The best plants for winter fragrance

If you like your garden to be filled with delicious scents and aromas, then you might think you’ll need to wait for the warm days of summer, but there are so many plants that are in flower right now in midwinter that bring us intense and fabulous winter fragrance.

Witch Hazel – Hamamelis

Hamamelis conjures up one of the most dazzling flower displays of any plant at any time of year. The flowers appear on the bare branches and make it look like they are on fire like a magic trick. It is no surprise that their common name is Witch Hazel. Our varieties include the yellow ‘Pallida’ which has one of strongest fragrances, while ‘Aphrodite’ is fiery orange and ‘Diane’ and ‘Rubin’ are both deep red.

Winter Honeysuckle

Winter Honeysuckle, (Lonicera fragrantissima or Lonicera ‘Winter Beauty’), produce beautiful small honeysuckle-flowers in winter that emerge on the bare stems like white jewels and produce a perfume that will stop you in your tracks. One of the best scents in the garden at any time of year. Winter honeysuckle are shrubs unlike their summer namesakes that are mainly climbing plants. Plant one of these near your door or driveway for a constant fragrant welcome every time you come and go.

Daphne

There are a range of Daphne varieties available. The most popular is Daphne odora Aureomarginata. In my opinion, it is probably the best scent of any plant in the garden (followed closely by winter honeysuckle). Daphnes are mainly evergreen shrubs but there are a few deciduous varieties that flower on bare-wood. Most flower in late winter or early spring with pink, purple or white flowers. Other excellent varieties include ‘Spring Beauty’, ‘Perfume Princess’ and  ‘Eternal Fragrance’.

Sweet Box – Sarcoccoca

Sarcococca, also known as Sweet Box or Chocolate Box, is another invaluable plant for winter fragrance. These are small, clump-forming evergreen shrubs with short arching stems and dark green leaves like spearheads. From December to February little white flowers, sometimes with a hint of dark pink, emerge all along the stems. When mature, the sweet fragrance can be detected several metres away.

We have several varieties available including Sarcococca Purple Stem, Sarcococca Purple Gem and Sarcococca confusa.

Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’

Viburnum ‘Dawn’ has clusters of beautifully fragrant, pink tubular flowers in winter and early spring. The flower buds open from dark pink/red to light pink flowers and have sweet, spicy scent for a long period from late autumn until spring, providing a long period for you to enjoy them.  They also provide a valuable source of nectar on milder, winter days when bees are active. Viburnum ‘Dawn’ also has attractive green leaves in summer that turn a fantastic reddish-purple in autumn. It is an easy-to-grow, large, upright shrub that is a good addition to any garden if you want winter fragrance.

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox)

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) is something of a rarity. It is often difficult to find in a garden centre which is a shame as it is easily one of the best winter-flowering shrubs. The flowers on their own are remarkable, starry sulphur yellow flowers drooping downwards, but then their spicy sweet scent makes them even more special. We have mature plants of Wintersweet available to create an instant impact and winter fragrance in your garden.

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