28th March

…the first time. This is Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. ‘Caerhays Surprise’ bred in Wales by John Carlson and selected by Tim Thornton. Until I looked up the parentage I…

8th March

…Williams’ x M. ‘Apollo’ Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. ‘J. C. Williams’. Possibly worth a name if it continues to perform but not our breeding. Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M….

10th March 1897 – 2020

…edging to the petals as you would expect from a Ruby. Planted 2015. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Pickards Ruby’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Pickards Ruby’ Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chindit’…

1st August

‘Ruby 40th Anniversary’ Rosa ‘Ruby 40th Anniversary’ Rosa ‘Ruby 40th Anniversary’ Rosa ‘Ruby 40th Anniversary’ Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Rainbow’ with seeds. Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Rainbow’ Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Rainbow’ Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Rainbow’ Then…

19th March

…‘Pickard’s Ruby’. 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 ‘Rebecca’s Perfume’. Magnolia ‘Rebecca’s Perfume’ New…

12th March 1897 – 2020

…decide! Michelia maudiae Michelia maudiae Camellia ‘Ruby Wedding’ tries to hide its flowers which face downwards. Camellia ‘Ruby Wedding’ Camellia ‘Ruby Wedding’ Rhododendron stenaulum (now Rhododendron moulmainense) out by the…

22nd October

…fortnight since I last photographed these plants. Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’ Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’ Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’ Saxifraga fortunei ‘Shiranami’ literally plastered in flower with no leaves showing….

16th March

…M. ‘Vulcan’ Magnolia ‘Star Wars’ x M. ‘Vulcan’ Magnolia sprengeri ‘Daisy Diva’. Magnolia sprengeri ‘Daisy Diva’ Magnolia sprengeri ‘Daisy Diva’ Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. ‘Werrington’. Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x…

6th March 1897 – 2020

…to get some repairs done to protect this beautiful village, its visitors, and the two remaining working fishing boats. Portloe Harbour Portloe Harbour Portloe Harbour 2019 – CHW A visit…

Irish trip April 2018

Next Day > The start of our Irish trip. We leave Llanfair Court in Monmouthshire at 8.00 but a few garden shots first. We head for Fishguard via Port Talbot…

3rd July

…Boothby’ has done well but, as a climber, needs more support. Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’ Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’ Phygelius x rectus ‘Devil’s Tears’ is now about 6ft by 6ft and perfectly…

18th June

…new garden to help design near Port Isaac on the north coast. A very dry west facing garden in the teeth of the wind with poorish soil. garden to help…

17th June

…2020 – CHW A quick trip to the greenhouse to find some plants for Trelawny & Olivia Williams for their new garden near Port Isaac in North Cornwall.Platycrater arguta is…

3rd June

…‘bugloss’ (Lycopsis arvensis) in the Porthluney car park and his notes: Lycopsis arvensis Lycopsis arvensis It is Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum subsp. campestre). It was once grown by the horticultural industry…

20th May

…swiftly to bed without the port. 1992 – FJW George Williams at Chelsea – garden still good but HOT with E wind and dry. 1981 – FJW Visitor laid an…

19th May

…The flowers on M. ‘Port Wine’ may well not be that different to M. figo itself (as we saw recently) but ‘White Caviar’ is getting better and better. Unlike M….

25th December

…a few rogue flowers out early but most buds still intact. Rhododendron ‘Christmas Cheer’ Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ looking spectacular. Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ Betula utilis…

5th March 1897 – 2020

…‘Blood Moon’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Pickards Ruby’ – first interesting flowers on this as yet unnamed hybrid which I strongly suspect is of Belgian origin. Darker than ‘Pickards Ruby’…

9th June

…Foerster’. Arisaema consanguineum Fatsia polycarpa ‘Greenfingers’ Fatsia polycarpa ‘Greenfingers’ Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ and Fatsia polycarpa ‘Greenfingers’. Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ Astrantia major ‘Ruby Wedding’ and Athyrium nipponicum var. pictum….

7th March

Ruby’ x M. campbelli subsp mollicomata ‘Werrington’ – this appears to now be called ‘Avalon’. Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. campbelli subsp mollicomata ‘Werrington’ Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. campbelli…