THIS wonderfully fragrant plant produces pure white flowers from December to March and lustrous, dark green leaves, followed by glossy black berries.

It’s a dense, slow-growing evergreen shrub which thrives in shade, so fits in well in a woodland setting under trees or in a shady border, and is not fussy about soil.

To fully appreciate the fabulous, vanilla-like fragrance, plant in moist, well-drained soil close to an entrance or path.

Sarcococca species originate in China and the Himalayas and are related to the common box, buxus.

They are slow-growing plants that spread by suckering shoots gradually forming low-growing mounds of evergreen foliage. This hardy plant grows to about 150cm tall.