12th March

…old clumps have actually flowered in January. Pam provides the name Azalea ‘Don Quixote’ which is a Knap-Hill bred variety and the synonym ‘Soho’. Galle’s gigantic reference book on Azaleas…

29th May

…forming. A new one to Tom. Ilex spinigera Ilex spinigera A single flower on Rhododendron cinnarbarinum subsp. xanthocodon Purpurellum Group. Rhododendron cinnarbarinum subsp. xanthocodon Purpurellum Group Styrax formosanus var. hatayanus…

16th May

…before the distraction of the Chelsea publicity work. The lorry has been loaded over the last two days for the off to London tomorrow, a week before the show actually…

23rd May

…Monty Don being awarded a Victoria Medal of Honour. (He is the late Peter Seabrook’s successor to this award). Hurriedly we get under way and my speech has to contain…

14th October

…a puzzle! Photinia villosa Photinia villosa Photinia villosa Fallen fruit under Sorbus cyclophylla next door to Photinia villosa. I don’t remember seeing this species fruiting before but have seen the…

IDS Thank you email and photos

…snail pace and we don’t get to see all we want! I wrote down so many names and it will take me a while to match them to photos. I…

12th September

…are infected, many of whom don’t have symptoms. Put simply – all cases are infections, but not all infections are cases. Which means that the CFR will always be far…

22nd July

…rabbits (and public) is fine but if you plant only hydrangeas rabbits don’t eat them. Also questionable as to whether these are the right plants to grow in full sun…

21st October

…is just coming into flower below the old play house. The inflorescences develop quickly. I don’t remember if flowering this early. Mahonia japonica Mahonia japonica Golden Scalycap (Pholiota aurivella) perhaps…

14th July

…year? I really don’t like Mangaves! ‘Mission to Mars’ indeed? Bollocks! Mangaves! ‘Mission to Mars’ Mangave ‘Moonglow’ likewise. Mangave ‘Moonglow’ Lonicera periclymenum ‘Red Gables’ wasn’t bad although not that different….