Named for Irish botanist Michael Pakenham Edgeworth and his sister, Irish novelist Maria Edgeworth, Edgeworthia comprises several species ranging across China and into South Asia. Named paperbush for its use as a high-quality banknote paper, this compact shrub blooms as early as December and continues through the winter. The blooms, tiny tubular florets clustered into larger yellow umbels, emit a sweet fragrance reminiscent of gardenia that cuts through the winter chill, and foliage emerges in spring that turns from silky silver to a verdant blue-green.

Though tolerant of full sun, paperbush thrives in partial shade where it can spread its distinctive three-pronged stems over an area of up to seven feet. Paperbush is hardy and low maintenance, making for an attractive and straightforward addition to a winter garden. There are several specimens at the garden, but the most developed will be in the Asian garden at the back of the property.