:

Richard Cottrell said...

The yellow blooms are divine. never seen it around here. I always plant things to close and have to move, I have some holly right now that is under a tree, wasn't when I planted them. Spring dig. Richard from My Old Historic House.

Glenda said...

I just walked down the trail near our home and noticed the yellow jasmines blooming . . . took some pics - yours are wonderful. We call them yellow honeysuckle even though that's not the correct name. I love their sweet smell . . . and remember how Mama made a bouquet of them when I was little and how their fragrance filled our tiny house. Good memories!

RachelD said...

Oh, My. I can smell that enticing scent from here! We had some that Mammaw called "Cape Jazzmine," (which I frequently malapropped with Crape Myrtle, putting the "r" in one or t'other).

I just don't remember their being yellow---seems they were almost gardenias in my scent-and-color memory.

And on a Summer night, sitting on the screened-porch swing, moving it idly with one foot as you watched the lightning bugs and heard the murmur of neighbors' voices from their OWN porches---it was like being enclosed in a sweet cloud.

Lovely memories, and thank you.

LindaG said...

Beautiful photos. I can smell the jasmine now. :)