Berberis

Thus tall shrub forming part of the rear garden boundary evergreen hedge is about7ft (2 metres) tall. Literally covered in thousands of lemon yellow flowers, 8 to 12 in a cluster. Don't know which one it is. Looked in several books and none of those detailed apart from B. darwinii, are listed as flowering in early spring.  It has a strong scent, typical of many Berberis, it is a very strange smell.