philadelphus belle etoile

I have just got one of these and I'm reading different reports on height.

Does anyone have personal experience of it? I need to know where to position it in my garden, and it all. depends on size.

I've read max heights from 6ft to 3 meters. Can't decide also whether to put it in a flower bed, or make a bed for it.

 

I have a Philadelphus and they do grow fairly large...but I have mine in the border and keep it well trimmed back after it flowers, so it hasn't been a problem. I don't have that variety though, so can't give you an exact answer!

 

Hi VP

I think Belle Etoile grows to about six feet, although I've only ever seen it in other people's gardens - I've never grown it myself. I grew 'Virginal' for a while, and loved it, but it is very large, growing to the height of a small tree if you let it. I've found philadelphus to be reasonably unfussy when it comes to position. I have the dwarf 'Manteau de Hermione' growing in partial shade and it is doing very well. It doesn't quite have the strength of scent of some of the others, whatever the nursery blurb says, but it is a very pretty plant. Plants which are hybrids of 'microphyllus' or 'lemoinei' are smaller and daintier than the others. They have a particularly delicious scent, which to me is a bit like pineapples.

 

Thanks Aaron and Clare.

It is the most beautifully scented plant - it has real strength to carry on the breeze.

I'm really at a loss as to where to put it - maybe I need to dig a new bed... although then I guess I'll have a bed devoted to a green shrub after flowering!

 

I think it's a good plant to put at the back of a sunny border, with a few other plants to provide interest when it has finished flowering. Philadelphus are a bit boring and gawky-looking when not in flower. www.crocus.co.uk describes Belle Etoile as a 'restrained, man-height shrub' and I generally find its write-ups to be quite reliable!

 

There are gold leaved varieties too, which look a bit more interesting than bog standard green, once they've finished blooming that is. I have one of them, but don't ask me which one as it's been here a while and I lost the label years ago.

 

I have a gold leaved one. if you want to keep the light leaves you need to prune before flowering. I'd rather have the scent of the flowers myself.

 

I think you want to allow Philadelphus 6'x 6'.
If it gets bigger than that you can prune it to the size you want.
You can reasonably keep it to 4' by 4'.
It does want a good bit of space and it seems a shame to keep it cut into a runt.
It looks lust lovely in a vase with roses.

 

Thanks Alice.

Very helpful in helping me position it!

I might post a photo to show why I'm strugging.

I only have one border and it is backed with a hedge. It is also 'overhung' by a lime tree which any day soon will start dripping sticky stuff and I'm worried the Philadelphus will not like it there.

My other flower beds are heaped, cottage style beds and I've kept them to a manageable size and filled them with perennials and annuals. Even if I made room now it'd have no room to grow.

I'm seriously thinking about putting in a big pot until we have developed the garden further and have the right place.