Outstanding Qualities

winterhazels are pleasing year 'round - but pure delight in late winter! Toward the end of February, the bare branches of buttercup winterhazel hang with inch-long clusters of pale yellow flowers that glow like little lanterns. As the flowers fade in April, the pretty leaves unfurl to 3 inches long, bright green and blushed with bronze. Autumn color is straw yellow. This species is much more compact than the others, with slender stems and an intricate branching pattern. Because of this habit and its slow growth, it is is the ideal choice for a small garden and can even be trained against a north- or east-facing wall. winterhazels look wonderful with any early spring perennials - snowdrops, hellebores or cyclamen. For a rich contrast, underplant them with a winter-flowering heath, such as Erica x darleyensis 'Kramer's Rote'.