30th July

…flower on Hosta fortunei ‘Aureomarginata’ as I can remember on any Hosta group. Hosta fortunei ‘Aureomarginata’ At the nursery entrance Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ and Buddleia ‘Black Knight’ looking good together. Escallonia…

17th August

…flower heads on Araucaria araucana Fuschia ‘Blacky’ – should sell well! Fuschia ‘Blacky’ A pied wagtail fledgling in the Back Yard. pied wagtail pied wagtail pied wagtail 2022 – CHW…

5th August

…Gardening for butterflies with Cynara cardunculus (flowers unpicked or eaten) and Buddleia ‘White Knight’. It was however too early in the morning for them to be up and about. Cynara…

29th January

…growing buddleia but the US bred ‘Buzz’ varieties are smaller growing, more dwarf, and have larger flowers. Buddleia ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Empire Blue’ have been superseded by ‘Buzz Indigo’ /…

7th March

‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ – this appears now to be called Olav Kalleberg. Above Crinodendron Hedge. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’…

26th March

…‘Double Diamond’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ Magnolia ‘Gold Finch’. Magnolia ‘Gold Finch’ Magnolia…

28th March

‘black’ which it isn’t! (There are other black magnolias – e.g. ‘Black Beauty’). Magnolia ‘Black Swan’ Back at Caerhays Bramble Field track has now been splendidly cleared by the cut…

8th March

‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Bishop Michael’ nearing its best. Magnolia…

21st March

…‘Crystal Chalice’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Serene’ – an interesting first flower. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Serene’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Deep Purple Dream’ – now named…

16th March

…yet another new name to us. Magnolia ‘Summer Rose’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. campbellii ‘Darjeeling’ is excellent. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. campbellii ‘Darjeeling’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M….

1st May

…flower buds. Maddenia hypoleuca Staphylea colchica ‘Black Jack’ is also now flowering properly. Staphylea colchica ‘Black Jack’ Staphylea colchica ‘Black Jack’ 2024 – CHW Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Hattie Carthan’ on…

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…

27th February

…Purple Dream’) Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’. No specific name as far as I know. Rounded flower. Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’…

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…

11th April

…Paler than ‘Black Tulip’ as you would expect but with a rounded Black Tulip shape. Magnolia ‘Rose Marie’ x ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Rose Marie’ x ‘Black Tulip’ Rhododendron irroratum ‘Polka…

11th March

…Magnolia ‘Brombeer’ now further out. Magnolia ‘Brombeer’ Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x M. ‘Black Tulip’ now full out. Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x M. ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x M. ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Laura…

31st March

…‘A.E. Bold’ Magnolia ‘Black Swan’ now properly out in flower. Magnolia ‘Black Swan’ Magnolia ‘Black Swan’ Magnolia ‘Black Swan’ Salix hookeriana looking good and now in a vase for visitors…

25th April

…very dark red? Azalea ‘Black Hawk’ Azalea ‘Black Hawk’ This is Rhododendron reticulatum which is nearly (but not quite) deciduous. It is in a very sheltered spot in the Rockery….

5th March 1897 – 2020

…Maple. Acer campestre Acer campestre Scilla bifolia in a woodland setting. Scilla bifolia Camellia ‘Black Magic’ almost black in bud. Camellia ‘Black Magic’ Camellia ‘Black Magic’ Magnolias tower over the…

9th April

…flowers out above Crinodendron Hedge amid the Styrax species planting. Magnolia ‘Yuchelia’ Magnolia ‘Yuchelia’ Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’ beside it. Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’ Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black