Even if the February days don’t feel they are getting any warmer, they are getting longer and on the occasional mild day you really do feel that spring is just around the corner. As if to herald spring’s arrival, these evergreen Viburnums, which have tantalised us throughout autumn and most of winter with their reddish-brown buds begin to flower. The clusters of tiny flowers vary from white through cream to pale pink depending on the cultivar grown and, if left untrimmed, are often followed by small, bright blue fruits. However, trimming immediately after flowering results in a compact, bushy plant which produces even more flowers the following year. This trait has made Viburnum tinus and its cultivars a popular choice for creating small to medium-sized hedges. They grow in any well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade.

Look out for the following cultivars. V. t. ‘Eve Price’ – pinky-white flowers. V. t. ‘Spirit’ – White. V. t. ‘Gwenllian’ white flushed pink. V. t. ‘Lisarose’ – pale pinkish-white.