Self sown shrub.

This is flowering now, but that may be the weather upsetting its timing. The leaves are velvety rather than stiff and about 2.5 inches long. The flower heads are about 3 inches across, but this is a baby plant so.............




TIA

 

Are the leaves opposite?
It reminds me very much of some of the Viburnum sp.
Not sure which one.
Maybe one such as Viburnum plicata tomentosum Summer Snowflake.

http://www.saundersbrothers.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=plants.plantDetail&plant_id=893&typeID=

tomentosa, tomentosum= hairy.. which would give soft feel to the leaves.

 

Could it be a Spiraea?

 

It reminds me of Viburnum too and Hydrangea paniculata types. Will check on the leaves.

 

I concidered Hydrangea but ruled it out as the sterile parts tend to be regular... with 4 petals.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephenbuchan/3684665553/

While Viburnum sp are more uneven,varied... often with 3- 5 part sterile flowers.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=viburnum+sterile+flower&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=1536&bih=776&tbm=isch&tbnid=iUAFWG2AJhXGjM:&imgrefurl=http://www.goldenhillplants.com/viburnum-plicatum-watanabe-5754-0.html&docid=Tuvx8e2rQMETcM&imgurl=http://www.goldenhillplants.com/images/viburnum-plic-wat.jpg&w=367&h=329&ei=2PmIUMLANPGY1AXbyoDoCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=183&vpy=452&dur=1230&hovh=213&hovw=237&tx=127&ty=173&sig=105050878957448920657&page=3&tbnh=139&tbnw=163&start=66&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:67,s:20,i:334

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14230388@N03/4687814334/

 

It looks like a Jasmine to me.

 

The leaves are opposite and the stems are downy too, so I think the Viburnum tomentosum id is closest. I will have to look and see if there is one in the garden. There should be, we have about 25 different Viburnum dotted around. Never had one self seed before though.

 

I'd put money on it being a Viburnum. It could even be a hybrid if you have many already. Viburnum plicatum looks a good place to start.

 

The sad thing is that there is one of the National Collections of Viburnum less than 20 miles away, but it is only open to the public on rare occasions or I could take a piece there and ask.

 

Print off a GC Card, knock on the door & act like you've got the right authority