I was taking a walk around the neighborhood recently when I caught the sweetest scent imaginable. I knew immediately what it was — a wonderful, early blooming shrub known as winter daphne (Daphne odora) — and began looking around to see which yard it was blooming in. There was actually a large cluster of perhaps five shrubs growing close together, which explained why the scent was so strong. Later, I went back with my camera to get these photos.

If you look closely, you can barely make out that there are two slightly different varieties of daphne growing here. See how the shrub in the left forefront has variegated leaves? That’s a cultivar known as ‘Aureo-marginata’ and the cream-colored leaf margins bring a little bit of light to shady places. (The shrub directly to the right of it has plain green leaves.)

The buds are a bright rosy red, while the waxy flowers open to a pale blush pink.

Daphne likes a semi-shady spot and slightly acid soil. It has a reputation as a finicky grower, and the shrubs will sometimes last just a few years after planting. This is a Southern favorite, growing only in zones 7 to 9.

I found these shrubs growing in a large front yard, down by the street — but I recommend planting them near your front door, or at least where you’ll pass them on the way to mailbox. You’ll want to enjoy the sweet smell for the short time it lasts!

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