Hamamelis - National Collection

[Paddy Tobin]

This is a follow-up from a posting on Trees in Parks and Gardens:

A few years back, Mary and I visited the garden of the Natiional Collection Holder of Hamamelis, Pat Edwards, near Birmingham and not all that far from Ashwood Nurseries.

Here are a few shots.
Paddy

Hamamelis mollis 'Pallida'
Hamamelis mollis 'Sunburst'
Hamamelis mollis 'Well's Form'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Aphrodite'

[Paddy Tobin]

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Brigid'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Carmine Red'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Diane'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Hillier's Cross'

[Paddy Tobin]

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Hintingbury'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jelena'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Jermyn's Gold'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Luna'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Nina'

[Paddy Tobin]

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Rubin'

Hamamelis x intermedia 'Strawberries and Cream'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Vesna'
Hamamelis x intermedia 'Firecracker'

[Brian Ellis]

Swallowhayes is a good collection, it is worth pointing out that her open day is coming up:

Witch Hazels in winter bloom
Enjoy the delicate flowers and fragrance of Hamamelis cheering up the dark days of winter with warming soup provided by the Shropshire Committee, as well as cakes, tea and coffee. Mrs Edwards' Winter Garden is open till dusk.
Event Location: Swallow Hayes, Rectory Road, Albrighton, Wolverhampton West Midlands WV7 3EP

Event Start Date: 23/01/2011 10:00

Contact details on Plant Heritage website.

As Paddy has shown it is a good visit, one of three National Collections, the others being in Sittingbourne and the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens.  When we went it was a bit breezy, so we were encouraged to go around and cup the blooms to our noses.  Great hilarity, but scents from sweet to spicy.  Unfortunately you end up with a huge list of what you might like to buy in the future

[Hoy]

I would plant many witch hazels if they hadn't been that expensive!

[Paddy Tobin]

Brian,

Like you, we found our visit a very funny one; certainly an entertaining experience and worth it.

Hoy, unfortunately they are expensive plants. We bought small plants which were not so highly priced and waited for them to grow. They are very pretty at this time of year.

Paddy

[mark smyth]

I never knew there were so many. I cant remember the names but in garden centres over here all I see are the yellow, orange and red flowered plants

[gervandenbeuken]

Paddy, I'm looking for a very compact and slowly growing form of Hamamelis for my alpine garden.
Do you have any suggestion and if so where to order?

Ger

[Paddy Tobin]

Ger,

I'm afraid I don't know of any Hamamelis which remain small enough to use on  an alpine garden. All, to the best of my knowledge, are medium-sized shrubs/small trees with a spreading habit.

H. mollis 'Pallida' in our garden is about 2.5m X 2.5m.

However, one planted in an alpine garden would take up little ground space and there would be plenty of room to plant underneath.

Paddy

[angie]

Thanks for showing us these lovely Hamamelis. I to never new there were so many varieties.
Its always a delight when they start to show there splendid colour at the start of the year.

Angie
 

[David Nicholson]

Lovely set of images Paddy, thanks. The last time I looked at a Hamamelis, albeit in a three litre pot, it was £35 at a local garden centre

[Onion]

Paddy, I'm looking for a very compact and slowly growing form of Hamamelis for my alpine garden.
Do you have any suggestion and if so where to order?

Ger

Ger,

you must look for Hamamelis vernalis. The smallest I know is H. vernalis 'Quasimodo'. I knew a plant 20 years old with a high of 4 feet/ 1, 20 Meter. H. vernalis don't have large "flowers", but a smell   . I can send you a PM of a nursery here in the area with a large collection of Hamamelis, where I get 'Quasimodo' after 2 years of waiting.

[Palustris]

Sadly my Dialup connection will not allow me to see right to the end of this thread, so I have no idea if anyone has asked this. What sort of entrance fee was charged? There is no mention of it on the Plant Heritage site. It would seem a shame to drive all the way there and then find one was asked for an exorbitant sum to get in. Even last years figure would help. TIA.

[Diane Clement]

Sadly my Dialup connection will not allow me to see right to the end of this thread, so I have no idea if anyone has asked this. What sort of entrance fee was charged? There is no mention of it on the Plant Heritage site. It would seem a shame to drive all the way there and then find one was asked for an exorbitant sum to get in. Even last years figure would help. TIA.

The NGS site states £3.50
http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder/garden.aspx?id=6652