11th November

…its best autumn colour. Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ This Hydrangea ‘Ayesha’ was cut back hard two years ago. A few flowers only…

10th May

…for us. Sorbus matsumurana Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ looking as its name would have you believe. Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ Sapium sebiferum very late into leaf…

8th April

…full flower. Ours has not yet. Prunus maakii ‘Amber Beauty’ Prunus maakii ‘Amber Beauty’ Darmera peltata in flower with no leaf. Darmera peltata Taxus baccata ‘Rushmore’ – tiny leaves. Taxus…

13th May

…Littleworth’ Rhododendron ‘Beauty of Littleworth’ Rhododendron ‘Beauty of Littleworth’ Rhododendron concinnum – great purple but the flowers have a more open form than the Burncoose plant by the pond and…

24th April

…‘Crimson Cascade’ Malus ‘Crimson Cascade’ Malus ‘Paul Hauber’. Malus ‘Paul Hauber’ Malus ‘Royal Beauty’. Malus ‘Royal Beauty’ Malus ‘Royal Beauty’ 2022 – CHW I thought I heard a cuckoo earlier…

25th April

…three leylandii blew over. Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ Aesculus neglecta ‘Erythroblastos’ – superb new growth which radically changes colour as it emerges. Aesculus neglecta ‘Erythroblastos’ Aesculus…

17th May

…glowing in the sun. What an excellent plant this is here growing in a damp spot where a drive side drain empties. Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’…

31st October

…this far. Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ Acer palmatum ‘Inazuma’ catches the sun. With us this variety is best in the autumn. Acer palmatum ‘Inazuma’ Cornus kousa…

5th April

…spot at Chelsea. Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Vesta’ Prunus machii ‘Amber Beauty’ is developing a pleasant peeling trunk but no flowers yet. I first saw this on the Hillier’s stand at Chelsea…

1st May

‘Beauty of Littleworth’ Rhododendron ‘Beauty of Littleworth’ Still decent flowers on Magnolia ‘Genie’ as they usually are in May. Magnolia ‘Genie’ Rhododendron ‘Elizabeth’ and Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’ are not usually…

3rd November

…williamsii Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ is performing much as ‘Gold Rush’ seen last week. Not bad in the sun but not outstanding. Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’ Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’…

21st November

…hours with its full yellow show and is now dropping fast. Four-in-Hand Sorbus wilsoniana with a fine show. Sorbus wilsoniana 2020 – CHW We planted this Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Amber Glow’…

30th January

…sp. nova (Crug 15165) Camellia reticulata ‘Lasca Beauty’ has its first flower today. Camellia reticulata ‘Lasca Beauty’ 2023 – CHW Mature and immature female cones on Araucaria bidwillii (or A….

4th May

…at its best and now layered for posterity. Rhododendron ‘Beauty of Littleworth’ Rhododendron ‘Beauty of Littleworth’ Rhododendron cinnarbarinum subsp. xantocodon Purpurellum Group with a few flowers. This is borderline with…

12th April

…– CHW A tour of Old Park with 2 of the 4 grandchildren; Isla and Bea.Malus ‘Royal Beauty’ – another one out in the Kitchen Garden. Malus ‘Royal Beauty’ The…

5th May

…evergreen leaves? Rhododendron wadanum ‘Album’ Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ now into leaf. It will get darker yet. Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ Juglans major has interesting new growth. As nice as…

20th April

…short lived in a garden context where it always looks a bit ‘miffy’ except perhaps when in flower. Azaleodendron ‘Hardijzer Beauty’ Azaleodendron ‘Hardijzer Beauty’ Azalea ‘Pink Pancake’ – an evergreen…

3rd June

…Caviar’ Melicytis obovatus is now almost a small tree – albeit multi-stemmed. Melicytis obovatus Tail end flowers on Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’. Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’ Flowers on…

29th September

…plants for different locations for autumn planting.Fruit on Viburnum nudum ‘Pink Beauty’. Viburnum nudum ‘Pink Beauty’ I was impressed with the first flowers on Malus trilobata. Here are the first…

14th April

…providing you catch the flowers as they just emerge from the very black buds and ahead of the leaves. Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’ Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’ Magnolia…