Ode to Spring - Witch Hazel

My large witch hazel shrub - 4 feet tall and wide - is in full bloom.  The image below was taken at Plantworld last weekend, and is a more recent variety than mine.  My shrub is a brilliant yellow and it bloomed in December so I didn't expect much this spring.  I can see that just one branch is not blooming, so I guess it took turns on who was to bloom!

Those Winter Displays

I visited Plantworld this last week. They have a fabulous array of winter greens for urns and decorative displays. There were so many Grandiflora Magnolia leaves on display! Here's the autumn reason why I so love this tree!

I was at Plantworld yesterday. They have decorative winter greens for urns and planters – beautiful conifers, berries on branches, fruits and pine cones. This year they have a host of magnolia leaves. Paul Zammit was their horticultural director until last year, and his specialty is planter design. It looks like his legacy and interest continues in the abundance of beautiful materials.

I was pleased to find gigantic Osage Orange fruit to photograph. These trees were planted across America as cattle farmers moved west. They formed a thorny barrier within a few years, keeping animals in. The fruit is a wonder to the eyes.