Bonnie Semmling

This spring has certainly lent credence to that old adage: “in like a lion, out like a lamb”. Now that we’ve entered the realm of April spring is progressing rapidly; each morning I see a new flowering face. Even the oddly named ‘Peeping Tom’ Narcissus  is a welcome sight after such a harsh winter. Its reflexed petals are so unique! It’s been a wonderful year for Magnolias. At Willowwood I’m especially partial to our older specimens, such as the ‘Royal Star’ in the cottage. Flowering at the...

By Bonnie Semmling – Plant Records Curator Begone, winter!   Just when it seems like winter will never end, the plants remind us that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. While our native witch hazel – Hamamelis virginiana  – flowers into late autumn and early winter, other species and hybrids prefer the similarly cool conditions of late winter and early spring. At Willowwood we have many such specimens.  Hugging their twigs closely, the copper-colored flowers of Hamamelis  x intermedia...