The freesias are up and looking tall and stately, their intoxicating scent stirring something primal yet out of reach. They’re appearing in order of color, first white followed by yellow, and red.
Freesia’s self-propagate yearly, popping up along the curb garden, behind the fountain, and along the garden path. One package of bulbs purchased years ago graces my garden with seemingly endless offspring.
I recently learned that my ability to smell these garden gems is a genetic trait. About ten percent of the general population can’t smell freesia. I am one grateful gardener.
Gardening Nirvana 
How wonderful Alys! I love the smell of Freesias and used to buy them for my Mum sometimes… I have never seen them in a garden, only the florist’s! I didn’t know some people can’t smell them. The sense of smell is strange… I can smell violets for about ten seconds in spring and then my nose switches off. 🤪 Enjoy your beautiful flowers Alys!
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That’s fascinating, Cathy. My parents owned a couple of flower shops in Canada before we were born. There are questions I’ll never have answers too, but I wish I knew more about that time. xo
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My wonderful husband has signed me up for a monthly floral arrangement delivery from our local florist. I love the colors and forms but most of the flowers have no scent at all. It’s very disappointing. Scent is as much a part of the flowers as the color in my opinion. (I believe I know why the scent has been bred out but it’s still disappointing.) I’ll have to look into whether freesias would work in our yard.
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Your husband is a keeper! That it the loveliest of gifts. I’m sorry to hear that the blooms are unscented. I’ve heard similar things about newer roses, they’ve retained the beauty, but they’ve lost the scent. Sue, if you know your gardening zone, you can find out if they’ll work for you. I hope so!
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I am green, green, green with envy. So glad I can smell those beauties. And then there are the cyclamen. One of my absolute favorites. Beautiful garden!
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Thank you, Laurie. It’s nice having the overlapping color as the season changes. We bought that azalea over 25 years ago and have relocated it twice. It enjoys the extra humidity provided by the fountain. I hope Mud season is behind you soon.
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Alys,
Freesia are my all time favorite flowers and I love the scent. I am so excited to learn that in this case, my genetics work in my favor. Enjoy the colors-they are so vibrant
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Betsy, genetics for the win when it comes to freesia. They last a good while, too.
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Gardening nirvana for sure… I’m so envious (and grateful not to be in the 10% either)!
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Thank you, Eliza.
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Oh So Beautiful! Such A Lovely Garden You Have! Alys, You Are A Master Gardener!
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Thank you so much!
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Freesias are the smell of my mother.
But there’s a sting in the tail of that. When I was a child of about 11, my mother sent me to stay with my oldest sister in the Netherlands for three weeks. It was an adventure, I flew on my own. While I was there, I got appendicitis and had to be hospitalised. It was frightening, alone in hospital when I didn’t speak much of the language and my sister, with a baby, couldn’t spend all day there with me. She brought me freesias, hoping they’d reassure me and remind me of Ma. They did, but I can’t smell them these days without the faint echo of the pain and fear of that week in a foreign hospital.
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Oh Kate, I’m sorry to hear your sad tale. Smells, good or bad, carry you back in time and place. I can’t imagine the pain, fear, angst, and loneliness you would have felt at such a young age. Your body has been through so much throughout your life. You are strong and brave.
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It continues to amaze me how smells can transport you in an instant. Certain cooking smells can be so evocative, or the now very rare smell of my mother’s favourite perfume.
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Agreed.
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Your Freesias are beautiful. I like their smell, too. I also love your cyclamen and your azaleas are out!!! We’re having an early spring here, too, but not quite as far along as you are! I got your card and intend to write soon.
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Thank you, Lisa. I garden in Zone 9 so I am one lucky gardener. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Freesias are one of my faves too.
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:-)
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Spring is certainly making a beautiful showing in your garden, Alys. Each little bud that opens is so exciting. I have never before heard your statistic about smelling freesia, and although I don’t have any in my garden, I just must find some and see what I think! Fascinating! With the current heavy rain patterns I hope they don’t take too much of a beating. ❤️
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Debra, you are so right; each bud is a treasure. We came through this storm ok, mostly due to mild winds. It rained off and on all weekend and the ground is pretty saturated, so I’m keeping an eye on things so I can’t plant a few bulbs. How is your garden growing? Did you get a deluge over the weekend? Is Darwin still hibernating?
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Your garden is looking so lush and lovely, Alys! I haven’t seen freesia growing in gardens here, so I am truly savoring all of your colorful blossoms. I just read that the freesia flower means friendship, trust, and thoughtfulness. No wonder freesia flourishes in your garden, dear Alys! 🩷
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💗Dawn ⬆️
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Thank you, Dawn. I have yet to figure out the “Someone” comments that started appearing a few months ago. Another question for WordPress.
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That is so sweet. Thank you. I’m grateful for the opportunity to grow them in our garden.
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I’m sure it smells yummy in the garden. We’re still buried in snow, more today and forcast this week. Winter took it’s time arriving 😄
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I’ll say, though I imagine snow in March is not out of the question for you. It’s been colder than average this week, counterbalancing the warmer than average February days. It’s no longer predictable, eh? I hope your garden is scented soon. xo
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Mmmm, I’m imagining I can smell those beauties from here but will have to wait for the sweet peas before I can have my own drenching in garden scents.
On the same, perhaps less savoury subject, it’s a genetic thing that allows only 40% of people to detect a weird smell when they pee after eating asparagus. Apparently, everybody’s pee will have this smell but only the lucky(!) 40% will actually detect it.
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Fascinating!
I hope your sweet peas are up soon. They seem to invoke a feeling of nostalgia for people, and I’ve noticed that they are frequently featured in art.
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