Philadelphus Little White Love - Mock Orange

The Philadelphus 'Little White Love' is a recent Canadian variety of bush that combines many qualities. The very dense bush forms a dome with slightly arched branches that bend in June-July under a profusion of large double flowers, resembling white pompoms that have preserved the magnificent fragrance of the best old varieties. As ornamental as a gardenia when in full bloom, but so much easier to succeed, 'Little White Love' is also a particularly resistant bush, well adapted to small urban gardens and container cultivation.

All Philadelphus are deciduous bushes native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, especially East Asia and North America. The approximately 60 species that make up this genus were first crossed in France by Jacques and especially Victor Lemoine, and then in the United States, with the fragrance of the flowers sometimes being forgotten along the way in favour of more spectacular, double-flowered varieties. Not demanding, seringats can sometimes take a while to establish themselves. They should be regularly pruned after flowering, removing the oldest stems, so that they maintain a beautiful habit and remain floriferous. They belong to the hydrangea family.

The Little White Love seringat is a horticultural hybrid that is still rarely available for sale. It is a bushy, compact, upright shrub with slightly arched branches, reaching an average size of 1m (3ft) in all directions at maturity, with relatively slow growth for a seringat. In this variety, the flowers are fully double and large, measuring up to 4cm (2in) in diameter. They bloom in June-July, sometimes as early as May depending on the climate, for about a month. They are gathered in small clusters that emit an intense and very pleasant fragrance, reminiscent of orange blossom, which certainly explains why it is also called "poet's jasmine". The deciduous leaves are very dark green from spring to autumn, slightly toothed along the edges. They are entire, arranged in an opposite manner on the branches, and characterized by their ovate shape, pointed tip, and lighter longitudinal veins that run through the lamina.


This dwarf poet's jasmine is resistant to pollution and very easy to grow, making it ideal for small spaces, especially in urban environments. It enjoys being planted in a sunny or semi-shaded position and can tolerate ordinary, even limestone, soil. With a modest stature and a bushy habit, 'Little White Love' will be perfect in a container on the terrace or balcony or in a small-sized garden, combined with other small shrubs that flower at different times like buddleias or dwarf lilacs, forsythias, Japanese quince, or bush roses. Consider planting it near the house, terrace, or pathways to fully enjoy its intense fragrance. Its white flowering also allows for beautiful combinations with perennial plants with blue flowers such as Ceanothus, Delphinium, or herbaceous clematis. It certainly has its place in a white garden.