Scented Winter Shrubs

With fierce winter winds whipping up fallen leaves and twigs in the liveliest fashion there is quite enough to keep us indoors flicking through gardening magazines and dreaming of what might be.

Instead of going out to clear debris I head upstairs to the back bedroom to look down the line of narrow gardens to survey the damage. I can look directly into the garden to the left or move to the other side of the window and look across the brick extension into the garden on the right. These two back gardens are well known to me, but all the other gardens remain hidden. As I look down the line what I see appears to be a forest of shrubs and smalltrees dancing above the fences. What mysteries hide in those gardens? Do they have lawns? Does anyone have a pond? I’m sure their gardens are much tidier than mine, but what I’d really like to see are the plants.

The best way to find out what plants flourish in your locale is to stroll around the neighbourhood and peek into the front gardens. The plants that have excited me as I try to shake off the excesses of Christmas all share one characteristic – seductive scent.

Scent and scent’s ability to make us pause.

This week we look at some scented winter flowering shrubs that all pass the pause test – I would happily stop walking down the street to admire and to smell them, something that I am becoming less and less self-conscious about as I age.

Chimonanthus praecox, or Wintersweet.

This is one shrub no winter garden should be without. Although the flowers can superficially appear nondescript, the perfume they release is attractive and pervading.

Nevertheless, to the observant eye there is a haunting beauty to the delicate yellow blossoms, which often show reddish-brown colouration on the inner sepals. Plant this shrub where the flowers will be backlit by the low winter sun, and the blooms then radiategold and make a fine display. Their rich perfume is warm and spicy, like fresh saffron buns, with amber and leatheryundertones. A small stem brought into the house and placed in water will scent a whole room. It is my favourite winter scent, and the one I look forward to smelling the most.

Daphne.

Daphne has a sweet-sounding name that hides a secret, all parts of the shrub are poisonous. But don’t let this put you off, it is one of the stars of the winter garden. The shrub is named after the eponymous nymph, who, Homer tells us, was transformed into this bush to escape her importunate suitor.

Daphnes are noted for their perfumed flowers. Many of the most popular garden forms flower in late winter and early spring. For me, the most beautiful of all is the evergreen Daphne bholua‘Jacqueline Postill’.

Slow growing Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ is not the easiest plant to keep alive, but it is well worth trying. Its masses of small flowers are carried in clusters. The rose-pink buds break open to reveal a cross shaped flower with a pale interior. Warm weather really activates the release of its intense scent. Itsperfume mixes the warmth of vanilla with the sweetness of honey, but it always smells clean. Grown in a large pot by a doorway or path, Daphne brings joy during the winter months.

In my experience ‘Jacqueline Postill’ seems happiest growing in a mixture of ericaceous John Innes compost mixed with leaf mould, in a cool, semi-shaded position. This might seem like a lot of faff, but I promise you it makes all the difference if you don’t want your expensive purchase ending up looking leaf-bare and chlorotic.

To learn how to make your own leaf mould:

https://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/blog/december-in-the-garden/

Hamamelis, or Witch hazel.

Witch hazel brings fire to the grey of winter. As other shrubs sink into seasonal quiescence, dark buds on the bare stems of Hamamelis are already preparing themselves for flowering beneath leathery, protective scales. Carefully rolled inside eachbud are four coiled petals. When open, each flower consists of four ribbon-like strands flowing from a cup-like calyx. Clustered along leafless branches the crumpled ribbons unfurl on mild days but curl back protectively as temperatures fall to freezing. The flowers can last for several weeks, just when they are most needed.

The two main species grown are Hamamelis mollis from China, with big, pale-yellow flowers and the best scent; and Hamamelis japonica from Japan, with smaller flowers stronger in colour, with some forms having orange or crimson flushes.

Many beautiful cultivars (Hamamelis x intermedia) have been selected from hybrids of these two species, typically in strongcolours such as gold, burnt orange, and crimson. The darker flowered cultivars need to be planted where they will be backlit by the sun to be fully appreciated.

For me, the showiest hybrid is Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ with relatively broad, sulphur–yellow petals, and some scent. Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Aphrodite’ has copper red petals and is strongly perfumed.

For pure olfactory pleasure I prefer the Chinese witch hazel with its medicinal aroma of nutmeg and honey, this intense spicy perfume best enjoyed on a sunny winter day.

Witch hazels are slow growing, but easy to cultivate. They enjoy a light, loamy garden soil. Their roots are shallow, so be sure to mulch them well in summer. As a bonus, they provide attractive autumn leaf colour.

Lonicera fragrantissima, or Winter honeysuckle.

There are several winter flowering honeysuckles, which all form messy looking shrubs bearing strongly scented flowers. Lonicera fragrantissima is my favourite due to its fine scent and long flowering period. This semi-deciduous shrub produces pairs of strongly scented flowers along bare stems during late winter and early spring. Its pale, two-lipped flowers appear to be made of crepe paper. The flowers are popular with winter-active pollinators such as bumblebees.

The fragrance of the flowers is fresh and lemony. Stems can becut and placed in a small vase, where the clean scent can be enjoyed indoors.

In mild winters it retains most of its leaves, which not only look tatty, but also hide the flowers. The bushes are good for screening or as part of a mixed hedge during the summer months. Winter honeysuckle is a hardy shrub. It thrives in full sun or semi-shade and does well in the ground.

Mahonia japonica.

This striking evergreen shrub has suffered from overuse in low-maintenance public areas because it is unfussy about where it grows. It produces beautiful, highly scented flower spikes that resemble small bursts of sunshine.

Its upright stems carry large, prickly, sea-green leaves, divided into smaller leaflets. The small primrose-yellow flowers are borneon grouped spikes at the tips of the stems. The flowers release a powerful fragrance that reminds me of lily of the valley mixed with invigorating notes of citrus fruits.

Sarcococca, or Christmas box.

If your nose detects a beautiful, sweet honey scent, but can’t see where it is coming from then it is likely to be from Sarcococca confusa. The Christmas box is a small to medium growing evergreen shrub that is frequently overlooked until you encounter its powerful perfume. To learn more about this and other species of Sarcococca:

https://www.capitalgardens.co.uk/blog/sarcococca-sweet-box-or-christmas-box/

Viburnum x bodnantense, or Arrowwood.

There are many viburnums to choose from, evergreen and deciduous; large and small; winter, spring, or summer flowering.

I am going to recommend my favourite winter flowering variety –Viburnum x bodnantense. This large upright, deciduous shrub produces clusters of pink, tubular flowers on bare wood over several months, from autumn into spring. Two cultivars of this worth looking out for are ‘Dawn’ and ‘Charles Lamont’, both have pink buds but the former open into rose pink flowers, while the latter open to a lighter blush pink. The flowers of both age to white.

Both these cultivars produce the same intense fragrance. Their sweet perfume reminds me of Nivea cream and marshmallows.

In conclusion.

Many of these late winter and early spring performers form rather plain looking leafy shrubs that fade into the background once they have finished flowering, so they are often overlooked in favour of their showier summer rivals. However, planting winter flowering scented shrubs can help transform your garden into enticing space to spend time in during an otherwise bleak season. Many of these winter flowering shrubs are suitable for growing in containers. The great thing about this, is that they can be moved away to a quiet corner once they have finished flowering – if you have a vacant spot, that is.

Where to see winter flowering shrubs:

https://www.kew.org/wakehurst/whats-at-wakehurst/winter-garden