The solstice has passed, so it’s officially winter. With that, the joy of winter jasmine presents itself in our garden.

Many years ago, Dad brought me a cutting of a plant he found blooming on New Year’s Day. It turns out, Jasminum nudiflorum can bloom even earlier than that!  The first of the flowers started to appear in November. Most years, it’ll keep blooming right into spring, finishing up in April.

I’m happy with this low maintenance, winter bloomer.  It doesn’t demand a precious Full Sun location.   In 10 years, I’ve never pruned it. Aside from just a bit of water through the driest months, it requires no attention.  It’s hardy to zone 6, so our occasional coastal snowstorm hasn’t ever phased it. (Isn’t zone 8-9 grand?)

The branches have no clinging tendrils, & it doesn’t twine around supports like a vine.  I weave new growth through the trellis to lift the blooming branches up to eye level.

When one branch lay on the ground, it sprouted roots, creating another plant.  That turned out to be a bonus – – not a worry.  Winter jasmine is not a bully at all.

Our trellis hosts

• Clematis Montana for spring colour…
• Honeysuckle ‘Belgica’ for summer colour…
• and Dad’s jasmine for colour all winter.

I gotta like plants that play nicely together?

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