Exit, Pursued by a Bear

We need more witch hazels

It wasn’t clear until this spring, but it turns out that one of my most successful garden ideas last year was to plant a large hybrid witch hazel behind the Japanese maple in the front bed. The concept was that its spring display would show through the bare branches of the Japanese maple.

Witch hazels bloom far earlier than anything else (except the native varieties, which come out in late fall). Mine bloomed for about exactly a month, from the beginning of March until a few days ago. This makes them a very valuable part of the all-season garden. An outdoor plant in full bloom in Toronto at the beginning of March, and carrying on for a full month: what’s wrong with that?

A nurseryman explained to me last year that the garden centre trade finds witch hazels frustrating: most people make plant decisions during the big hormonal moment that happens in early May, and by that time, witch hazels are into their ugly-duckling phase and people can’t be talked into buying them. There have been several organized attempts to promote them, none of which has been very successful.

It’s very unfortunate; they really should be one of the commonly grown blooming shrubs, like bridalwreath spirea or forsythia.

More images here.