With fragrance as an added bonus? Well, maybe we can suggest the answer.
Sarcococca confusa, or sweet box, is a gem of a shrub. It has a lovely powerful sweet honey scented fragrance that is usually noticed before the plant is spotted.
Small fragrant creamy white flowers are hidden under the foliage and dark black berries follow the flowering display.
This very adaptable and reliable shrub is easily grown in many garden situations, including dense shade, where it retains its dark glossy green leaves.
It can cope with a sunny location, provided there is sufficient moisture in the soil, but in full sun the leaves can lose their intense colour.
This low growing compact shrub has a slight suckering habit. It responds well to a trimming after flowering and is suitable to be grown as a hedge.
A great plant to have near a pathway or edge of a garden, you can enjoy its fragrance outdoors or use it in flower arrangements.
At Dunedin Botanic Garden there is a group planted at the edge of the pathway in the Clive Lister Garden. Your nose will help you find them.
Linda Hellyer is curator of the rose garden and herbaceous borders at Dunedin Botanic Garden.
With more than 200 varieties of herb, vege and flower seedlings available at www.awapuni.co.nz you're sure to find the right plant for your garden.
Plus, if you're after some new gardening gloves, a trowel or another garden accessory check their new range of gardening tools available online.
The Otago Daily Times has four prizes of six Awapuni seedling bundles to give away (a mix of herb, vege and flower).
To go in the draw, write your name, address and daytime phone number on the back of an envelope and send it to Awapuni Giveaway, ODT Editorial Features, PO Box 181 Dunedin, or email playtime@odt.co.nz with Awapuni in the subject line, to arrive before Thursday.
