2023 – CHW
To Leslie Baker’s garden open day in St Austell to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s charity. Leslie lost his wife, Myra, to this vile disease around Christmas. The garden as pristine and well managed as always.
Eucomis bicolor and Phormium ‘Cream Delight’.
Eucomis bicolor and Persicaria milletii ‘Aurea’.
Lilium superbum and Podocarpus totara.
Thalictrum delavayi ‘Hewitt’s Double’ and Podocarpus totara.
Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and Geranium ‘Wargrave Pink’.
Papaver rupifragum ‘Flore Pleno’ and Sedum ‘Purple Emperor’.
Papaver rupifragum ‘Flore Pleno’ and Crocosmia ‘Paul’s Best Yellow’.
Crassula arborescens in the greenhouse.
Acanthus mollis and Anemone hupehensis ‘Queen Charlotte’.
Kirengeshoma palmata nicely in flower.
The viaduct towers over Leslie’s garden.
Good buds forming for next spring on his Magnolia campbellii.
Runner bean seeds already on Leslie’s wisteria.
2022 – CHW
The drought is really starting to bite!
Nearly dead Hydrangeas on the drive planted 19 years ago. The clumps by the top lodge are even worse.
The Miscanthus in the cliff fields has only grown to half its normal height and the tops are brown.
Not much green in the cliff fields above Portholland. We are now feeding hay to the 40 cows and calves in this field. Good job it was a massive silage harvest year.
The number of dead elms (and dieing younger ash trees) in the hedgerows is alarming this year. The usually resilient Cornish elms on the Vean drive have already got 9 casualties to take down.
What a glorious day for a Beach Meadow wedding. Tepees rather than tents seem to be the trend. This is the second lot of tepees in a fortnight.
2021 – CHW
Seven hour drive (450 miles) and we arrive at ‘The Cottage’.
Seven hour drive (450 miles) and we arrive at ‘The Cottage’.
Anemone x hybrida ‘September Charm’ in the chimney pot at the door.
Buddleia ‘Lochinch’ performing well in the Cottage garden.
Harebells on the wildflower bank (Campanula rotundifolia).
Knautia arvensis – field scabious nearby.
Moth on greater knapweed. A different seed head to our Centaurea nigra. This is Centaurea scabiosa with brown hairs surrounding the scales on the seedpod.
Nothofagus antarctica about 30 years old with a fine crop of beechmast just forming.
Some insect has formed cobwebbed cocoons all over a Prunus avium. A few unformed wild cherries in evidence here and there.
Very little fruit or seed on any of the hedgerow trees this year as it was frosty and cold in April and early May. Even the Sorbus aucuparia are sparse. The hazels do however have a heavy crop untouched as yet by squirrels.
2020 – CHW
Cyrtanthus elatus, the Scarborough Lily, greets us at The Cottage in Yorkshire. Another tender South African lily of some note with scarlet flowers.
Cyrtanthus elatus, the Scarborough Lily, greets us at The Cottage in Yorkshire. Another tender South African lily of some note with scarlet flowers.
The field has not been cut for hay this year so even more wildflowers in evidence.
Trifolium fragiferum, Strawberry Clover.
Stachys officionalis, Betony, which had grown rather taller without the sheep nibbling.
Potentilla reptans, Creeping Cinquefoil, was much in evidence.
Knautia arvensis, Field Scabious, perhaps late into flower.
Campanula rotundifolia, Harebell, which were nearly over.
Centauria scabiosa, Greater Knapweed, which seems brown in bud unlike ours at Caerhays which has black surrounds to the bud. Perhaps this is Scabiosa jacea, Brown Knapweed?
Ranunculus acris, Meadow Buttercup, with a geranium like leaf.
2019 – CHW
A few wild flowers out on a dry south facing bank in a meadow at The Cottage in Yorkshire. The field had been ungrazed this year and was full of interest and colour. So many of these plants are sold by Burncoose as improved garden forms or different species of these fairly common wild plants.Betony, Stachys officinalis, which I had not seen before.
A few wild flowers out on a dry south facing bank in a meadow at The Cottage in Yorkshire. The field had been ungrazed this year and was full of interest and colour. So many of these plants are sold by Burncoose as improved garden forms or different species of these fairly common wild plants.Betony, Stachys officinalis, which I had not seen before.
Harebell, Campanula rotundifolia, which you often see on moorland edges.
Field scabious, Knautia arvensis, which would be fine in a pot in the nursery.
Greater knapweed, Centaurea scabiosa (or more probably common knapweed), which grows well in full sun on the bank opposite the front door at Caerhays.
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium. The white forms which we sell are not so different.
Red clover, Trifolium pratense.
Hare’s foot clover, Trifolium arvense.
Common birds-foot-trefoil, Lotus corniculatus.
Meadow crane’s-bill, Geranium pratense.
A dead black rabbit hanging in a lilac tree.
2018 – CHW
The rare and tender Brachychiton populneus has done fairly well in the drought after being planted this spring. Quite a nice crop of new growth.
The rare and tender Brachychiton populneus has done fairly well in the drought after being planted this spring. Quite a nice crop of new growth.
Firmania simplex has got away in the heat too although I fear it will be cut back to 4-6in from ground level again next winter. Only when it gets a woody trunk will it have a real chance. Not in a hot enough spot here perhaps.
A nasty orange fungal growth from the base of an elderly Quercus coccinea.
2017 – CHW
A big leafed young Rhododendron sinogrande grossly over seeding in Old Park. A good example of why the seeds need removing once flowering has finished. However we might as well harvest these in October and grow them on.
A big leafed young Rhododendron sinogrande grossly over seeding in Old Park. A good example of why the seeds need removing once flowering has finished. However we might as well harvest these in October and grow them on.
2016 – CHW
It may well not be a gardening holiday as such but you cannot help admiring Daphne’s Northumbrian garden which Burncoose supplied many plants for some 15 to 20 years ago when it was first started on the edge of Newbiggin Moor near Blanchland. The pond area was getting overrun with gunnera but these have been removed to good effect. This year the roses were in their prime which puts the garden two to three weeks later than in recent years when they were all going over. Despite all the rabbit fencing we were able to remove another three during our visit without the dogs racing through the borders.
It may well not be a gardening holiday as such but you cannot help admiring Daphne’s Northumbrian garden which Burncoose supplied many plants for some 15 to 20 years ago when it was first started on the edge of Newbiggin Moor near Blanchland. The pond area was getting overrun with gunnera but these have been removed to good effect. This year the roses were in their prime which puts the garden two to three weeks later than in recent years when they were all going over. Despite all the rabbit fencing we were able to remove another three during our visit without the dogs racing through the borders.
2015 – CHW
No entry.
No entry.
2000 – FJW
Heavy rain.
1983 – FJW
Harvest all in – very good yield – hotter than 1976?
1976 – FJW
Harvest all in – including Pencoose – very dry year.
1954 – CW
Still rain every day. Pinnatifolia nearly at best. A few on Nymansii. Whites good but some over also most of Auriculatum pink hybrids but a third not out of white. Mag delavayi on big wall over 160 flowers. Wall climbing hydrangea covered V.G. Our hay in but a lot out. A little corn cut on way to Truro. One lapageria out. Most dead.
1946 – CW
Very wet for long and now terrific storms. Auriculatum not out and also many of its hybrids. Eucryphia pinnatifolia at its best 2 days ago. Nymansii good. Pinnatifolia not yet all out. All magnolias, rhododendrons, and camellias grown well. Hardly any corn cut. First lapageria out.