General Chat

Oh dear ,it looks as though Fred may have dropped a clanger.I choose two from b&q for the wife two months ago with the idea of putting them in pots [which i did] with the idea of taking them with us ,as is ,when we move later in the year. They looked lovely ,and i choose two different colours for variety. I thought they all had scent,and Fred had better hunt the storm shelter if the wife finds out that either are unscented i,m one worried man lol Fred.

hi again Sue, apparently Early Dutch (Belgica) and Late Dutch (Serotina) smell good, both are deciduous. Kathy the flowers on mine are cream, white and yellow, its really pretty Kathleen

Hi Sue, You probably have the Wild Woodbine variety of honeysuckle which has beautiful flowers but no perfume. As Kathleen said, the Japanese variety is the one that has a lovely honeysuckle perfume and is evergreen too, although the flowers are plain cream coloured and not so pretty as the Wild Woodbine. Kathy

Hi Sue I had a honeysuckle on the balcony until it sadly met it's demise last year.. It used to flower well, but did not really have a scent. I remember loads of Honeysuckle in our garden when I was a child, not only was the scent beautiful but I can remember sucking the sweet pollen from the flowers!!! I do think it depends on the type of Honeysuckle that you plant. Lynda

Hi Sue, I have a honeysuckle and the scent is wonderful, its a Halls Japonica, it keeps it leaves all through the winter, then I chop it back late Jan/Feb.It soon scrambles back up again Its recently started flowering and carries on till October.I have heard the Graham Thomas variety smells lovely to and those called Halliana Kathleen

Hi Mags Maybe I should buy another honeysuckle plant, but one that smells. The one I have is certainly growing well and perhaps I should get a slower growing one just for the perfume. Thanks for the info Sue

Hi Sue - not all honeysuckles are fragrant and some are more smelly than others! Can give you the names out of my Gardening book if you want. Some are more vigorous and give you more flowers and some are a bit more dainty but nicer smelling - I've got three different sorts growing up the same trellis so I've got the best of both worlds. I've also got a confederate jasmine either side of the back door that I haven't really noticed was that fragrant until this year - the smell hits you as you go outside - must be all the rain !!!

Hi Margaret There was a lovely smelling honeysuckle in my Mum's garden, right outside the French windows. The smell really reminds me of my childhood :o) When we sold Mum's house we never thought to take a cutting. I bought my plant from Wilkinsons about 6 years ago, didn't think to look on the packaging to see if it was a fragrant variety. I thought all honeysuckle flowers smelt! Mandy says hers don't either, maybe they have to be over 20 years old! I'll have to buy some perfume and spray the flowers! LOL Sue

Hi Sue I have loads of honysuckle in my garden ,and it smells beautiful ,more so when it has been raining mind you it has been in my garden for 24 years and was a cutting from my mums honeysuckle that she had, so i cant help you out as to why yours has no smell. sorry,What about getting a jasmine plant got one outside the back door lovely smell Margaret

Mandy Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass on the teenage son. Just got rid of mine, he was 20 on June 7th! Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to realise he's not a teenager anymore, still the same messy room, smelly socks etc, loud music - shall I go on! LOL Still we wouldn't be without them would we? Sue

Hi Sue If you really want something that smells, can I post you my unwashed teenage son? Seriously, we were thrilled to find that you can buy honeysuckle bushes when we were looking for shrubs for our new raised beds - but although they're flowering, they don't seem to smell either. I'm kicking myself for not checking the label to find out whether they were perfumed. I know that soil affects the colour of hydrangeas, do you think it might have a similar effect on perfume? Hopefully a keen gardener might help us out! Mandy :)

I have a beautiful honeysuckle growing up the wall of my garage (outside, just in case you wondered!). I planted it about 6 years ago and it is growing very well and has lots of flowers. The trouble is........they don't smell! I thought all honeysuckles smelt, but mine definitely doesn't. Is there anything I can do or shall I get another plant in the hope that the new one smells? Sue