YORKTON - The recent rains have brought our mock orange into beautiful bloom. Is this a shrub that you are familiar with?
Let me introduce you. Mock orange, Philadelphus coronarius , is a beautiful carefree shrub that has dainty, elegant white blooms at this time of year. This is their joyous season, when the blooms appear and become drifts and dollops of white against the dark green leaves. They have a very delicate fragrance, and put on a stunning show of cascades of blooms in early summer. It doesn’t last long, but it is certainly worth the show even for that short time.
Even when it is not in bloom, the shrub can make a good backdrop for perennial plants, or a good foundation planting. Our mock orange is a favorite resting spot for many birds, because the shrub has an abundance of branches that can provide haven and safety for smaller birds. The blooms also attract bees, always a plus in our gardens ( and hopefully that is a “to do” in your choice of garden plants).
I have read that mock orange blooms used to be used in bridal bouquets not only for the beauty of the blooms but for the cascading stems. The pretty flowers represent innocence and love. I have seen pictures of bridal wreaths, and they, too, look stunning holding a delicate veil. There seems to be a resurgence of “natural” lookings flowers for bouquets, as if they were just gathered up that morning and enfolded in someone’s arms, so if the timing is just right, mock orange could be included in that vey special bouquet!
If you’re adding a mock orange to your yard, they like a spot in full sun with well-draining soil. They can tolerate drier conditions, but ideally they like moist conditions, and do not like wet feet. One shrub would be lovely, but I have read that several can be planted together (distance them about six feet apart) to make a very nice privacy hedge. Are you thinking, what? Six feet? Yes, this may sound like a big gap in between the shrubs, but keep in mind that they are fast growers, some can grow about two feet each year, so cuddling them close together right from the beginning will end up with a crowded party very quickly, and will jam their plant shape! So give them their space and be patient, they will fill in quickly enough. If your garden space is limited, do some research because there are smaller mock orange varieties.
Sometimes a mock orange can be the ‘wild child’ among our shrubs, looking like it needs to have its hair combed! That look is very natural and pleasing, but if you like, It is fine to trim the shrub; here again, we have to remember that next year’s blooms come on this year’s growth, so trimming has to be done early in the year to allow stems to re-grow and be strong enough to give us a show next year. Prune the growth above outer facing buds once the flowers are done.
If you’re planning next year’s garden additions, you won’t be disappointed with mock orange! Read about it and add it to your garden list!
Someone was aking about the Saskatchewan Horticultural Association bus tour. It’s coming up July 26-28, 2024. As far as we can tell, it seems like seats might still be available, but visit the site at skhorticultural.com for more details. The tour takes gardeners on “a journey through some of the most beautiful gardens and landscapes in Northeastern Saskatchewan…including the garden communities of Star City, Tisdale, Carrot River, Nipawin and White Fox.” A fun and educational gardening adventure!
Thank you to our friends at YTW for their fine work every week! Gardeners, visit the Yorkton hort society at and have a nice week!.
