Which Hazel?

Struggling today as the light was incredibly dull and flat.

I took a prowl around the grounds at Cragwood to see what I could find.

The birds on the feeder were too quick to get clean shots of.

The lake was dull and lifeless and there were none of the views of lake or mountains I have been able to share with you before.

Wandering through the woods in the vain hope of sneaking up on one or more of the Roe deer, I came across a couple of trees with odd looking flowers on them.

These are some of the flowers.

I distracted the all knowing Patrick the gardener from his impressions of "Half man-half bush!" and asked him what he thought it might be.

He said...

"Some sort of Witch Hazel, I'm not sure exactly "which one."

So by the power of Google I have made an identification, I think.

It is one of the two Oriental varieties.
The Japanese one in fact.

Hamamelis japonica

There is a Chinese variety and three N American varieties.

The identification is helped by the fact the trees are not far from the Japanese water garden and could be escapees from there.

So there you are!

I finally know

Which Witch Hazel!