12th August | The Garden Diary

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2023 – CHW

Seed heads forming in profusion on Meliosma tenuis.

Lithocarpus kawakamii getting going slowly. Another gift from Tom Hudson.

Podocarpus chingianus also from Tregrehan.

An old Eucryphia x intermedia finally killed off in the drought.

Here an elderly Eucryphia lucida nearly dead from the drought. Another one by the greenhouse is only alive on a few lower branches.

Quercus rysophylla ‘Maya’ just reshooting from the main stem after drought damage.

A newly planted Magnolia yunnanensis x M. insignis has survived.

Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘George Graham’ was a purchase from Mark Bulk. A decent large flower but much the same as ‘Nymansay’ I would suggest.

Maddenia hypoleuca had flowered twice but I doubt it will survive this year’s drought.

After the rain this cut back clump of Rhododendron ‘Crossbill’ are now doing well.

Lush green growth where, a month ago, there was merely brown dead grass.

2022 – CHW

Every day the younger rhododendrons and things planted this spring look sicker in the drought. It’s not as bad as 1976 though, especially as regards the big leafed rhodos.

Eucryphia cordifolia just starting to show.

Fruits formed already on Mespilus germanica.

The silver variegated Liquidambar styraciflua is finally growing very well having sat doing nothing (with dieback) for 4-5 years.

Quercus laurifolia with its very pointed secondary new growth.

Odd new growth and some dieback from before on Magnolia ‘Crystal Tulip’.

Nyssa sinensis (FMWJ 13122) with its newer leaves already a stand out, reddish-purple.

Carpinus omeiensis omiense (Roundabarrow) with reddish, secondary new growth.

Carpinus polyneura doing the same.

Quercus ‘Belle d’Aquitaine’ making strong new growth.

Eleutherococcus (Acanthopanax) aff. sessilenis (ex Crug Farm) with what looks like male flowers surrounding a single female flower. However I have seen these turn into clusters of 5/7 black berries so I am probably wrong. Bees and flies all over the flowers. Planted 2011.

Ross has felled a small dead beech below Donkey Shoe.

2021 – CHW
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ making a great show on Hovel Cart Road.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’ planted in 1996 and now in need of pruning back.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘White Lady’ – likewise.

Sorbus ‘Pearly Queen’ with berries forming.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ just turning colour.

Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘Nymansay’ now full out.

Catalpa bignonoides suddenly out.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’ starting to turn greenish.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Polar Bear’ now full out.

2020 – CHW
The International Dendrology Society’s (IDS) tree of the year this year is Torreya nucifera. This prompted me to see if our three Torreya species were setting fruits/seeds. Hilliers list four species and the IDS say there are six in all. Three of our plants are above Hovel Cart Road.This Hydrangea paniculata had a haircut last year after 20 to 25 years. The one beside it died in protest but this one is already a decent show.

This is Torreya grandis from China. It has far fewer fruits than last year and some seem a bit wrinkled but may yet develop.

Torreya taxifolia is a rare species from Florida/Georgia. No fruits at all this year or last but it is growing well.

Torreya nucifera has a few fruits but, again, fewer than last year and some are far more developed than others. This species is from Korea and Japan where it is said to make a bigger tree than in the UK. So far it is the smallest growing of our three species.

Saxegothaea conspicua nearby has fruits developing as we have seen before on our larger trees.

Another young Torreya taxifolia by Tin Garden with a more upright habit and fleshy new growth.

So we still need to acquire Torreya californica, the Californian nutmeg, to complete the Hilliers four but the IDS say we also need Torreya jackii and Torreya fargesii to complete the set. Interesting fruits!

2019 – CHW
This Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ was cut to the ground last autumn. Strong regrowth and very few flowers but, those there are, are huge.

A few seed heads starting to form on Castanopsis concolor. They take two years to mature. Good markings on the trunk too.

To my amazement I find Cleyera japonica ‘Fortunei’ covered in pendulous white flowers. I went to photograph the foliage and then realised that the plant was covered in bees. Looking closely the flowers are well hidden in the variegated foliage and I would not have noticed from a distance. I have never seen this in flower before and had no idea when it actually did. A very dense growing and colourful shrub.

Salix udensis ‘Golden Sunshine’ will be a welcome addition to the 2020 Burncoose catalogue. Cut it down hard each year to see the spectacular new growth reappear. Does not like hot/full sun but holds its leaf colour right through the season.

Secondary flowers on Magnolia “Todd’s Fortyniner” which had colour showing in December for the last two years and was out by January.

2018 – CHW
The fallen record tree, Ligustrum confusum, is shooting vigorously from the base. I see no reason not to let it grow away again and cut it back to one leader eventually.

Euphorbia stygiana did not much like us taking its cuttings in May and has poor regrowth near the top of the tree in the drought.

This elderly Magnolia sieboldii has died in the drought. Thirty to forty years old I think and not planted when I was present. They are short lived.

2017 – CHW

This evergreen Illicium lanceolatum came to us from Mark Fillan as a new species (to us) of illicium a year ago. It was fairly pot bound and is now growing in shade in Old Park. This is its first flowering here. A seed head is clearly in evidence and needs to be collected when ripe and hard. Then it needs a soaking in water to release the individual seeds before planting in a seed tray. This is the second new species of illicium to flower here this year.

2016 – CHW
No entry.

2015 – CHW
No entry.

1953 – CW
Auriculatum at best or going over. White hybrids good. Eucryphia pinnatifolia big plant over. Rest at best. Nymansii very good, some cyclamen and lapagerias. Very hot over Bank Holiday.

1948 – CW
H.H.Hume, University of Florida came today on Camellias most interesting. Likes plants.

1918 – JCW
Have cut nearly all the gladiolus, Buddleias are fair, one of Wilson’s Hydrangeas are good, very little else. The 1917 winer killed the gladiolus.

1916 – JCW
Romneya very good indeed, hundreds of flowers out, nothing much else in the shrub way left. Our hybrid gladilous look very nice, and very refined range of colours.

1913 – JCW
A late C, I go north tomorrow. Solanum good. Buddleia fair, even good. Very short of rain.