Winter Honeysuckle

Lonicera x purpusii Winter Beauty

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: December to March
• Hardiness: fully hardy

  
  Clusters of pale yellow, tubular flowers with prominent yellow anthers cling to bare branches in the depths or winter and fill the air with a heady fragrance. The scent from this decidous shrub will stop you in your tracks. An invaluable addition to the garden in winter, it is best planted near a path or in a front garden, where its delicious fragrance can be appreciated. Once the bright green leaves appear, this honeysuckle looks rather insignificant, so plant it among shrubs that provide interest over the summer months.
  

• Garden care: Cut back established plants after flowering, removing a third of the flowering shoots. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted compost or manure around the base of the plant in early spring.