Catkins in the Ginnel

I photographed these catkins - at least, I think they're catkins, but botany's not my strong suit - on my way home tonight. Between the road I live on and the High Road in Leytonstone is a small passageway, beside which the bush with these catkins (or whatever they are) is growing.

Being of Yorkshire extraction, albeit actually born and bred in Cambridgeshire, I call such a small passageway between houses a ginnel. Even that's regional within Yorkshire, as far as I can tell. In London, and many places, it seems to be an alley. What is it where you live?