“Do you smell that, Honey?” I ask my husband as we are standing near the opened kitchen window. Breathing deeply, we both inhale the sweet scent of Confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides.)
Now in it’s third year, a vine’s leap year, the source of the scent has scampered up the wall on the east side near the kitchen window. 
A little further down the same east wall, is another vine. Travel to the west side near the dining room and yet another is revealed. Perhaps I got just a little carried away, but Confederate jasmine is revered here.
A zone 11 – 8 plant in our zone 7b gardens benefits from a little help. Our Confederate jasmine is helped nestled against the home’s brick façade. This jasmine, which is not actually a jasmine at all, only having the common name to honor the scent, has entered its, “Hello, notice me” stage. And I’m noticing.
This beautiful, energetic evergreen vine can clamber and mold to most shapes using its holdfast roots to pull itself up. During flowering, the ever present thick, dark green leaves are contrasted with new growth flashes of light green – and covered in flowers.
On a recent trip to Wrightsville Beach, NC, it was obvious this vine was a particular favorite of this quaint beach community; Confederate jasmine covered arbors, arches, and anchors. As we were walking through the neighborhood, I wondered what mine at home was doing. Tired from my road trip, I forgot to check out my own when I got home – until this moment in the kitchen.
It’s true confession time; I actually have another Confederate jasmine, or rather had another. It is my desire and dream to cover the gazebo in the back garden with this sweet smelling vine. Covered, it would create a romantic hideaway. Right now, it is bare, cold and unadorned steel. The one planted last fall was bit by the cold winter. To hedge my bets going forward, I replaced it with 4 others. Now I nurse these in hopes they make it through the winter. Right now, they look a little puny; tiny plants trying to make it up the sides and over the top to meet my vision.
Only time will tell. When I look at my gazebo of naked steal, I see a the promise of a hiding place with a sweet spring scent.
Gardening With Confidence ™ 
compostinmyshoe said
Downtown Charleston smells like the city bathed in it…….a little goes a long way…it does let us know what time of year it is!
Les said
One of my top ten. I fell in love with this vine when I lived in Charleston and I agree with Compost. It and the Osmanthus were the only things strong enough to counteract the smell of an ancient sewer system at low tide. I have it in several spots in the backyard, and I am sure it will be featured in this week’s GBBD.
gardening with confidence said
Les, that is too funny!
Compost In My Shoes, I actually refer to it as the Charleston vine…a little does go a long way, and yet, there it is in my garden in great numbers.
Compost – do you do GBBD? I missed last month, I was somewhere, oh yes, on a Better Homes and Gardens photo shoot. After that, I was beat. I’ll be back this month, and yes the Confederate jasmine will be photographed. But no way, will my photos look as good as yours, Les. Yours are the best!
cherry said
one of my all time favorites I can’t imagine not having this wonderful vine in my garden and I’m always sad when it stops blooming .
hugs, Cherry