Delicious scent in the winter
5
I bought this as a source of forage for my bees in the winter months. It flowers endlessly and has the most amazing scent. A great grower.
Suzanne
Derbyshire
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Lonicera fragrantissima
winter honeysuckle
2 litre pot
in stock
This shrub is deciduous so it will lose all its leaves in autumn, then fresh new foliage appears again each spring.
- Position: full sun or partial shade
- Soil: fertile, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: January to March
- Hardiness: fully hardy
This wonderful, winter-flowering shrub produces fragrant, creamy-white flowers in mild spells between December and March on almost leafless branches. These are sometimes followed by dull-red berries, which may cause a mild stomach upset if ingested. The leaves, when they appear are a rich shade of green - usually flushed with a plush purple. This is a splendid, deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub, that will flower more profusely when trained against a sunny wall. Try to plant it close to an entrance or pathway so you can catch its lingering aroma each time you pass. - 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.
Eventual height & spread
Goes well with
I would buy this plant again
5
Every plant that I have received from Crocus has been in perfect condition and the packing is the best that I have received from any plant supplier
Joe Kenny
London
Beautiful plant
5
Lovely plant, to have something bloom this time of year is always great
S
Norwich
I do not need any more of this honeysuckle
5
the shrub seems to be healthy but has not flowered this winter. i am hoping for next winter!
Tory
Suffolk
Now in Feb and in full flower scent is divine and bees love
5
Used it at the edge of a mixed border where I can smell it as scent wafts around the garden. Its a vigorous grower in the free draining soil I have and in competition with a large tree's roots. I do prune it every other year to keep it a suitable size for the space. Gets full south facing sun for part of the day, though this is shortened when the trees are in full leaf to about 4 hours. Have experimented with cuttings in quite a shaded woodlandish position (not deep shade but dappled, where it is difficult to grow many plants, the new plants are doing well and I now have first batch of flowers on a small plant from cutting taken around 3 years ago stuck into the soil and pretty much left to get on with it. Its a tough plant can take fairly dry conditions. The scent is beautiful and powerful now in Feb as there are masses of flowers on the well established mother plant, and I often see bees on it. It normally has just started flowering by Christmas and can cut a couple of stems for indoors, but Jan and Feb is when it comes in to its own.
Woo
London
Excellent packaging
4
The plant arrived in excellent condition, was easy to plant and, so far, has remained in good health. As a winter flowering shrub I have still to see how it will look in flower and what kind of fragrance it will have. I have placed it close to my gate in the hope that its beauty and scent will lift my spirits as I walk in and out of the garden through the winter.
Scots belle
West coast of Scotland
I would buy this plant again
5
A very healthy and good size plant
Amateur gardener
Suffolk
Lonicera fragrantissima
4.9
7
100.0
- Is the Lonicera fragrantissima suitable to grow in a pot? I'm looking for a climbing plant (ideally scented), to grow against a fairly sunny SW facing wall by my back door. The area is paved, so it would need to be potted. Alternatively are there any clematis that don't mind being grown in a container?
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MrsH
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Hello, These will be happier in the ground, but if you have a really large pot and you make sure it is kept well fed and watered, then you may get away with it. There are several clematis that will be happy in a large pot - please click on the following link to go straight to them. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/climbers/clematis/plcid.15/plcid.16/vid.274/
- Is Lonicera fragrantissima suitable to use as a low hedge againsts a south facing low fence which is otherwise bare?
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pattykins
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Hello, This plant makes a great hedge and it can often be seen in hedgerows. I am not sure what height you have in mind, but I would not advise trying to keep it clipped too hard - although you should have no problems keeping it at 3 - 4' tall. I hope this helps,
Helen
- Winter flowering shrubs and climbers to plant with new hedge Hello, I have newly planted a hedge (made up from Hornbeam, Rosa rugosa, Blackthorn, Cornus, Hawthorn and Hazel) about 50ft long. I have been told that if I was to plant amongst the hedge some winter flowering Clematis such as 'Wisley Cream' it would give some nice colour these bleak winter months when the hedge is bare of foliage. The hedge is south facing and although the ground is ???good??? heavy Cambridgeshire clay the hedge has been planted in a trench back filled with leaf mulch, chipped wood and spent peat. Although I have said about in-planting Clematis in the hedge, I am open to other plant suggestions if you have any. Regards Terry
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Terry Allum
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Hello Terry, If you click on the following link it will take you to all our winter flowering climbers - of which the Jasminum is tougher and more like a shrub. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/climbers/plcid.15/vid.204/ Alternatively, this link will take you to all our winter flowering shrubs. http://www.crocus.co.uk/plants/_/shrubs/plcid.1/vid.204/ I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
- Plants to deter cats Hello, my tiny terrace garden was recently made over at some expense but my 2 beloved moggies have ruined the one flower bed by using it as a loo-I am about to spend yet more money on having it cleaned up but how do I deter the cats from ruining it again? They are outdoor cats and use the catflap and there is nowhere indoors to put a litter tray anyway. Friends suggested several centimetres of woodchips? on the soil would put them off but I would value your advice before I invest. Also, which perfumed lilies are poisonous to cats?-or are they all? I am not thinking of poisoning the 2 moggies but I would like some lilies in pots but not if they are going to harm the cats. Also, suggestions of perfumed climbing shrubs that will stand shade. Many thanks Sonia
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Sonia Richardson
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Hello There, There are a couple of ways you can deter cats from the garden. Firstly you can plant lots of things that have spines or thorns, thus making it awkward for them to dig in - here are some of my favourites. Pyracantha's are ideal - this is a prickly wall shrub that has small white flowers which become fabulous red berries in autumn. http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/?CommonName=pyracantha Berberis is another good choice: http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/?CommonName=berberis Chaenomeles: http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/?CommonName=chaenomeles Ilex (holly): http://www.crocus.co.uk/findplant/results/?CommonName=ilex All of the above plants are evergreen (except Chaenomeles), so you will have year round interest. There are loads of cat deterrents on the market that work by scent or water. We have a few on our site. http://www.crocus.co.uk/products/_/tools/pest-control/cats/prcid.87/vid.484/ Other methods that you could try include sprinkling curry powder around the boundaries where they frequent, drying your used tea bags and then putting a few drops of eucalyptus oil on them before scattering in the garden. Orange peel when broken into small pieces and scattered around the borders works wonders and it's cheap as does grated, perfumed soap. As for the lilies, I think they are all quite toxic to cats, so they should be avoided. Finally, the best scented climbers for shade are the Loniceras - just click on the following link to go straight to them http://www.crocus.co.uk/search/_/search.lonicera/ I hope this helps and good luck! Helen Plant Doctor
Crocus Helpdesk
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