Daphne...

[WindFlower92]

I'm thinking of putting one in my garden, but don't know a lot about them! I want a Bush to go against the fence, are they all bushes? As I've seen some can be in pots and I want to use it for a bit of privacy!

Is now a good time to buy and put in the ground? Should I buy a fully grown plant or will a young one be okay? How long do they take to fully grow?

And lastly, it will be west-facing, do they do well against lots of afternoon sun? Is there anything I should know to make sure I get the best out of it?

It depends on which type, have you a preference? I've have grown Daphne odora which is a beautiful plant, with a good shape, attractive evergreen leaves and small flowers in early spring that smell like heaven!

But ... it was not a fast growing plant (you mention privacy) and wasn't that long lived (5-8 years?) perhaps because my garden is quite shady and they got a bit out shape. I'd grow one again but probably in a pot.

They grow slowly and usually prefer shade over sun. I have also read that they do not like being moved, so buying a fully grown plant might be risky (as well as expensive if it doesn't establish).

Is there a particular reason why you are looking at daphnes? Perhaps posters here might be able to suggest a similar shrub that could give you privacy, and you could have a daphne in a pot?

I've got a small one in a large pot and it's taken forever - first year it's flowered (bought it 2 years ago, but from a shit place). So slow growing. One for a nice pot.

Thanks for that - sounds like it's a bit tricky then! @TheKickInside my nan has one and I just love the smell! We moved in about a year ago and I've just got round to taking out an awful prickly bush and need something to go in its place. I don't need it to be instant - I do like watching things grow and change! It's not in direct sunlight as next door have a shed that blocks it a bit, but it does still get a lot of sun. Anything that smells and looks pretty will do!

Have a look at philadelphus, there are a few varieties, and also mahonias which have the advantage of flowering late into the year right into winter when nothing else much is in flower, they can really cheer a garden up late in the year. They have leaves that are slightly spiky a bit like holly but I wouldn't really call them prickly and there's one variety that's been bred to be spike free, it's called soft caress. Yellow flowers. Phildelphuses are white flowers. Both fragrant and will get to a decent size much quicker than a daphne..

Daphnes do smell amazing, but the rate of growth can be reaaaallllyyy slow - mine puts on about 5cm a year. Privacy only at knee level.

As well as the suggestions above from pps, how about choisya (scented flowers)?

And you could grow a clematis up your shrub, to get more.flowers still.

Thanks for these - will look into them :)

Don't be put off growing a Daphne they do smell devine and although they do not grow super quick mine is putting on 10cm a year and seems to be ok in pretty poor soil with no watering. Mine is north facing but gets some evening sun. You could plant somthing taller next to it to shelter it a little if you feel it is getting too much sun.

Although they don't like being moved I have been successful in taking cuttings and growing new plants from it.