Jane Edmanson’s plant of the week

The daphne odora is a plant that captures the imagination of gardeners because of its fragrance.

Compact plants that are at home in dappled shade. The showy rounded heads of the small clusters of pink and white flowers open from mid-winter to late spring.

When you’re planting out a potted daphne, just be careful – the roots should be white and healthy. Try not to damage the roots as you’re planting, so there is no need to tickle them out.

Just plant it and mulch to cool the roots, and when it finishes flowering in spring, fertilise with organic matter, and prune it at that time too. Keep it moist over summer, cool the roots and you’re home and hosed with your daphne.