Viburnum tinus – Bush (Laurustinus)

An architectural evergreen shrub with masses of pink and white flowers that smother it in late winter. A very hardy and adaptable shrub (small tree given time and a generous definition of what ‘tree’ means) that seems to relish being clipped and pruned. It will become even more dense and richly-textured when regularly shaped, so it’s a smashing candidate for trying out your new Creative Maintenance skills. In ‘bush’ form and left alone it will billow itself up into a chubby mound, reaching about 15 feet. Viburnum tinus rarely produces trunks of more than 4" in diameter, so you're likely to have a many-trunked specimen in no time. Year-round interest is guaranteed given its evergreen and flowering credentials: the flowers are sweetly-scented and held well above the foliage as if to say “look: shove your hooter in here”. Quite an invitation, and one never turned down by early bees seeking nourishment after hibernation. Highly recommended for new gardens that need some architectural interest and a bit of structure. Grows anywhere, so plant it anywhere. Do it for the bees.