Pussy Willow ...

The furry leaves are just starting to push through and will remain furry until the large catkins have lost their pollen.

This is a Salix nakamurana Yezo alpina, a low growing prostate species of willow with long stalked glossy leaves and large upright catkins.

We bought it for our front garden when we moved in, from a plant fair near Mums. It was advertised as low growing (it is) and slow growing ... well it was for about 5 years and it took off! It covers about half of the area it's in and needs pruning hard every year. The bees love it and are covered in the pollen from the catkins every spring.