IN THE GARDEN
A few snowdrops are noted for their special fragrance, and the honey scent of ‘Magnet’ is at its most noticeable as the outer petals rise to the horizontal on sunny days. A most elegant larger snowdrop with an inverted green 'V' on the inner petals, the flowers hang on distinctive long, arching stems and tremble in the slightest breeze.
Once your plant is big enough, pick a few for a small vase in the house and enjoy their amazing scent on damp, driech February days.
Sweet Violets are a British native perennial with heart-shaped dark green leaves and sweetly scented blue flowers from February to March. From the ancient Greeks to the Victorians, violets were seen as a symbol of love. Even when not in flower the whole plant still smells of violets. Plant in semi-shade and moist soil where it can trail around under shrubs and trees or at the front of a border. H 5cm, S 10cm.
A dense evergreen shrub with leathery green leaves and tiny profuse tubular, white, very fragrant flowers that cover the bush in spring. A great plant for the garden in winter as a foil for coppiced Salix, Cornus, or winter grasses. Plant in sun and well-drained soil in a more sheltered position, though the one we have growing in the nursery is in a very exposed position and doing well. H 2.5m, S 2.5m.
Witch hazel has spicy fragrant, spider-like flowers on its bare branches in late winter to early spring. There are many cultivars with flowers ranging from deep red through bright orange to pale yellow. All Hamamelis will eventually grow into spreading shrubs, so perhaps not appropriate for a very small garden.
Their autumn leaf colour is good, but in summer they need companions that can shine while they take a back seat. They grow best in sun or partial shade and are tough as old boots. Though slow to establish, they are worth it for those flowers in the dead of winter.
A welcome splash of colour in late winter and early spring, these cyclamen with their rounded leaves are worth growing under shrubs and in shady areas. An abundance of light to dark pink and sometimes white flowers pop up above marbled and silver marked leaves. Plant as many as you can for a lovely display in well drained, rich moist soil.
Like its autumn cousin C. hederifolium, it is easy to propagate from seed. Look out for the marble sized seed pods on their spiral stalks after the flowers.
Sweet Box is a bushy evergreen shrub with glossy, deep green, ovate leaves and in winter, inconspicuous, very sweetly scented, creamy-white flowers. A great shrub for the winter garden or by a door where you can enjoy its heady scent and evergreen foliage through winter. I have planted them into pots on either side of our front door at home so I can enjoy their scent as I come and go each day. Plant in well-drained soil and sun or shade. H 2m, S 1m.
Plants at Quercus Garden Plants are propagated and grown peat-free, at 850 feet (259m) and stay outdoors all year, so are tough and acclimatised to Scottish growing conditions. Most of them can be seen growing in wildlife and environmentally friendly, inspiring demonstration gardens.
Quercus Garden Plants is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am-5pm from 8th March until the end of October at Whitmuir Farm, Lamancha, EH46 7BB.