The Viburnum family has loads to offer, but some varieties can be rather too large for a smaller garden. There is of course also the sweetly scented Mahonia with it's bright yellow flowers.
The well behaved Witch Hazel (Hamamelis) family, pictured below, has spidery flowers which open in winter on it's bare stems. Depending on the variety the flowers come in Yellow, Orange or Red tones. My yellow flowing Mollis variety flowering now, but orange Jelena, tends to open about a month later. Witch Hazels offer fabulous autumnal foliage too.
 |
| Hamamelis Mollis (Witch Hazel) |
But even in the smallest of gardens, there is space for packing a punch with winter scent. Below are two of my favourites, used in many of my client's gardens.
Evergreen Daphne Odora Aureomarginata, is covered in flowers at the moment. A bit of a mouthful, but it all makes sense when broken down . Daphne (the plant genus), Odora (meaning scented), Aureomarginata (meaning a narrow band of yellow on each leaf).
It is sometimes difficult to source, and when I do find it, it's usually a very young plant, just a few inches high on one stem. But well worth having, and waiting for it to mature into one of the most trouble free plants I know. It will grow slowly to around 1.5mtr x 1.2 mtr wide. I have only ever pruned a few tips just to bush it out a little, after a number of years. Like all evergreen shrubs, it will shed it's older leaves over the summer, whilst simultaneously sprouting fresh new ones. Mine grows in part shade, but also happy in sun.
 |
| Daphne Odora Aureomarginata |
My next "must have" plant for winter scent is Sarcococca Confusa. Also quite a mouthful, but often referred to as the Winter Box. This is happiest in shade or part shade. It's leaves are a glossy dark green, and the tiny white flower almost insignificant, but there are hundreds of them, and the scent is amazing. I have mine near the front door, and many a visitor has asked "what is that beautiful scent?". A few years old now, I prune mine back by about 1/3 it's size in early spring, just to keep it in its allocated space. It then has almost 9 months to regrow and time for its new shoots to flower the following January.
 |
| Sarcococca Confusa flower just opening |
 |
| Sarcococca - each stem has loads of flowers |
All photos taken in my own garden 18th January.
