Kilmarnock Willow ( Salix caprea )

A sudden change of plan.  We had planned to go with Kanyl to a local garden centre, which is always good for blips.   However, it started to rain so a quick change of direction and we were off to Carlisle where the garden centre is mainly under cover and there is protection from the weather.

When I was young we always looked forward to seeing the "Pussy Willow" or to give it its correct name the Goat Willow catkins.  It was a certainty that the catkins on the Kilmarnock willow would catch my eye.

As far as I can establish these trees/bushes are two varieties of Goat willow grafted together.   The straight upright stem is the normal "wild" form and grafted onto the top is a variety that is very geotropic (grows towards gravity rather than away from it).  The result is a plant that gets very little higher and forms a domed canopy getting larger each year.