Jamine Varieties

Jasmines are a curious group. They offer three of the Britain's most popular plants that could not be more different from one another. There's the climbing summer jasmine loved for its heady fragrance produced by delightful starry white flowers borne from June to September.

Jasminum x stephanotis

Then there is the shrubby winter jasmine that can be grown to sprawl along the ground or trained against a wall or fence where it will bear bright yellow completely scentless winter blooms on strikingly fresh green stems from November to February. And finally, there is the indoor jasmine which makes a superb house plant bearing highly scented pink blooms along twining stems during spring and early summer. If that wasn't variety enough, there are several other types of jasmine that are definitely worth seeking out.

All jasmines need to be given the right growing conditions to do well, so it is essential that you choose the right variety for your particular situation. Many types are tender and so need to be kept frost free in winter while even those rated as hardy can be borderline in colder areas and best planted where they will benefit from the protection of a south-facing wall or fence.

Jasmines can be divided into three main groups: shrubby plants, hardy climbers, and tender climbers.