Gift that became an obsession — Black Baccara

Someone gave me Black Baccara as a birthday gift and I barely knew what it was. Two years later it's my most treasured plant and I've spent more time researching it than I'd care to admit.

The key discovery was deep watering at the base rather than overhead — once that clicked, the plant transformed. exceptional fragrance on warm afternoons is what gets mentioned every time anyone visits. I keep it in a cottage garden mixed planting with lavender which works perfectly. hips forming in autumn for wildlife interest is when I understand why this plant has such devoted followers. aphid infestations on new growth is the one ongoing challenge but it's worth the effort.