My 5 favourite Winter flowering shrubs
Winter flowering shrubs are a true asset in my garden not only to add a bright splash of colour to brighten up the cold winter days but also for scent. Many winter flowering shrubs have a rich heady scent that drifts through the garden, they have evolved this to attract the few pollinating insects about in winter, they are simply advertising their presence, making their location known. We benefit with winter colour and an uplifting fragrance that heartens the soul.
1. Sarcococca - Sweet Box
A group of low maintenance easy to grow evergreen shrubs that are happy in shadier parts of the garden.
They have lustrous dark evergreen leaves and clusters of tiny, sweetly fragrant, cream or white flowers in winter or early spring followed by small red or black berries.
My favourites are:-
Sarcococca confusa
A wonderful, large winter-flowering, dense, evergreen shrub with white sweetly fragranced flowers in winter. Perfect for a shady border or woodland garden.
Sarcococca hookeriana ‘Winter Gem’
A small neat and easy-to-manage evergreen shrub with clusters of pinky-red buds opening to white flowers with a sensational sweet vanilla fragrance. The flowers are followed by glossy, round red berries that ripen to black.
2. Hamamelis molis - Witch Hazel
A group of deciduous shrubs with good autumn colour.
They produce richly fragranced, deep golden yellow flowers that appear to glow in the winter light on the bare stems in winter and early spring.
There are many cultivars of Witch Hazel available that range in colour from pale acid yellows through golden yellow to rich oranges and reds.
Whichever variety you choose plant where it will intercept winter sunshine, to light it up and show it off. Witch Hazels also provide a fabulous backdrop for spring bulbs.
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Orange peel’
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Rubin’
3. Mahonia
Even before snowdrops and crocuses bloom, there is a showier promise of spring: the fragrant, bright yellow flowers of the evergreen shrub Mahonia.
Mahonias are evergreen shrubs with dark glossy green spiky toothed leaves, these are prickly plants and definitely not one to plant close to a footpath! but for all their spikiness they have an abundance of large clusters of deep yellow scented flowers in late winter and early spring.
The flowers are often followed by small black fruits which are loved by birds.
Mahonia aquifolium
A fully hardy shrub happy in partial to dense shade and most soil types.
Mahonia aquifolium ‘Atropurpurea’
The spiny evergreen leaves turn reddish purple in winter with yellow flowers in spring.
Mahonia x media
4. Viburnum tinus
Viburnum tinus is an easy to grow, hardy shrub with glossy evergreen leaves and long-lasting heads of beautiful, fragrant white flowers through winter and spring.
Happy in a sheltered position in sun or semi-shade and most soil types Viburnum tinus can eventually reach a height and spread of 3m but if necessary it can be easily pruned after flowering to reduce its size.
Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’
A compact variety with mid-green leaves, scented pink tinged flowers and beautiful metallic blue berries after flowering
5. Camellia
Ok so this one is rarely grown for its scent, though some varieties do have a sweet gentle fragrance, Camellias are most definitely grown for their flowers.
The attractive, glossy leaved, evergreen shrubs bare fabulous showy flowers in whites, pinks and reds from mid-winter to late spring depending on variety and climate.
There are over 250 species of Camellia but the Camellias commonly grown as garden shrubs are Camellia japonica, Camellia sasanqua, and Camellia x williamsii.
If your garden has acidic to neutral, moist well drained soil, with over 30 00 hybrids available, there is definitely a Camellia that’s perfect for you.
Camellia sasanqua
Camellia japonica ‘Pink Perfection’