Plants of the month - January - Scented gems

Let us introduce you to three exceptional plants that provide lovely scent in January. When days are still dark and all the decorations have been packed away for another year they provide a burst of winter fragrance for an instant pick-me-up.

Daphne odora aureomarginata

This is guaranteed to remind you of granny's garden – a real old garden favourite, and rightly so. It has many virtues, it's glossy evergreen leathery leaves have narrow irregular yellow margins, lighting up the winter garden, and it makes a lovely rounded small shrub. The heavily scented flowers are a deep purple-pink, and white, held in terminal clusters, and flowering continues until early spring. Plant in well drained, fertile, humus rich garden soil in full sun to partial shade. Daphnes are not recommended for pot culture.

Sarcococca confusa 

Otherwise known as the Christmas Box, however, it rarely flowers much before January. This breathtakingly fragrant dwarf evergreen shrub bears tiny white almost insignificant flowers through late winter into the spring, followed by interesting glossy black fruits. It thrives in deep or partial shade in moist but well drained soil. Perfect for planting alongside the path to your front door, to welcome you home.

Chimonanthus praecox

Commonly known as Wintersweet, it's name says it all. An unusual winter gem this vigorous upright deciduous shrub is smothered in pendant fragrant yellow waxy flowers, which are almost translucent in the winter sun, and their centres are stained with purple. Plant in full sun with shelter from cold drying wind. Just a couple of sprigs in a vase will scent an entire room.  Prune after flowering if necessary. Chimonanthus may be a little shy to flower when young but well worth persevering with.