Crook, County Durham: The tree currently wafting out clouds of golden pollen is also called Harry Lauder’s Walking Stick. But why? There have been some fine displays of catkins in hedgerows here, but ...

The corkscrew hazel is a great curiosity and immediately grabs attention, especially at this time of year, when the branches are bare and the catkins begin to open. Although the branches are twisted ...

When the sap falls in the autumn — yes, I know it's spring, but bear with me — a few shrubs and trees become prettier. The cold and the dormancy cause their bark to glow more intensely than in the ...

We have a contorted hazel growing near the house, a sitting tenant inherited when we moved here. I can’t say that this would have been a natural choice of plant for me, the name is off-putting to ...