Gardening with Toni
By Toni Hollingsworth

          On this dreary day in January, as I schlep bags of groceries through the front door the scent of orange blossoms greets me.

      Fragrant plants are magical, soothing and healing. A stroll through the Spring garden filled with pansies, pinks, Sweet Williams and flowering tobacco is a great tonic. Finding fragrant flowers in the winter, however is more difficult. Gardenias and jasmine require the moist conditions found in a greenhouse. Orange trees require regular sprays with Orthene-a nasty systemic insecticide-anyway that’s what I used to think. Three years ago several tiny rooted cuttings arrived . One was an orange and one was a gardenia relative-I had low expectations. As it turned out both of these plants “Dwarf Orange”        ( Citrus x Limonia ‘Otaheiti’ ) and “African Gardenia” ( Mitrostigma axillare) were tough customers perpetually in bloom or in fruit. A cool (50 degree) winter position in a sunny south window in the hall suits both well and eliminates the insect problems encountered in warmer areas of the house.

            The dwarf orange bears loads of flowers and  3 inch orange fruits that are essentially  tasteless but very ornamental-remaining on the tree for months at a time.

           An “African Gardenias” is always in bloom with clusters of white flowers that combine the fragrance of orange blossoms with stephanotis.

              These are easy plants that require a cool location in the winter,  and a bit of chelated iron to prevent chlorosis . Water well then allow the soil to become dry to the touch on top between thorough watering.

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