The best scented winter-flowering plants

When we think of winter in the garden, we often think of bare branches, forgotten flower beds and forlorn lawns – but there are plenty of winter-flowering plants that will add a fragrant aroma to your winter garden, not to mention a dopamine-boosting splash of colour. 

Here are our top picks for autumn and winter scented plants that will get your garden blooming throughout the colder months.

Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’

This tall, upright viburnum could be grown in the hedge, and the pink heads of flower will still waft their fragrance far and wide. In mild Novembers it will smell strongly of hyacinths, and will continue to flower into spring.

Plant in full sun or partial shade, in moist, well-draining soil with plenty of space for this viburnum to grow. 

Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’

Another November performer in mild weather, this upright architectural shade-lover produces racemes of scented, pure-yellow bells above prickly mahonia foliage.

The winter sun performs best in deep shade but can be planted in partial shade, in a moist, well-draining soil. 

Eleagnus x ebbingei

An evergreen eleagnus with metallic silvery foliage and small white flowers, but in November the sweet perfume is really noticeable. Also known as the silverberry shrub, this plant also produces juicy berries in winter.

This hardy plant can be grown as a specimen or as a hedge, but enjoys a sunny position in the garden. 

Skimmia x confusa ‘Kew Green’

This hardy evergreen shrub looks sumptuous in bud, with lilac-like heads that open to ivory-white, perfuming the air in late-autumn or early winter. Enjoys partial or full shade, and should be planted in moist, well-draining soil.

Sarcococca x confusa (Christmas or Sweet Box)

The green-leaved Christmas box blossoms with sweet-scented creamy-white flowers that will perfume your winter garden until spring, when the plant produces ornamental black berries.

Suitable for a container, or for good well-draining soil. Best in a shaded position, or somewhere that you can appreciate the sweet aroma.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ or ‘Aurora’ (Witch Hazel)

The witch hazel hybrids smell of freesias, but it’s important to source them from a good nursery such as Ashwood Nurseries because some varieties smell of toilet cleaner. The brightly coloured yellow petals smell sweetest in winter.

Witch hazel is slow growing, but eventually develops into a medium to large shrub. It enjoys a sunny position in moist, well-draining soil.

Chimonanthus praecox (Wintersweet)

Wintersweet is a large, ungainly shrub with foliage that tends to get leaf miner in summer. However, this has the strongest fragrance of all the winter shrubs, producing clawed translucent yellow flowers with a ruby glow at the centre. Lovely to pick in winter. 

You’ll want to plant wintersweet in a sunny position with plenty of space to grow.

Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’ (Winter Honeysuckle)

Another Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde plant, looking untidy in summer but rewarding you with bee-friendly, ivory-white flowers in the second half of winter. The abundance of flowers gives off a sweet scent, followed by ornamental berries in spring. 

Full sun or partial shade are ideal, in moist, well-draining soil.

Daphne bholua

Evergreen winter-flowering daphne with pale-pink highly scented flowers in January.

These normally appear with evergreen foliage, although this columnar daphne will shed its foliage in severe weather. It can succumb in exceptional winters – but it’s still worth it!