Hamamelis

The photo above is Hamamelis 'Washington Park'. The Witchhazels were just starting to come out when we got into our acrtic snowy winter. They survived the cold and ice and snow and are now blooming and scenting the yard with their delightful fragrance.
The next one is 'Rochester', which was actually the first one to bloom, and it bloomed while there was still a lot of snow on the ground. It is at the top of a sunny bank above a pond, and one of the warmest spots in the yard. It was so nice to take a cold and snowy walk and find this one blooming. Really made my day back a few weeks ago.

Next is another of the pinks, 'Livia'. You will find more yellows than other colors since the wild form is yellow and the others are the work of wonderful hybridizers who have come up with so many different colors. One thing about the colors in witchhazel is that they can vary from year to year; always within the same sort of color, but maybe with more orange or red or lighter or darker.

This next on is 'Fire Chief', one of the best reds, with flowers that are heavier and longer than 'Livia'.

This is 'Barnstadt Gold', which is kind of weird this year as one side of the bush started blooming a week or so ahead of the other side. Not sure how to explain that.

Last for this morning is 'Strawberries and Cream'. This is a very delicate color and very well named. I thought we had lost this one - it just wasn't happy where it was. We moved it a year ago and last fall it just didn't look right again and then we realized that the understock was taking over the plant. All of these are grafted and that is always something you have to worry about with grafted stock. We cut off all of the stems below the graft and although it is a much smaller plant right now, it looks much better and has bloomed well on the stems that were left. In a year of so it should be caught up with its friends again.

Witchhazels like sun and typically bloom here starting in February. The bloom lasts until it gets warm, so on a good bloom year you can even have 3 months of bloom - and scent. They aren't the best as cut flowers, but will last a few days in a vase and will scent your room delightfully.

A note: I have started a facebook page for the nursery and so will just talk about plants here (which is really most of what I do anyway) but will post new things for sale and special sales and that sort of thing, along with photos, on the facebook page. Why not stop on over - just seach for Hoot Owl Hollow Nursery - and 'friend' us.

Jane