Philadelphus Lemoinei

Philadelphus Lemoinei, a particularly fragrant cultivar of Mock Orange, makes a lovely addition to the garden, both for its beautiful flowers and strong scent.
Developed in France in the 1880’s, Mock Orange Lemoinei has long been popular with UK gardeners. It has an upright shape with arching stems. The small green leaves of the Philadelphus Lemoinei emerge in spring, followed in May or June by the strongly scented single white flowers in groups of 3 to 5. The cup-shaped blooms, 2.5 cm across, are distinguished from other Mock Orange varieties by their unique yellow stamens. The blooming period lasts until July or August, giving you 3 months of fragrant beauty.  
This tough shrub is winter-hardy throughout the UK and across northern Europe. Mock Orange Lemoinei will grow to a height and spread of 1.5-2 metres, although it will respond well to overall pruning if you want to restrict its size. Cut back all flowering stems by 2/3 and 1/3 of old stems close to the base when the blooms are finished to ensure good blooms the next year. 
Plant your Philadelphus Lemoinei in moist, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter dug in, and apply rotted manure or compost around the base every spring. It will do equally well in a sheltered or exposed position.  Mock Orange Lemoinei’s blooms will be most fragrant when grown in full sun, but it will also grow well in part shade. Tolerant of salt, it is a good choice for coastal gardens. 
You will want to position this fragrant beauty in a spot where its lovely scent can be easily appreciated. Mock Orange Lemoinei makes an excellent container plant because of its smaller size, and because of its hardiness would be suited to use on a balcony or rooftop terrace. Philadelphus Lemoinei’s long flowering period make it an ideal choice for a courtyard planting, or in a small city garden where space is at a premium. 
Philadelphus Lemoinei is equally at home in a larger garden or rural property. It can be used towards the back of a mixed border, where its long blooming season will make it a star player. A hedge of Mock Orange Lemoinei would be a lovely and fragrant way to provide shelter and privacy for a patio or seating area. 
Mock Orange Lemoinei has long been a UK favourite, and with good reason! Its lovely, fragrant blooms and long flowering season, as well as its extreme hardiness, make it a low-maintenance bet with guaranteed high returns for gardeners.
Read more about Philadelphus Mock Orange varieties on our blog.