Shaking the "No Winter" Blues Away

  It is definitely the wrong time of the year for the little shrub to be blooming but, in view of our lack of cold this winter, I guess this is as good of a time as any.  The tea olive bushes surprised me with their intense aroma as I headed out the east gate this morning.  At first, I pondered just what smelled so sweet but then I remembered that scent...apricots!...and knew right away that the tea olives were in bloom.  A quick check beside the garden gate proved that I was correct.  Both bushes were blooming their little hearts out!  Perhaps it is the wrong time of year but the shrubs threw caution to the wind and budded early.

  The tea olives are evergreens that produce a tiny (think 1/4 inch) flower that gives off an amazing aroma.  This scent does indeed evoke thoughts of apricots.  Some folks say it reminds them a lot of apricots mixed with jasmine. Maybe?  What the blooms lack in showiness, they sure make up for with sweet-smelling happiness!  This is just another of the gloriously scented blooms that grow in the Deep South.  

  The only problem that I have with the shrubs is that they are slow growing.  I had hopes that by this time, I would be collecting enough of those tiny blooms to be making into teas and jellies.  The blooms give teas a delightful flowery or fruity taste.  

  A winter without cold is rather disheartening.  Maybe my little shrubs knew that my spirits needed lifting so they offered the best cure possible.  Finding them at the beginning of my daily hike, proved to brighten the thoughts tremendously.  Just imagine what a cup of tea made with the flowers would do!

Aroma "Therapy"

I spent all morning in the kitchen making more tomato sauce. The drought just about killed all of the plants but there are a few die-hard ones that insist on providing me with just a few more of the fruit than I can use on a daily basis. After a few days of this, I had enough to combine with a handful of banana peppers and a fat onion to make into several more jars of sauce. It takes just as long to make up a couple of jars as it does to make an entire canner full, but I hate to waste food so I cooked. After finishing up this task, I headed to the pier to check the crab traps. I was tired of being inside and wanted to escape to the pier! As I made my way down the board path to the pier, a heavenly aroma engulfed me. Ahhh..the Tea Olive was in bloom again! I suddenly just wanted to stand there and breathe in this delightful scent! Therapy for a person with cabin-fever! Aroma "Therapy"!

For you folks that have never smelled a Tea Olive, I can tell you that you are missing one of the pleasantries of life! This blossom has a aroma that can be compared to jasmine in its intensity but almost has a fruity smell..perhaps like apricots. The tiny, nondescript flower emits such a powerful scent that just a few can fill the whole yard and the bush has the added quality of blooming several times a year! The bloom is actually very tiny..almost to the point that it can be overlooked when someone is in search of the origin of the aroma. Each little blossom measures probably only a mere quarter inch in diameter...very plain, not showy. It is definitely all about the scent with this plant. The Tea Olive or Osmanthus Fragrans gets to be a nice size shrub and is hardy to about ten degrees. It loves the sun and is pretty much drought tolerant and pest free. It does need to be pruned now and again to keep it healthy and full-leafed but other than that it is almost maintenance free. This is my sort of bush! The glossy, dark green leaves make it an attractive hedgerow bush. It is the appearance of the leaves that give it another common name..the False Holly. The Tea Olive needs to be planted near a footpath, porch or entryway so you can fully appreciate the incredible scent.

I tend to plant a lot of my garden by scent and this is one of my favorites. Hubby brought one of these home from the nursery and I was hooked! I had to have another! Since the first day he brought it home, I have discovered so many interesting facts about this shrub that it could make the head spin! One of the most unique is that the blossoms are infused with black or green teas to make a highly scented variety. Also, the blossoms are added to different baked goods and are even made into Osmanthus Jam! If ever my trees make enough blooms, I might try my hand at making the teas and jams but until that day, I will just continue to enjoy the "aromatherapy" of my yard!