Tea Olive!!

Osmanthus frangrans

Yay for the internet community!!  Through Pinterest interaction, I have found out the name of yet another favorite flowering tree - the Tea Olive!  This one is in the yard of the house I just moved into this past summer, and in late September, it bloomed with the most fragrant flowers I have yet to discover on a relatively small tree.  The blooms are small and white, and it blooms sporadically all summer;  here in the South, it will even bloom during warm snaps over the winter.  It does well in most soils, and most sun/shade situations, so it is a very low-maintenance tree.  It is an evergreen, with dark green glossy leaves.

Beautybush 6'-10' Shrub

Okay, here's one I don't remember having seen before, but I found it while trying to identify others.  The Kolkwitzia amabilis, better known as the Beautybush, blooms in late spring with pink bell-shaped flowers, and has beautiful red fall foliage.  Also boasts dark green leaves and unique bark.  This shrub, which grows (fast-growing, too!) to 6 to 10 feet tall, likes well-drained soil and full sun.