Witch hazel

Yesterday I happened to be in Nutley - there was a new lunch place to try - so I took a minute to check out the spectacular gardens that I wrote about last summer (I think you can search on "Nutley" here to find them if you feel like it). The real test of a garden comes in the winter. That's when you see its structure - its bones. But what's that blooming by the front door? Even green thumbs like these can't get forsythia to bloom in February? Can they?

But of course. It's not forsythia. It's witch hazel! Why does nobody else grow this? Hint: it's because it's not blooming during the times when ordinary people are apt to be cruising the garden centers. Note to self: get some!

And what about those euonymus topiaries in the top picture. That wouldn't be so hard to do. In fact I have a couple on the back plateau that are just about the right size to be candidates for haircuts like this. Should I try it?