12th April

‘Red Emperor’ – again. Camellia reticulata ‘Red Emperor’ Camellia reticulata ‘Red Emperor’ Very fine cones on Abies spectabilis. We need to acquire this! Abies spectabilis Abies spectabilis Abies spectabilis Abies…

26th March

…‘Big Dude’ Magnolia liliiflora ‘Holland Red’. Magnolia liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Frank Gladney’. Magnolia ‘Frank Gladney’ Magnolia ‘Frank Gladney’ Magnolia ‘Crimson Stipple’. Magnolia ‘Crimson Stipple’ Magnolia…

25th March

…have put this where more people will see it. Magnolia ‘Emperor’ Magnolia ‘Emperor’ Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Opal’. Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Opal’ Magnolia ‘Watermelon’ – another good new magnolia flowering for the first…

10th August

…in our climate. This is the third variety to flower in the nursery this year. Lagerstroemia indica ‘Red Emperor’ Lagerstroemia indica ‘Red Emperor’ Passiflora edulis with a couple of fruits…

8th January

…year’s propagation. young rhododendron plants Helleborus ‘Anna’s Red’ now coming into flower. A little later than usual I suspect. Helleborus ‘Anna’s Red’ 2023 – CHW A long suffering ‘Christmas Rose’…

23rd October

…pseudocamellia Quercus imbricaria even better than a week ago. Quercus imbricaria Quercus imbricaria Quercus coccinea stunning too. Quercus coccinea Lagerstroemia indica ‘Red Emperor’ Lagerstroemia indica ‘Red Emperor’ Fothergilla intermedia ‘Blue…

11th April

…our Magnolia x soulangeana varieties. The first decent flower on Magnolia ‘Emperor’. This looks to be going to give M. ‘Felix Jury’ genuine competition. Magnolia ‘Emperor’ Magnolia ‘Emperor’ Magnolia ‘Big…

16th March 1897 – 2020

…look better when the new growth emerges. Podocarpus ‘Red Embers’ Podocarpus ‘Red Embers’ Podocarpus ‘Red Embers’ Podocarpus ‘Red Embers’ Pseudotaxus chienii looks a bit insipid. Pseudotaxus chienii Pseudotaxus chienii Pseudotaxus…

18th March

…none the worse for that and late flowering. Camellia ‘Emperor of Russia’ Camellia ‘Emperor of Russia’ Placing out the large rhododendrons from Rookery Nursery into their final planting positions. The…

19th March 1897 – 2020

…on the drive is now, finally, flowering rather well after many years of sparse underperforming. Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chyverton Red’ Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chyverton Red’ Two sick scots pine have been dismantled…

15th March 1897 – 2020

…hung down from the flower. It flowered on just one branch. It had not flowered before in my father’s or my lifetime but, when it did, the flowers were exactly…

29th March

…shattered all the flowers on the toughest and most resilient of rhododendrons; ‘Cornish Red’. Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ Rhododendron ‘Elizabeth’ was spared as it wasn’t out. Rhododendron ‘Elizabeth’ Magnolia ‘Diana’ looks…

12th May

…more. Enkianthus campanulatus Enkianthus campanulatus Acer platanoides ‘Royal Red’ has fine new leaves. Acer platanoides ‘Royal Red’ Acer platanoides ‘Royal Red’ Acer heldreichii looks very much like an A. platanoides!…

10th March 1897 – 2020

…2018 – CHW A fine calm day at last. Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red is again coming out. Earlier flowers blown away. Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red Camellia ‘Desire’ has popped open above Bond…

9th March

…Magnolia sargentiana var. robusta Magnolia sargentiana var. robusta Magnolia ‘Chyverton Red’ and Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’. Magnolia ‘Chyverton Red’ and Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ and Magnolia campbelli ‘Charles Raffill’. Magnolia…

6th March 1897 – 2020

…plants which cannot host Xyella of course so a much reduced consignment this year as in recent years. Italian wholesale nurseries must be suffering badly with their export orders. This…

13th August

Emperor’. Papaver rupifragum ‘Flore Pleno’ and Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’ Papaver rupifragum ‘Flore Pleno’ and Crocosmia ‘Paul’s Best Yellow’. Papaver rupifragum ‘Flore Pleno’ and Crocosmia ‘Paul’s Best Yellow’ Crassula arborescens in…

20th March 1897 – 2020

red buds on last year’s new growth. Illicium simonsii Illicium simonsii Illicium simonsii Illicium simonsii Persea brevifolia with red new growth just starting. Persea brevifolia Debregeasia longifolia plastered in flower….

2nd June

…east winds. Pinkish red Pinkish red Pinkish red Pinkish red Then a red one with an orange flare. red red Still tight buds on Styrax japonicus ‘Pink Chimes’. Styrax japonicus…

31st March

…of the four plants we have and it will be interesting to see those compared to Magnolia Black Tulip (bred by the Jury family in New Zealand) in a week…