Witch hazel

Today's the day ................................ to introduce a plant

The spicy fragrance and spidery flowers in yellow, orange and reds of Hamamelis, commonly known as witch hazel, really make this winter-flowering shrub stand out at this time of the year.

It was introduced into English gardens by the Quaker botanist, Peter Collinson (1694 - 1768). He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, an avid gardener, and the middleman for an international exchange of scientific ideas in 18th century London. He is best known for his horticultural friendship with the American botanist, John Bartram, also a Quaker.

Bartram (1699 - 1777) was instrumental in sending seeds from the New World to European gardeners, including Peter Collinson - and many North American trees and flowers were first introduced into cultivation in Europe by this route...........