A trio of colourful hamamelis witch hazel plants
Think about winter and you rarely think about the garden, for many the ‘end of season’ chop down in November sees them exit the garden, to return again then at Easter.
But why have this space around your garden and not have something looking great every week of the year….and better still have something that hooks you with its scent, inviting you over for a sniff! And this is where a Witch Hazel comes into its own.
Gareth Austin
By Gareth Austin
Witch Hazels are super, easy to grow small trees which flower in late winter into early spring, producing small flowers on bare stems.
These flowers are normally bright yellow, but can be orange and almost red on some varieties and have a really sweet scent, which on a still day hangs gloriously around the garden.
Growing to a height of 7’ with an open habit of 6’ wide these Witch Hazels are glorious as a lawn centrepiece, or to fill a corner in the garden.
And further more….yes, they get better! The Autumn colour on these witch hazels is stunning too. The green summer leaves turn the most beautiful autumn colours before they enter their winter slumber.
For me you’d want to have them somewhere planted close to the path, close to the shed or somewhere that allows you the chance to enjoy the scent and admire the spidery shaped flowers.
Here in the county Witch Hazel are easily sourced in any good garden centre, and aren’t particular demanding on soil types or anything complicated like that, so make a point of adding a Witch Hazel (or two) to your garden this weekend!
Spidery shaped red flowers on a Witch Hazel
