by Sally Gregson.

ONE of the joys of the winter garden is the flowering of some of the best scented shrubs. They all have to pump out every whisper of perfume to attract any passing pollinator, be they unseasonal moths, wasps or, more probably, bees. Their flowers are often yellow – a colour attractive to insects, and they have guidelines to highlight the way in.

One of the most well-known is the Witch Hazel (Hamamelis mollis) which fills the garden with its delicious perfume. Witch hazels have been bred and selected over the years, and now we can buy beautiful spidery-flowered shrubs in all shades of yellow, orange and even soft red. Hamamelis can be a little difficult to grow in very chalky soils, especially in deep shade, but otherwise they will make strong shrubs in neutral to acid soils and pump out the perfume from late December to March.
Another favourite shrub grown for its winter perfume is the Christmas Box (Sarcococca confusa). In the trade the subtly different species really have got confused, and it’s as well to check on the true identity before buying. Sarcococca humilis is a mildly running shrub, which is useful in the right place, but could outgrow a specific spot.

All the Christmas boxes bear lots of small, white flowers from December to March, each with a knockout perfume. Plant one by your front door and give your winter visitors a treat. If they have not met it before, they will be amazed at the volume of scent exuded by such small, white flowers.
But perhaps the favourite scent of all is that of the Daphne. It is a shrub that can be a bit ‘miffy’ to grow. Some species sit and sulk for a while before they fade away. Daphne tangutica is a more reliable and easy form, however. And it has good, evergreen foliage that makes a well-shaped, one-metre tump of dark, shining leaves and typical pink and white perfumed flowers. Cut a small twig, if you dare, and put it in a little jug on the kitchen table. It will pump out its citrus perfume for days.
Daphnes are the most desirable of winter shrubs but they can be quite expensive, which reflects not only their appeal, but their difficulty to propagate. How typical it is that such a good plant does not root easily or well from cuttings. It only makes its desirability the greater.