Does anyone have any particular advice about Beaked Hazelnuts. I just found a few small shrubs that have nuts on them. They are in an awkward area among a lot of stones (an old stone wall) so it's difficult to manage them. What would be the best way of going about propagating them? Do they graft onto other trees? Any info on the nuts themselves?

I read that they can spread rapidly but I don't think that would be so bad. Nut trees are better than grass any day.

Also, I think I recall geoff lawton talking about a shrub that, if pruned to a central leader, would convert from a shrub to a tree in just 3 years. I guess after that it wouldn't revert back into a shrub. Has that ever worked for Other shrubs? I can't remember what shrub Lawton did it to but maybe others will work as well?

They grow real well from nuts. Plant in a safe ( from mice) location. Expect growth in spring. Expect 2-3 years for first nut, 4-6 for good crops.