Brooklyn Botanic Garden

A trip to New York afforded the opportunity to explore the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Cold, clear, and little human company on a March afternoon.



You might think that there was nothing to see this time of year, but that wasn't so. Sure, there were only anticipatory mounds of foliage in the bluebell woods . . .



. . . but I was able to indulge my curiosity about witch hazels. I have been dreaming of slipping one into the decimated area along the side property line. The red blooms of "Diane" were irresistible.



However, I learned at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden that "Diane" has an open graceful habit, completely unsuitable for a privacy hedge. Scratch that idea.



Next, I found a yellow and red variety, "Jelena," but its flowers were difficult to see at a distance.



And it also had a free and open habit. Is this the way witch hazels grow?



Finally, I encountered a heavily flowering yellow variety, "Arnold Promise," which might be possible . . . or might not be impossible.



So versatile, either espaliered . . .



. . . or pruned to a tall shrub. Could "Arnold Promise" be the one? Hmmmm . . .



The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a wonderful resource! I love that almost all the plants are labeled--regardless whether there are leaves, stems, or even a spot of green to observe.