Heaven scent, shrub is a real unsung hero
Philadelphus coronaries ‘Aureus’ is one of those unsung heroes of the garden where its bright yellow leaves and tiny scented flowers are a joy to behold – and smell – in early summer.
It’s a very accommodating deciduous shrub, happy in a moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Later in the season, its foliage can look a bit tatty, but a going-over with shears usually encourages another burst of fresh, yellow leaves.
If it attempts to grow too big, and you want it for its foliage rather than its flowers, just hack it back in late spring.
However, it’s not the only star of the family – even more striking is P microphyllus, a very vigorous but smaller shrub that sprints to a metre in height and then settles down.
In early summer this mock orange starts to produce pure white blooms that throw out the most intense perfume. What makes this shrub even more attractive is its bark – peeling and a dark chestnut in colour. Add the glossy leaves and you have something very special.
Like its cousin, ‘Aureus’, P microphyllus loves the sun (although it will tolerate a bit of shade) and a well-drained, fertile soil. Grow it as a stand-alone specimen or use it as part of a mixed border and it should give years of good service.
After the blooms have finally faded, it’s best to get out the pruners and cut back the flowered shoots to a healthy bud. This will encourage compact, strong growth. Every four or five years, it will pay to carry out a more rigorous pruning – take one in five of mature stems and cut it back to soil level.
And for a Philadelphus for the back of a mixed border, consider P ‘Virginal’, which produces fewer branches at its base so is best partially camouflaged by lowergrowing plants.
It’s a hardy beast and can easily grow to nine or 10 feet in height and spread almost the same in width, producing masses of heavily-scented, double white flowers.