Buddleja salvifolia

This is a South African species with large trusses of tiny, honey-scented lilac blooms held above nicely textured silvery-green pointed leaves. To me it is a warm-climate substitute for lilac, which in general doesn't thrive in Sydney. My specimen has soared to around 3 m in just a few short years; even if cut back hard after flowering it will regrow to this height over summer. It isn't really recommended for small gardens but is a good screen where there is plenty of space. It grows next to an old Rondeletia, in bloom at the same time, with pink clusters of tiny tubular flowers of a similar texture to those of the Buddleja and of a similar height.

Postscript: In the end, we removed this shrub. It just got too big and I came to believe that the flowering wasn't worth it. In large gardens where space is not an issue, I think it has its place for those fragrant winter flowers.