Several years ago I was at Pershore college in February.
Walking through the grounds I smelt a wonderful, heavy scent. Looking around I could not see any flowers that could be producing such a strong smell, everything was just evergreen leaves.
I asked the tutor who showed me a mass of evergreen foiliage beside a wall and it was sarcococca confusa (sweet box). The small white flowers were almost invisible but were definitely where the scent was coming from.
They were selling small cuttings so I bought 3 of them.
Planted beside the front path they are now well established and the wonderful scent can be smelt 10 or more metres away as we walk down the path.
A few years later I was given another sarcococca, this time hookeriana, slightly different with flowers tinged pink at the base, longer, thinner leaves and slightly bronzed stems rather than the green of the confusa.
And the bees love the nectar at the time of year.
Also in the front garden providing winter scent and colour is Daphne lovely little pink flowers and another strong scent in February.
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