Some of my fondest summer childhood memories include running and playing in the woods and fields near our home, traipsing along trails and blazing a few of my own with my trusty dog. Of all sense memories, smells can be the longest lasting, and the odiferous sweetness of a southern Tennessee wood and pasture is unforgettable. One of my favorite smells, bar none, has to be the deliciously sweet smell of a wild honeysuckle in full bloom. Smelling that honey to this day, brings back memories of lollygagging through summer afternoons, picking at honeysuckle vines, plucking the fronds from their blooms, and relishing the tastes from the honeyed tube within those blooms. As a homeowner, I am excited to tell you how easy it is to replicate these summer memories by planting and growing honeysuckle vines in your own yard or garden!

There are many varieties of honeysuckle available, with blooms of different colors, but all exude the sweet scent of honey, a fantastic natural air freshener for your garden bower or home entryway. One of the most appealing aspects of the honeysuckle, especially for novice gardeners, is its adaptability and heartiness. While honeysuckle vines prefer well draining soil that is rich in nutrients and possessing a pH between 6 and 7, they are truly adaptable to many environments, including those with full sun exposure and semi-shade. I have found that the southern exposure enjoyed by the front steps and railing of my house have provided my honeysuckle vine an excellent opportunity for growth. A vigorous climber, my vine has been easy to train and continues to wrap its tendrils around and around the railing, even extending up the fascia of the house as well. Tartarian Honeysuckle is the variety I chose for the front of my house, in yellow, and its blooms erupt in late spring and early summer, providing gorgeous colors and wonderful smells all summer and into late fall. The best way to pick and decide on the exact right variety for your taste and geographical location is by making a trip to your local garden supplier. Their expertise will be much appreciated in finding the start that will adjust and prosper best in your yard. Planting a honeysuckle is fairly simple, just remember if there is not room for it to expand, it will make its way, often "bullying" and growing around and through neighboring plants. Watering your honeysuckle daily from your garden hose reel will assure rapid growth and that its roots take hold. Taming and pruning may become necessary, but the beauty and smells provided by your burgeoning honeysuckle vine is well worth any of your efforts!