Gardens are often neglected during winter, not because we don’t care but because it’s often dark when we get home from work and often raining over the weekends. However, there are plants that make you want to go outside, plants with the most delightful perfumes to entice you into the garden.
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Chimonanthus praecox, commonly known as winter sweet is perfectly named. Perfectly named with both common and botanical names – the perfume is sweet and produced in winter, and Chimonanthus actually means winter flowering.
This medium to tall deciduous shrub produces pale yellow bell-shaped flowers during the cold months. The plant itself isn’t a beauty, but when it’s in flower it excels.
These unassuming flowers have the most delightful perfume and a small vase with a few stems is all you need to capture the perfume inside. All this plant needs to grow well is a sunny position and a well-drained soil. It’s wise to remember that winter flowering plants need to be pruned only when flowering is finished.
My next choice is everyone’s favourite – the daphne. Daphne odora is a low growing, evergreen shrub that does quite well in our region. It prefers a semi-protected location, dappled light is perfect. It’s important to protect the daphne from the hot afternoon sun during summer and you must ensure that the soil is well-drained.
The clusters of pink and white flowers are produced from mid-winter into spring and the fragrance they produce is absolutely delightful. This is another flower that needs to be picked and taken inside.
If it’s a tree you want – plant a Magnolia doltsopa, silver cloud, (this plant used to be called Michelia doltsopa). This small to medium evergreen tree produces masses of velvety buds that open into large creamy-white, fragrant flowers. Like the other two plants in this article, it also needs a well-drained position. Our specimen at Wodonga TAFE is a mass of buds at the moment, I can see it from my office window and I am eagerly waiting for it to flower.
These fragrant plants are not just for those lucky enough to have a garden. These plants will grow quite well in containers so they can move with you if need be. Never underestimate the joy a winter-flowering plant can provide, keep this in mind if you ever need to choose a gift to give during the colder part of the year. Our local nurseries have a large range of plants and the staff are only too happy to help you choose.
Diary: Friends of Willow Park, National Tree Day. Sunday, July 31, Wodonga. For information visit treeday.planetark.org. If you have an event for inclusion in the garden diary email ddelahunty@wodongatafe.edu.au.
