Lilac, no smell??

[DirtPoor]

When I was a kid, some 60+ years ago, there was a lilac bush right below my bedroom window and I can still remember that fragrence. To me the most fragrant flower in my memory bank.

A couple years ago, a master gardener friend offered to help with my landscaping. Of course I ask that a lilac be placed close to my bedroom window. That window being on the north side of the house, we opted to move the lilac about 30 ft away to get it into full sunlight.

The bush has been there for 6 years and puts on only a couple clumps of flowers each year and even these have no aroma.

What is the problem.. Did we get some 'non-fragrent' lilac or is there something wrong with my soil or climate (NW Washington)?

Info or experiences welcome

Steve

[Al_Wa]

Send an email to Ciscoe Morse he will respond in time. Ciscoe is the funny guy on KIRO TV with Meegan Black. He knows his stuff.

[DirtPoor]

I agree. I enjoy watch them both, each weekend.

Steve

[Pat]

DirtPoor, If you think Lilac is the most fragrant bush then you had a limited childhood. Night blooming jasmine near a window (or a block away) is quite a fragrant experience.

Have you ever heard the expression, "little old purple haired ladies reeking of lilac?" The reason they reek is that they are loosing their sense of smell with age and have compensated by increasing the lilac water usage till it smells right to them. A bit like hard of hearing folk shouting at each other, sounds normal to them but loud to many others. Your lilac may be as potent as the lilac of your childhood.

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[DirtPoor]

Pat,

Are you saying, my lilacs aren't the problem, but my age and loss of sense of smell is??

I lost most of my sense of smell during the 35 years that I smoked. I regained it within a few months after I stopped smoking 15 years ago.

BTW. I'm 68 and was raised on various farms in Iowa. Never heard of Jasmine back then. Most farm/feed lot oders were dominate and only the lilac could prevail and then only if it was within a few feet of your window.

Steve

[Pat]

DirtPoor, Maybe you only recovered part of your smeller's sensitivity. Night blooming jasmine is darned potent when blooming. I'm not sure about the hardiness as regards a climate with HARD freezes.

Reduction in your smeller's sensitivity can be like loss of hearing where loss of sensitivity is different for different sounds, i.e. different smells. I have some losses in both hearing and smell. My nose doesn't know what it knew when new. For example, some of my mom's roses which everyone thinks smell so grand are to me pretty darned bland.

IOWA, huh? To me Iowa is a 4 letter word. Actually my wife's folks were multi-generation Iowans on both sides, long time farmers on her mother's side at Dubuque. My wife was there last week to bury her mom (strong Iowa stock, made it to 95) and just barely got out ahead of forecast snow.

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[meledward23]

Night Blooming Jessamine (Cestrum nocturnum) It will take a light frost but not a hard freeze. I dont think a location in Iowa would do this plant well.

And yes, some Lilacs (Syringa) are more fragant than others. What does your Lilac look like ? How long has it been there ? When does it flower what color approximatelywhat size ?