lt looks like just the experts I'm seeking! I'm making up my plant list for spring and was planning on putting some witchhazel in the bush I am planning at the back of my property. What I'm not sure is which would be the best variety as they are not common around here. 1) it will be set back quite a bit from my house (although I will see it out the windows no problem) so "bright" colour I think would be important. Which have the best show from afar? (Would the reds show up?) 2) Could you recommend a combination of 2-3 that would extend my bloom time? 3) Since they bloom so early do you set them back in the landscape? Thanks all. I've read the info in the books and seen the small pictures but it just doesn't give me a feel for what it would look like in the landscape. Sharon

Hamamelis 'Robert' Beautiful photos. Here in S. Jersey, our climate, Summer heat and occasional drought, and more extreme Winters, limits what we can grow. Himalayan Poppies, for instance, and for me, Delphiniums, are impossible. The Ocean causes the great northward shift on the climate maps. So I am in 7a. But all my Hamamelis do wonderfully, and several started just opening at the end of January. I advise putting them where they can be seen from indoors, backlighted by the Sun or against dark evergreens, and find it difficult to walk by one without taking a photo. I am going to add more, if I can. Don't think you need a bit of advice from me. My only failure was H. 'Diane'. It grew beautifully, colored beautifully in Fall and kept so many leaves, each Winter, that I got rid of it. And the start was pricey. Hate to think of what the fine tree would cost, at a market, when I got rid of it. A constant aggravation, as an ugly mess.

So in fact it has been imported. British references often show and describe plants we don't have in North America. One problem is that most of the population is in the East, instead of out here in the one part of the continent that has a similar climate to that of UK. So plants may be imported to the East, not make it in the conditions there and then be dropped, without ever getting to the Pacific Coast. On the other hand when I went to Britain nursery people I talked to there thought we in "America" had all the good stuff. One batch of a rare tree or shrub I asked about (don't remember what it was) at one place turned out to have been sent there from Oregon.

but if it rings your bell.. dont let my opinion bother you ...to be changed every few years ... when you could do some root pruning ... i had a WH once ... when i moved i potted 1625 plants to take with me .... but i left the witch hazel because it was one of the least inspiring plants i had for the 5o weeks a year it wasnt blooming ... and who in the heck wanted to walk out in a MI winter .. to look at the minimalist flower show ... lol ... but if it rings yoru bell.. dont let my opinion bother you ... now.. all that said ... you might be better off buying a smaller plant ... perhaps mail order ... and growing it on to size.. rather than buying a bigger potbound plant.. that might not be ready to stay in that pot forever ... you dont mention how big the ones you are seeing are ... were they field grown and dug and potted ... etc ... there might be ... and there usually are.. many problems with large trees or shrubs in pot ... that are usually fixed when planted in other earth ... winding circling roots the usual suspect ... but again... if its your dream plant... go for it.. life too short ... ken