A new twist on ways to enjoy Mother’s Day

Ah, Mother’s Day. A perfect excuse for a lie in and some lazy Sunday digging in the garden. That’s where you will find me today. Sowing seeds, drinking Jasmine tea and eating lots of dark chocolate. Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there!’

Leonie

PLANT OF THE WEEK Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ Red Majestic

Although a small tree, the unusual corkscrew hazel is a real showstopper in a late spring and winter garden. Not only is it a fantastic tree within a planting scheme, it is also visually arresting as a single tree in a planter or large pot.

This tree, or large shrub, is deciduous so it looks as beautiful in the winter months as it does in summer. In fact, in my opinion it is at its best in late winter and early spring when the twisted branches are covered in masses of amazing little purple catkins which over time open up to become almost translucent with their delicate tassels.

Shape is another of its strong points. I love the way the branches twist and contort – it’s also known as a contorted hazel – in a wonderfully gnarled way. It is often grown as a small bonsai-like specimen tree for exactly this reason.

It is also a great choice to attract wildlife into the garden as a variety of butterflies, insects, birds

and moths are drawn to it. When, in late spring the broad, ornate leaves start to unfurl the tree loses a little of its shape but this particular variety makes up for that with its unusual colour. The Red Majestic has deep magenta-coloured leaves which really stand out in any planting scheme.

One other great thing about this small tree is that it is a very slow grower, only reaching between 1.8m and 2m after 10 years, making it an ideal option for a small garden, patio area or even a balcony. Hazels prefer loamy soil but are really unfussy, doing well in most other soils too. They even do well in exposed locations so will grow almost everywhere. Combine with some pretty snowdrops and you’ll have a perfect planter for your small garden.

The lovely tree and planter pictured above was sourced at Homeland, Sligo. Homeland.ie