Scentless Marigolds?

[digitS']

Johnny's Seed doesn't advertise them that way, and they aren't.

The Giant Yellow and Orange African marigolds smell more like honey than anything else to me. I've had them the last few years. They seem pretty wonderful (pretty and wonderful) to me .

Marigolds have always taken my breath away - mostly because some of them stink! It doesn't seem to make much sense to grow a flower that I don't want to get close to.

If taste is largely dependent on smell, I know it's a matter of "taste." I'm willing to put up with petunias probably in part because they are low growing. By the way @ninnymary , if asked what petunias smell like, I'd say, "a horse."

Steve

 

[Ridgerunner]

Wet horse or dry horse, Steve? Where's @baymule when you need her, Bay and her horses! Of course down there Petunias are probably winter flowers if she can grow them at all.

Marigolds do have a pretty strong smell. I grow them because they are easy and pretty.

 

[so lucky]

I'm one of those weird people who like the smell of marigolds. Although it is one shade off from eau de skunk. It smells fresh and herby to me.
But Steve, I'm surprised that you don't like the smell of petunias. I know the new ones don't have a very good smell, but have you tried the old Blue Sails? Those are sweet and strong. They will scent up the whole area--and in a good way.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Each to their own. I happen to find the smell of lantana REPULSIVE; no one else in my family seems to smell it.

 

[ninnymary]

Gosh Steve, next time I see a petunia I'm going to put my nose against it. Never thought of smelling it. I'm not crazy about marigolds though. Partly, it's the scent and their shape. I like flowers that have more of a free flowing habit to them. But I do like the smell of lantana Pulsegleaner.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

I find marigolds pungent but not bad. I think petunias smell nice, and horses smell like horses which is an oder I also like, but I have never smelled a petunia and thought "horse" Makes me wonder what kind of field Steve kept his horses in.

I love the smell of houttuynia, a ground cover. To me it smells citrusy and fresh, but when I picked a leaf from a customers bed and enthusiastically urged her to give it a sniff, she grimaced and pulled away. So who's the odd one?

 

[flowerweaver]

LOL, I like the smell of both marigolds and lantana! We also have some native salvias that would fall into that same category.

 

[so lucky]

You know, I think people have different smell sensors, that pick up different subtle notes of fragrance. Some roses that other people say smell wonderful have absolutely no scent to me. Lantana smells like a wet dog to me.

 

[digitS']

I have smelled nice petunias! I couldn't really account for the experience. I'm not sure if I've ever seen one variety or another touted as fragrant.

Now, I didn't say that I disliked petunias because of their smell. I accept it. It's a little like accepting that a horse comes with a smell.

Bright colors, that is what I like about those marigolds. That and the soft honey fragrance. I've grown the white French Vanilla variety also but don't remember if it smells of vanilla. White flowers set off the colors around them. They also seem to attract bugs ...

Steve

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

Our deer love petunias, but won't eat marigolds. I use calendula flowers in my olive oil soaps I make. No aroma but nice colors even thru the saponification process.