Hazelnuts

I had another pleasant surprise today. It was a comfortably cool evening and while walking my paths, I stopped at the hazelnut shrub. This is its third summer in the ground here--but was probably a 3 year old seedling when I put it in (if memory serves). As I was checking out the new growth where the deer had trimmed it back a little, I notice what I quickly realized seem to be the nuts starting to form! I knew that it bloomed in the spring, but I only saw the male catkins and no female flowers, so I was shocked to see the nuts! I'm thrilled. I hope I get to taste them before the wildlife gets them, but if they get them first it is okay, that is one big reason why I planted them anyway.



Sorry for the dark pictures, the sun had just about set.