How to Add Some Magical Winter Fragrance

In nature, the role of scent is very simple, to attract pollinating insects to plants. During winter when the garden tends to be quiet, the air is humid and few leaves on the trees, and even fewer insects around at this time of year. Despite winter flowers appearing to be smaller and colours more subtle, the strength of the fragrance can be colossal. Apparently nature has determined, that scent not colour is more important to the few circulating pollinating insects.

Though most of the garden planning is focussed around the summer months, it is important to include some winter scented plants in the planting scheme. Position is important, so try to position plants near pathway or steps where the fragrance will be enjoyed each time you pass by.

Worth remembering that fragrance can be found not only in flowers but also in plants with aromatic foliage, for example lavender, rosemary, santolina are all scented throughout the winter months. But the real star performers are of course the winter flowering scented shrubs and here are seven of the best:

# 1 Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata -  rosy pink and white flowers of this evergreen shrub produce an incredible and pervasive strong sweet fragrance.

# 2 Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ – the Chinese witch hazel, with sharp scents and distinctive spidery flowers in a range of colours including yellow, orange and red on bare stems.

# 3 Lonicera x purpusii – a rather plain looking shrub with creamy white flowers which last from November to March, but with a delicious scent that make it worthy of a place in any garden.

# 4 Mahonia x media ‘Charity’ – a beautiful evergreen architectural shrub, with prickly leaves and layered structure. A very popular shrub with garden designers. During winter, the plant produces impressive and heavenly scented yellow flowers, followed by clusters of dark blue grape sized berries.

# 5 Sarcococca confusa - commonly known as Christmas Box, a compact and easy to grow plant is ideally planted near a pathway from which the honeyed scent of the insignificant white flowers can be best enjoyed. 

# 6 Viburnum x bodnatense ‘Dawn’ – a glorious and inspiring shrub when in full flower featuring tightly packed pink blooms on bare stems simply overflowing with a heavenly  fragrance.

Do not forget you can also enjoy the winter scents indoors for days, simply cut a few stems, take them inside and place in a vase of water.

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Tagged with: Fragrance • Magical • some • Winter