In this month’s Houseplant of the Month blog post, we’re shining the floral spotlight on white fragrant plants. And falling into this category are jasmine, stephanotis and gardenia…THE plants to have in your home if you’re looking for a totally natural way to add scent to a room!
But they’re not just wonderful houseplants. In the world of floristry, they’re often incorporated into wedding flowers to add fragrance to designs. Many brides love the fact that smelling these flowers evokes memories of their special day for years afterwards.
Mention gardenia to me, top right, and it reminds me of when I used to work as a florist in London. A bride had requested gardenia, with its exotic perfume. So, plants were bought at New Covent Garden Flower Market and we selected specimen blooms from them for her wedding flower designs. (By the way, did you know that Billie Holiday, the American jazz singer, used to wear gardenias in her hair? Click here if you’d like to watch a video showing Billie with her trademark flowers.)
Trails of scented jasmine, bottom right, are proving to be very sought after by brides looking for a natural, relaxed styled bouquet. Check out this stunning example! And stephanotis pips, centre left, are often featured in wired bouquets, as beautifully illustrated in Diana, the Princess of Wales’s, bridal bouquet.
Carewise, all three plants prefer to be kept in a light spot indoors, but not in bright sunlight. Don’t allow the compost to dry out, but avoid standing water. And during the flowering period, it’s best to regularly remove faded blooms, plus feed the plant once a fortnight.
If you’re looking for gift ideas for Mother’s Day, which takes place in the UK this Sunday, perhaps you may like to consider a gardenia, jasmine or stephanotis plant as an alternative to a bouquet?
P.S. If you love white fragrant plants, you may like to visit The Joy of Plants website.
P.P.S. If you’re a florist and would like more information, simply visit The Flower Council of Holland website.
* This post is brought to you in collaboration with The Flower Council of Holland. All the words are my own.
(Images : The Flower Council of Holland)
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