Winter Flowering Viburnums

Am I the only disgruntled gardener this autumn. Yes we have had wonderful autumn colour but my winter flowering Viburnums just refuse to lose their leaves. They are covered in flower and leaves at the same time - quite quite wrong. The joy of winter flowering Viburnums is the delicate flowers being displayed against auster bare twigs.

Of all the forms of Helleborus orientalis (syn H x hybridus) the white form is my favorite. Unlike the squat Christmas Rose - Helleborus niger - it bears its flowers aloft on tall elegant stems safely out of reach of the soil which is so often splashed by rain onto the flowers of H niger. The pure white flowers of H orientalis are beautifully cup shaped - the flowers of H niger are rather flat.
H orientalis is dead easy to grow and will thrive in the poorest driest soil. H niger is much more fussy and will only succeed in a good loam or clay based soil.

Evergreens in tubs can look so so boring. How many times have you shuddered seeing tubs of dusty garish phormiums or the ever so plastic looking Eleaeagnus pungens Maculata on either side of a friend's front door.


I am often asked for shrubs to grow in pots for winter interest. My answer is nearly always Sarcococca. This delightful evergreen winter flowering shrub (sometimes called "The Winter Flowering Box") covers itself in small, highly scented, white flowers from December to March.
Sarcococca likes full shade and is happy growing in any not too dry soil. Slow growing it is well suited to pot culture. Perfect in a couple of pots on either side of a North door where the delicious scent of the flowers will greet you in all your entries and exits.


Sarcoccoca foliage is also a great delight. The foliage is elegant - not too broad and pointed. The leaves of many winter evergreens are just too big and clumsy to look good in containers.


But never ty to grow Sarcococca in sun - in summer the leaves will become pallid and fall off - not a pretty sight!