Chimonanthus praecox are just an absolute delight in January.
A very welcome sight on a winter’s day in the dull light, the clusters of buttery yellow flowers with contrasting burgundy flowers adorn the branches spilling scent around it.
Their delicious but delicate fragrance fills the air well before you approach it.
With the flowers appearing on bare stems before the foliage appears your eyes are drawn towards then naturally as are pollinators at this time of year benefiting from the early nectar source.
Leaves are produced after the flowers fade and will hold on well into the following winter until the first frosts appear.
Plant in a sunny spot in almost any soil, but leaning towards ell drained and you will be rewarded every December to January.
All images taken on site in January 2026.
