Flowers and foliage March 2008

[Lvandelft]

Gerd and Kathrine, thank you for those pictures. Very interesting to see some plants
like Pulsatilla in nature.
No Sunday walk here, most of the day raining and at the moment still raining. 

[Gerdk]

Here is our sunday walk:

Kathrine,
Beautiful pics, nice Viola alba - (which doesn't grow here in the wild).
The Primula species is veris - see the large calyx.

Gerd

[Katherine J]

The Primula species is veris - see the large calyx.

Yes, I was wondering about it, but as I know P. veris is scented. This wasn't at all.

[Gerdk]

Kathrine,
You are right concerning the scent, but it seems there are exceptions.
According Fritz Köhlein - Primeln:
Primula veris is fragrant - seldom without scent
Primula elatior is usually scentless - very rarely a little fragrant

For me this is no problem - due to uncontrolled smoking (more than 30 Benson&Hedges daily - oh, what a taste! ) in my former life all flowers are
scentless - so for me scent is of no taxonomic value 

Gerd

[Katherine J]

For me this is no problem - due to uncontrolled smoking (more than 30 Benson&Hedges daily

Oh, I see. Like my father...

Anyway, thank you. This seems to be an exception then. Otherwise it really seemed like veris.

[Lesley Cox]

Please don't take this as a lecture. It's not (though it should be - my father, a heavy smoker, had throat cancer twice and ended up with a laryngectomy) but I do think how sad it is that some people have lost their sense of smell, because of smoking. Every time I go outside there's something new to sniff at and my life would be immensely poorer if it were not for the hundreds of different flower and foliage perfumes, let alone the wonderful scents of earth and rain and the sea and roast pork and millions of others.

[Martin Baxendale]

Please don't take this as a lecture. It's not (though it should be - my father, a heavy smoker, had throat cancer twice and ended up with a laryngectomy) but I do think how sad it is that some people have lost their sense of smell, because of smoking. Every time I go outside there's something new to sniff at and my life would be immensely poorer if it were not for the hundreds of different flower and foliage perfumes, let alone the wonderful scents of earth and rain and the sea and roast pork and millions of others.

This sounds like a new thread - favourite smells! (from the garden and elsewhere!). I have to say, one of my very favourite flower smells is the flowers of the common privet (Ligustrum vulgare). It's a scent that just shouts "SUMMER!!!" at me, especially on hot days, when the scent gets stronger. My maternal grandmother had lots of privet hedges and the smell of the flowers take sme right back to hot summer days in her garden. Personally I'm very glad I stopped smoking 15 years ago because my sense of smell has improved a hundredfold, which is a boon in the garden and when drinking wine, plus I might actually live to see my kids grow up.   

[mark smyth]

Privet!! Cant stand the smell. Sorry

[Martin Baxendale]

Privet!! Cant stand the smell. Sorry

Lots of people can't stand it. It's a nostalgia thing with me. Like the sound of chickens. I love the sound of the chickens in the run a couple of gardens away as they remind me of my grandmother's garden with its large veg garden and chicken run.

[Katherine J]

I also don't like the smell of Ligustrum vulgare. But I understand your feeling, Martin.
My "nostalgia smell" that reminds me of summers at my grandparents (which were wonderful. is the smell of animals like pig, cow, etc. And I like it!

My favourite smell is that of the Syringa vulgaris. And also the smell of spring, maybe you know what I mean.

[Katherine J]

Our garden is full of Viola now (some are scented, some are not), newer were so many like this year. Needless to say, nobody planted any of them.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wonderful sight Kata ! 
Makes a change for a Crocus lawn 

[art600]

On scents and smells, has anyone noticed that males and females smell differently - I think I should say interpret smells differently.
Cyclamen libanoticum has, to me, an appalling smell - it reminds me of experiments in Chemistry lessons to produce acetylene.  However, most women think it is a wonderful scent.

[Gerdk]

Wonderful sight Kata ! 
Makes a change for a Crocus lawn 

Luc,  - what can be a lovelier sight than a meadow full of sweet violets?
 
Kathrine,
Thank you for this magnificent pic!

Gerd
         

[Gerdk]

Please don't take this as a lecture. It's not (though it should be - my father, a heavy smoker, had throat cancer twice and ended up with a laryngectomy) but I do think how sad it is that some people have lost their sense of smell, because of smoking. Every time I go outside there's something new to sniff at and my life would be immensely poorer if it were not for the hundreds of different flower and foliage perfumes, let alone the wonderful scents of earth and rain and the sea and roast pork and millions of others.

Lesley,
I don't take your comments for a lecture! You are totally right and you particularize clearly what I'm missing now. Especially for a plant lover scent is an important sense - but what's past is past. I quit smoking 20 years ago and so I am contented to enjoy the clean air around me.
Today I can't believe what a crazy person I was - take it of sins of one's youth.

Gerd