Purple Leaved Hazel (corylus maxima 'Purpurea')

• Striking deciduous shrub/small tree with deep purple/burgundy foliage (best colour in full sun), purple-tinged catkins in late winter/early spring, and edible nuts.
• RHS Award of Garden Merit winner; hardy across the UK, low-maintenance, good for wildlife, hedging, screening or as a specimen. Provides year-round interest and ornamental contrast.

• When: Bare-root November–March (dormant period).
• Where: Full sun (for strongest leaf colour) to partial shade; sheltered or exposed sites. Tolerates most aspects.
• Soil: Moist but well-drained; thrives on chalk, clay, loam or sand; neutral to alkaline preferred (pH roughly 5.5–8). Avoid waterlogged ground.
• How: Dig a hole twice as wide as the roots and the same depth. Plant at the original soil mark. Backfill, firm gently, water well. Mulch around the base (keep clear of the stem). Stake young plants if needed. 
• Spacing: 4–5 m apart as a specimen/for nuts; 60–90 cm for hedging.
• Aftercare: Water regularly in the first 1–2 years during dry spells. Generally unfussy once established; prune in winter if shaping or for nut production (goblet form). Plant a second compatible hazel nearby for better cropping if nuts are desired.

Photo credit: Jerzy Opioła, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped)