Buds on the Japanese Honeysuckle.
I had been longing for Honeysuckle, missing that soft fragrance and the sweet taste of its nectar...a childhood memory from Summers long ago. So last Sunday, Tall Husband and I went in search of that magical plant. We found it at Buchanan's Native Plants in the Houston Heights. They had only one plant left and a staff member warned that Honeysuckle is "quite aggressive." She smiled, though, as she recalled sucking nectar from Honeysuckle flowers as a child.
After reading about the plant on the Internet (it is considered a weed in some states, because of its tendency to overtake anything in its path) we became a bit worried. Would we return to the Bunny Bungalow one day to find it smothered in a tangle of Honeysuckle vines? Would we be forced to machete a path to our back door? Smelling the fragrant flowers, we threw caution to the wind and planted it by the wooden fence, near the old well. Next weekend we shall stretch stainless steel wires on the fence to form a trellis for our new vine...that is if it hasn't consumed the fence by then.
I love honeysuckle...have never seen japanese honeysuckle...my neighbor cut some of mine of our adjoing fence but it is coming back..
ReplyDeleteI need to plant a honeysuckle. My husband loves it and says it usually blooms on his birthday in May.
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I love the honeysuckle nectar. I never thought of it as a weed as a child. It was a rare find and treasure!
ReplyDeleteI love honeysuckle! I used to have a teenage fragrance of some sort that was honeysuckle, but I can't remember who made it. Guess it's internet search time!
ReplyDeleteMy son just CHOPPED DOWN a wonderful honeysuckle vine that was growing (taking over his backyard) over an arbor! When he bought the house 2 years ago, his wife wanted to promptly remove the plant and arbor. My son finally did so, even though I tried my best to make them see the error of their ways! The yard looks so sterile without the vines. I, too, love the scent of that wonderful plant. Dana
ReplyDeleteDeb:
ReplyDeleteThe staff person at the nursery told me that Japanese honeysuckle is "just the old-fashioned kind." I love it that your honeysuckle is growing back in spite of your neighbor's efforts.
Bonjour Madame:
Oh, I agree: it is a rare find and a treasure.
Pop and Ice:
Your honeysuckle fragrance sounds heavenly!
Dana:
What a tragedy! The honeysuckle could return and...well, think of what Edgar Allen Poe would do with such a story.
Brenda,
ReplyDeleteYour husband has great taste in vines! And a belated Happy Birthday to him.