Caroline jessamine.....

....or also know as Gelsemium sempervirens, I adore her name and love her tiny buds and tubular flowers and all she represents.

Caroline was a gift, she was given to me when A was playing netball in primary school and I managed the team. It was a huge job and one that nobody seemed to want to take on, I was organised and quite enjoyed it and the girls were loads of fun. At the end of my term I was presented with Caroline which I found rather embarrassing but now she graces my garden reminding me of special times.

Some of you have been most interested in this vine so I'll give you a little run-down of it's habitat in my garden, you'll have to use your imagination.

Caroline resides draped over a trellis facing north (all day sunshine) but the garden her roots are in is in the east getting morning and afternoon sun. The soil is light and sandy, a garden I don't bother to water and mostly looks after itself. Agapanthus cover her roots and reside under the shade of two cabbage trees. Caroline is slow growing, I guess I've had her for 15 years and I've not cut her back once but she's been left to her own devices, I simply didn't have the time to 'mother' her back in her early days. She flowers late winter with her main flush in spring. Her fragrance is light compared to the normal white jasmine which is more rampant in growth. Perhaps when young she may need to be protected from frosts, but being underneath cabbage trees she's been fine in my garden.

Caroline always lifts my spirits when I see her tiny buds, I know that spring is not far away. I've blipped her flower most years and only recently the other day, I guess there'll be more in the future.

Enjoy Caroline jessamine, her name reminds me of a school girl on an adventure.

Happy Monday everyone :)