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…

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…

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….

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…

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’…

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…

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….

21st April

…it. Actually I think it is ‘Pickards Ruby’ – Garnet is nearby. ‘Pickards Ruby’ ‘Pickards Ruby’ ‘Pickards Ruby’ ‘Pickards Ruby’ Magnolia pseudokobus ‘Kubimishimodori’ at its very best. Magnolia pseudokobus ‘Kubimishimodori’…

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…

5th September

…albosinensis ‘China Ruby’. Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ A similarly confusing range of bark colours on Betula…

24th January

…equally impressive. Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ 2024 – CHW Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’ in Kennel Close has…

7th January

…‘China Ruby’ Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ We left this old yew tree in the Isla Rose Plantation to try to grow climbing roses up it. Two failures so…

19th November

…its name with pink seed capsules. The best new autumn colour that I have seen for ages. Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’ Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’ Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’ Cotoneaster…

14th May

…old age after about 25 to 30 years. Rhododendron ‘Ruby Hart’ Rhododendron ‘Ruby Hart’ Rhododendron ‘Kabarett’ Rhododendron ‘Kabarett’ Rhododendron ‘Kabarett’ Rhododendron ‘Germania’ Rhododendron ‘Germania’ Rhododendron ‘Germania’ Rhododendron ‘Norfolk Candy’ shot…

22nd May

…to white. A very good plant although grafted onto a Crataegus. Malus transitoria ‘Roundabarrow Ruby’ Malus transitoria ‘Roundabarrow Ruby’ Malus transitoria ‘Roundabarrow Ruby’ Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue Opal’. Magnolia acuminata ‘Blue…

17th April

…campanulatus ‘Ruby Glow’ Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Ruby Glow’ Liverwort spreading up a beech tree by Tin Garden. Liverwort Rhododendrons ‘Saffron Queen’ and ‘Michael’s Pride’ just starting to open. Also a month…