Mock Orange Juice

Does anyone remember the mock turtle from Alice in Wonderland?  Well, this is the same pun reversed.

Several years ago we bought a mock orange shrub, Philadelphus lewisii, and planted it next to the fence in the backyard.  I must admit the main reason for planting it was for a little more privacy from the neighbors.  If you are in the market for a shrubbery, you might want to consider a mock orange.  It has a wonderful, gentle citrus fragrance and it is breathtaking when in bloom.  It sadly doesn’t bloom for very long, but it’s pretty amazing when it does.  It is also native to this region so it does really well.  Just ask the Idahoans, it's their state flower.

This picture was taken just after the peak bloom time.



Here is a close-up of the blooms.



Here is a scratch n’ sniff so you can smell it.



Remember, if you have a old CRT tube monitor you need to scratch it, but if you have an LCD monitor you need to rub it in a circular motion to release the scent.



















Just kidding.  I always wanted to do that.