Seasonal Bloom

Winter

Christine Todd, Brookgreen's Greenhouse Manager notes - There’s nothing quite like the heavenly scent of Lonicera fragrantissima to put one in a better frame of mind on a winter day. This deciduous shrub is commonly and appropriately known as 'Breath of Spring' or 'Winter Honeysuckle'. Winter Honeysuckle is a native of China and easy to overlook most of the year, until its small, creamy white flowers appear in January, February, and March. The fragrance emitted from the tiny flowers is anything but modest, and can perfume an entire garden. Lonicera fragrantissima easily grows 6-10 feet tall and equally wide in full to part sun, although its size can be controlled by judicious pruning after it has finished blooming. It grows best in moist, well-drained soil and is drought tolerant once established. This heirloom shrub makes a good screen or handsome addition to a mixed border. Lonicera fragrantissima can be seen at Brookgreen Gardens in the Upper Right Wing of the garden and plants propagated at Brookgreen’s greenhouse operation can be purchased at Keepsakes gift shop.

Perennials:

  • Daffodils, early types (Narcissus varieties)
  • Crocuses (Crocus spp.)
  • Spring Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum)

          

Shrubs

  • Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox)
  • Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum)
  • Winter Honeysuckle (Lonicera fragrantissima)
  • Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles japonica)
  • Winter Daphne (Daphne odora)
  • Camellia (Camellia japonica)
  • Sasanqua Camellia (Camellia sasanqua)
  • Sweet Olive (Osmanthus fragrans)
  • Fragrant Sarcococca (Sarcococca confusa)

Trees

  • Star Magnolia (Magnolia stellata)
  • Okame Flowering Cherry (Prunus incam ‘Okame’
  • Flowering Apricot (Prunus mume)
  • Michelia (Michelia maudiae)

Spring

Perennials

  • Daffodils (Narcissus varieties)
  • Columbine (Aquilegia spp.)
  • False Indigo (Baptisia australis
  • Hardy Red Amaryllis (Hippeastrum x johnsonii)
  • Iris (Iris siberica)
  • Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum x superbum)
  • Hardy Orchid (Bletilla striata)
  • Bloodroot (Sanguinaria Canadensis)
  • Variegated Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum thunbergii ‘Variegatum’)
  • Trillium (Trillium maculatum)
  • Atamasco Lily (Zephranthes atamasco)

Shrubs

  • Indica Azalea (Azalea indica)
  • Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
  • Native Azalea (Rhododendron spp.)
  • Loropetalum (Loropetalum chinense)
  • Banana Shrub (Michelia figo)
  • Vanhoutte Spirea (Spiraea vanhouttei)
  • Rice Paper Plant (Edgeworthia chrysantha)
  • Rose (Rosa spp.)
  • Florida Anise (Illicium floridanum)

Trees

  • Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
  • Weeping Flowering Cherry (Prunus subhirtella ‘Pendula’)
  • Chinese Fringe Tree (Chionanthus retusus)
  • Grandaddy Graybeard (Chionanthus virginicus)

Vines

  • Confederate Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
  • Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
  • Native Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’)
  • Woodbine (Lonicera sempervirens)
  • Evergreen Clematis (Clematis armandii)

Summer

Click here a more complete list of summer plantings, butterfly plants, and xeric (drought tolerant) plants  in the Gardens this summer and fall seasons.

Perennials

  • Crinum Lilies (Crinum spp.)
  • Ginger lily (Hedychium spp.)
  • Lantana (Lantana spp.)
  • Formosa Lily (Lilium formosanum)
  • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
  • Plumbago (Plumbago ariculata)
  • Blackeyed Susan (Rudbeckia ‘Goldstrum’
  • Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.)
  • Canna (Canna spp.)
  • Swamp Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus)
  • Hardy White Gloxinia (Sinningia tubiflora)
  • Pineapple Lily (Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy)
  • Northwind Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’)

Shrubs

  • Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)
  • Abelia (Abelia spp.)
  • Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)
  • Gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides)
  • Oleander (Nerium oleander)
  • American Beautyberry (Callicarpa Americana)

Trees

  • Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora)
  • Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)
  • Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica)

Vines:

  • Evergreen Chinese Wisteria (Millettia taiwanensis)

Fall

Click here a more complete list of summer plantings, butterfly plants, and xeric (drought tolerant) plants  in the Gardens this summer and fall seasons.

Perennials

  • Confederate Rose (Hibiscus mutabilis)
  • Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.)
  • Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha)
  • Sweet Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaries)
  • Spider Lily (Lycoris radiata)
  • Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius)
  • Rose (Rosa spp.)

Shrubs

  • Sasanqua Camellia (Camellia sasanqua)
  • Fragrant Tea Olive (Osmanthus fragrans)

Vines

  • Swamp Jessamine (Gelsemium rankinii)
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