Stachyurus 'Magpie' - 2011

Very unusual, where in the garden will you be siting this one?

i like the look of this very much..i wonder why its called magpie? great photo

That looks lovely. Will we be seeing the whole plant?!

This one flowers before the leaves appear. It is variegated (hence the name 'Magpie') but is not a very strong grower. It is quite an old variety - there is now a newer one called 'Joy Forever' that is more robust.
The advice I was given was to grow it in a pot for the first few years, overwintering it inside, until it was absolutely fighting to get out of its container. Then plant it in a sheltered spot and hope. I bought it in 2003 and planted it out four years later. It's had a couple of tough winters to contend with but it's still with me

Thanks for the info Andrew!