…Dance’s funeral in Camborne with a bad hangover. Monica’s husband, Arnold Dance, ran Burncoose Gardens for 42 years until his retirement in about 2002. Monica’s son, Steve Dance, was born…

…it is not that unusual for it to be in bloom by Christmas. Note the red flowered ‘sport’ on Monica. Camellia Monica Dance Camellia Monica Dance Strange, is it not,…

…williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ on the main ride. Not yet a decent shape or colour. Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ First flowers on Rhododendron barbatum which…

…snowdrops First flowers on Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ which are nicely striped in the sun. Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ Camellia ‘Duchess Decazes’ in…

…the most reliable early flowerers Camellia ‘High Hat’ Camellia ‘Apollo’ – full out Camellia ‘Apollo’ Camellia ‘Apollo’ Camellia ‘Monica Dance’ – with nice stripes in the petals Camellia ‘Monica Dance’…

…is nothing to see in the garden. Already things are breaking out again. A half decent Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ A pretty fair Camellia…

…offset the red flowers to good effect. Loropetalum chinense ‘Fire Dance’ Loropetalum chinense ‘Fire Dance’ Lonicera alseuomoides has produced a crop of black berries which now look ripe. A Wilson…

…a tiny hint of pink at the base of the flower and the pollen bearing anthers are pink too. Arnold Dance (former head gardener at Burncoose for 40 years) and…

…at Burncoose and bred by Arnold Dance. A wonderful gift from a most remarkable magnolia artist. I doubt it will photograph properly but visitors can see it now on the…