help identifying a shrub.

Hopefully someone will recognise this shrub. There are several in our park and girlfreind really likes the smell coming from them, it's a sort of sweet honey smell. Also the base's of the bushes look as though they are cut back hard to the ground regulary if that helps. I know it's very early in the season but thought some of the experts might be able to ID them.

 

Hmmm!
Can you say if your girlfriend is smelling the sweet honey scent now? OR later on in the year.

It looks as if it might be a honeysuckle.
Maybe one such as Lonicera Honey Baby.
However, at the moment there will be no scent.
The scent only comes later with the flowers.

If the scenting right now, please try looking nearby. Maybe there is a Daphne.
The scent from these carries for some distance.

http://www.esveld.nl/htmldiaen/l/lohbab.htm

.

 

Yes the smell is there right now and I pinned it down to this plant myself a few days ago as she couldn't pick out which plant it came from. I have two types of honeysuckle in my own garden and can't say I've noticed this smell there. I'm away tomorow for a few days but will check for the Daphne when I get back as the smell is noticable from quite a distance. Thanks for your help.

Scott

 

For a plant to produce scent at this time of year, in Britain, you need to be looking for flowers.
Could be from a shrubby honeysuckle, but you need to see the flowers.eg Lonicera x purpusii.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=647&q=osmanthus&gbv=2&oq=osmanthus&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.3874l6749l0l8064l9l9l0l3l3l0l84l479l6l6l0.frgbld.#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=lonicera+x+purpusii&oq=Lonicera+x+purpusii&aq=1&aqi=g2&aql=&gs_l=img.1.1.0l2.130444l140107l0l142086l27l23l0l12l12l0l144l825l4j4l9l0.frgbld.&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=13277a29321720d&biw=1280&bih=647

It may possibly be coming from an evergreen shrub/ tree. Maybe 5 m away.
Daphne was one suggestion. Maybe Daphne odora with small pinky white flowers.
Another is Azara microphylla. It has tiny yellow flowers, that are almost hidden under the leaves.Smells like Vanilla.
Another is Osmanthus. Evergreen with masses of small white flowers.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sugexp=frgbld&gs_nf=1&cp=9&gs_id=10&xhr=t&q=daphne+odora&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=647&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=UVJ3T_b9CqOy0QW7jbm8DQ


http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&sugexp=frgbld&gs_nf=1&cp=6&gs_id=o&xhr=t&q=azara+microphylla&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=647&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=PVF3T5XqKOGx0AWLr9zIDQ


http://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=647&q=osmanthus&gbv=2&oq=osmanthus&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=img.1.0.0l10.3874l6749l0l8064l9l9l0l3l3l0l84l479l6l6l0.frgbld.

 

Sarcococca nearby? ....

maybe a bit late though as the one I planted has stopped flowering a few weeks ago

 

Thanks but as the leaves are only just coming out I will have to wait a bit to get a better idea.

 

Here is a couple of pics taken today of the mystery shrub, any guesses?

 

could be Philadelphus

 

Thank you for the new pics.
Hmm! Still thinking.
Is it still scented now?

 

No can't smell anything now.

 

Had a look at Philadelphus and think it is very alike. Funny thing is I've got a mock orange in the garden already but it's still very small. Will have to wait and see if the one in the park produces white flowers.

 

I don't think it's Philadelphus as they don't usually spread like the one in the picture, they are not normally pruned hard to the ground either.

 

I thought the last picture looked like philadelphus too. You can cut them right back although I agree that isn't usual, I did it through desperation one year after several branches were damaged and I was amazed at how well the plant grew back.