Brooklyn Botanical Garden in February

Possibly the best time to appreciate the espaliers near the Eastern Boulevard entrance.

And still a little early for the shrub honeysuckle - Lonicera fragrantissima. Another ten days to two weeks and it will be at its perfumed peak. It's an unruly and uninteresting shrub when not in bloom, so good for supporting something else, perhaps, like a clematis or climbing rose.

The corylopsis - winter hazel, so not ready. We saw it in full bloom last April so I don't know what I was thinking.

Hamamelis x intermedia "James Wells". This one seems to keep its dead leaves until spring, not liking to let go until it's sure of the next best thing. Kind of like serial monogamists.

Below, "Jelena". Very full and fluffy. This was in the rock garden, near the very frozen pond.

She shows the typical horizontal branch structure.

Below, near The Stream That Never Runs, pussy willow. As soft as bunnies' paws.

Or cashmere.

Frozen leaf.

Below, Hamamelis mollis "Pallida". More pale acid in the colour...

And "Diane", below. Again, wishing for snow to show them off.

Two witch hazels at the lotus ponds near the hot houses are labeled "hybrid". The branches are more upright than is typical.

Isn't it funny how the flowers resemble Cedar Apple Rust?

In the rock garden, some early hellebores catching rays.

Inside, anthers getting ready for hungry bees.

Winter aconite, not quite open, in the perennial beds at the lotus ponds.

And snowdrops nearby.

So, plenty to see in chill February. The gardens were mostly deserted. Good place to go on Recession Tuesdays, the gates wide open, the guard waving me through.