I’ve noticed Cathy’s In a Vase on Monday a few times, and have now finally been inspired to participate, not only in actually going out into the garden to look for something, but then to find a vase and to write about it. The problem at this time of year is that a garden this small, with so little sun, has very little to offer. I could try to be artful with dead ferns or the trampled stems of old phlomis, but these always seem to look better in the brown bin than in a vase.

So imagine my delight when I pottered out there yesterday and discovered that the sweet box is actually flowering. It is also healthy, glossy, vigorous and fragrant. The perfect candidate. I’d been hoping for a sprig of Hamamelis, but the garden side of the internet seems to be awash with this right now, so I was almost grateful that mine was discounted by its poor performance.

The vase is an old beer stein which has been knocking around the family for as long as I can remember. I thought it had a suitably northern European Wintry demeanour.

And the best thing about this is the extraordinary fragrance. It literally fills the room. Cheaper than a bloody scented candle.