In article ,
says...

On Sun, 15 Feb 2015 10:24:31 +0000, Nick Maclaren wrote:

In article ,
FrankB wrote:

"Emery Davis" wrote in message
...
Ran across this pretty winter blooming shrub in a Paris park:

http://tinyurl.com/p3owkc2

Can anyone name it? TIA!

Garrya elliptica?

Precisely. And probably "James Roof" at that.



That seems like it's surely it, thanks all!

Apparently James Roof is hardy to -9-ish, and the location was quite
sheltered.

I had one when we lived in urban Glasgow; against a wall as the sole
occupant of a problem bed. It was a long very narrow (30cm) dry N-facing
against the stone house wall, under the roof overhang.The other side of
the bed was a frequently used narrow paved path so James was kept pruned
back quite hard against the wall. In that hungry position he certainly
survived temps below -9 C. IMO the tassels are displayed much better
against a wall.

When we sold that house (in winter) the new, non-gardening owner was
so anxious to do her best for the lovely garden she hired a "gardener".
She came home from work to find he had pruned every mature shrub
including James Roof, camellias, mahonias and viburnums, to 6" stumps,
which he assured her was "essential annual maintenance, to make them
flower next summer". :-(

It took them years to recover their original size.

Janet.