Last year, I planted a Christmas Box or Sweet Box – also known as Sarcococca Confusa – in the front garden to have something to sniff on the way out. It’s a some-what slow-growing shrub and a year later, it isn’t that much bigger than when it went in. There is activity though, as stepping out the door one morning I spotted it bejewelled with glistening burgundy berries.

I am a bit confused as to the timing though, since it definitely flowered last winter, but the berries have only appeared now – that’s quite a long delay and I don’t know if that’s normal or not. I hope it will still flower this winter because I want to smell the out-of-this-world sweet fragrance the tiny white flowers produce. It can be so strong that on a still day, you don’t have to be anywhere near the plant to get a whiff of it.

As I love trying to grow things from seed, I’m going to collect many of these berries, take the single seed out of each one and try growing them. I don’t know what conditions they need for germination so there’s going to be some internet and book research required. I love this plant so much I want to get a whole seed try going. The only trouble will be finding room in one of the greenhouses.