The ‘Wisley Supreme’ witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis ‘Wisley Supreme’, below) planted two years ago was nearly lost in the jumble of toad lilies (Tricyrtis) and tall Verbena bonariensis beside the greenhouse. I believe that I stumbled over the woody stems last summer, discovering the still small witch hazel so that the worst of the surrounding vegetation was cleared just before it would be overwhelmed.

While the yellow flowered ‘Wisley Supreme’ is still a bit spindly, it survives and now joins the red ‘Diane’ (Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’, below) and coppery orange ‘Jelena’ that also begin flowering late in January. Two similarly yellow flowered ‘Arnold Promise’ will flower a week later.

I expect ‘Wisley’ will get a jump in growth this year, and perhaps it will gain enough size to stand above the neighboring perennials. At least that’s the plan, and some day this witch hazel will stand tall to add winter color to this sunny spot.