Five fragrant plants for the winter garden

● Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna

This cultivar of the sweet or Christmas box has the neatest habit. Photo: Getty

● Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena'

As the flowers develop they transform into fiery copper-orange spiders that cling to the bare stems.

● Lonicera x purpusii ‘Winter Beauty'

Winter-flowering honeysuckle bears clusters of small but highly fragrant flowers on bare stems. Needs regular cutting back after flowering or it can grow very large. Photo: Crocus.co.uk

● Daphne odora ‘Aureomarginata'

An evergreen daphne that has clusters of deliciously fragrant pink flowers. Plant it in a sunny spot close to a path or door. Long term, it will not do well in a pot.

● Chimonanthus praecox (wintersweet)

The pale waxy flowers are carried on bare branches. Place in a sheltered, sunny spot where it can be concealed by other plants in summer.