Sweet Woodruff

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Galium odoratum

This pretty ground cover with tiny white flowers blooms in my scented garden every spring. Although I’ve read reports of it becoming invasive, it is remarkably well behaved in the shaded area of the garden. It may be an ideal ground cover under trees and shrubs.

Some say it prefers a slightly alkaline soil - some say slightly acidic. I think any rich, moist soil will do. I’ve noticed that it turns brown in the hot summer sun in other locations.

According to UK’s Herb Society, “Sweet woodruff can be found being used medicinally and as a means of sweetening the air in records dating back as far as the 14th century.”

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The scent is said to be like new mown hay and vanilla. Dried leaves were often used in potpourri.

I may dry some this year to witness the scent for myself.

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(Read more about Sweet Woodruff at UK’s Herb Society’s Herb of the Month.)

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Scented Garden

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You may have noticed that the three plants in the last “NEED” post are scented plants.

I have been working on a scented garden for six or seven years. The garden is about 10 feet wide by 35 feet long. The Daphne and Casablanca Lily will add their aroma to that garden. (The tuberose will perfume our deck.)

(Picture May 2006)

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I’ve noticed that a lot of flowers in this garden are white. I like the white theme. It’s very restful. I don’t know if this is botanically correct but it seems to me that there are more fragrant white flowers than any other color. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

White blooms:

Sweet woodruff with the tiny white flowers serves as groundcover

White Lilacs bloom in May

Garden Phlox David tall white beauty adds to the summer aroma.

On a summer evening, Nicotiana Fragrant Cloud sends a slight perfume to only the most discerning noses.

The twinkling flowers of Sweet Autumn Clematis lightly scent the air in fall.

Sweet alyssum gives off a heavenly fragrance all summer long.

Other colors: In early spring hyacinths bloom. In April Sweet Shrub’s heady aroma fills this garden and beyond. Summer scent of Lavender Grosso brushes against strollers on the path.

Daphne will add some bones to the garden and add to the spring fragrance. Casablanca Lily will enhance the late summer perfume.

I can’t wait to sit in this garden with a cup of coffee and inhale.

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(Note: Bat white-nose syndrome has been found in Pennsylvania caves. See February 27, 2008 post.)

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Spring Planning

I’ve been busy removing wallpaper and painting the inside of a closet the last few days – something I like about as much as having my boot sucked off in a muddy paddock.

I haven’t done a lot of garden related thinking. I did manage to start a list of things I’d like to do this spring.

Plants to divide:

Coral Bells (Micrantha ‘Palace Purple’), Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata Moonbeam)


Daylilly (Stella D’Oro)

Liriope

Lilly of the Valley

and - mums (Chrysanthemum Koreanum ‘Single Apricot’), Sweet Shrub (Calycanthus floridus), Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) and zebra grass.

I hope to get at least half of these plants divided and share some with friends. I also started a “to prune” and “to plant” and (best of all) “to buy” list. But before any of that, I have one more closet to paint.