2024 – CHW
A few more Magnolias in flower for the second time.
Sorbus gonggashanica leafless already but covered in fruit.
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’.
Sorbus wardii with not many berries this year and still green.
Tilia tomentosa ‘Petiolaris’ with plenty of seed heads forming.
Bronzy secondary growth on Betula insignis ‘Fansipanensis’.
Interesting bark now as well.
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ and Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda.
Cornus pumila is romping away.
A single secondary flower on a very ancient Magnolia salicifolia.
Magnolia denudata ‘Fragrant Cloud’ has just one flower.
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’ now nearly out.
Cotoneaster cordifolius ‘Ogisu’ with berries rapidly turning red. Well worth Asia or Cressy collecting these quite soon.
2023 – CHW
A tail end flower on Rhododendron maddenii – scent still gorgeous.
A tail end flower on Rhododendron maddenii – scent still gorgeous.
Jaimie & Michael mark out the site for a new 10,000 litre water tank beside the Orchid House Nursery. This would be connected to the old church supply and gravity fed. With a suck and blow pump and a water carrier holding 600 litres we could then cope with garden watering much more speedily than at present.
Ripe walnuts on Juglans ailantifolia. Only 2 now on each flower stalk although we saw more than this forming in June.
Rookery clearing from above now complete. The timber all going for firewood.
Cupressus cashmeriana planted in 2005. We ought to propagate vigorously. What a fine drooping pyramidical tree this is making.
2022 – CHW
Hedychium densiflorum ‘Assam Orange’ is really over already outside my window. The flowers lasted only a few days.
Hedychium densiflorum ‘Assam Orange’ is really over already outside my window. The flowers lasted only a few days.
Lapageria rosea looks sickly in the drought but plenty of flowers. I need to check but I suspect it is out much earlier this year.
Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’ also looks tatty and only 2 flowers this year. One had faded to near white.
Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’ is only just starting into flower. Unlike last year not much of a show.
Aristolochia sempervirens looking lush and green with large seeds forming, which I have not seen before on this plant.
The two original Camellia sasanqua cut down in May have produced a remarkable crop of new growth, but the plants have been regularly watered in the drought.
2021 – CHW
Secondary flowers on Berberis wilsonae.
Secondary flowers on Berberis wilsonae.
The numerous seeds on Magnolia sargentiana robusta are almost ripe.
Multiple flowerheads on Schefflera delavayi. Much earlier than last year.
Eucryphia cordifolia nearly over again for this year.
Another (third) set of flowers on the playhouse wisteria.
2020 – CHW
An unusual number of large seed pods on Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’.
An unusual number of large seed pods on Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’.
Secondary flowers on Rhododendron ‘Elizabeth’ at Four in Hand as usual.
Escallonia bifida is now full out. One of the parents of Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ as is now obvious.
Merrillopanax alpinus leaves have hints of purple appearing on the older leaves.
One of the 30 year old Rosa roxburgii has died. The other has hips forming.
Oreopanax incisus has few leaves but a flower head! (BSWJ 10669) Ought I to cut it off to help the plant survive? Probably yes but let us see the flower full out first.
A fallen branch from Quercus acuta has some acorns forming but not yet large enough to be viable. As we saw last year only a very few develop into proper acorns.
Crataegus combyi now fully ripe and splendid in the sun.
Crataegus ellwangeriana ‘Fire Ball’ likewise.
Crataegus laevigata ‘Crimson Cloud’ has, as yet, not been gobbled up by pheasants.
A sunny bank holiday with the beach full but not that hot a day.
2019 – CHW
The Abies delavayi cones are now fully developed with sap still extruding from the tips of the cones. An even finer display than last year.
The Abies delavayi cones are now fully developed with sap still extruding from the tips of the cones. An even finer display than last year.
The Japanese Abies homolepis (Nikko fir) is also similarly covered in blue cones. One small cone has a twist of needles at the top.
Rhododendron ‘Blue Tit’ with a sparse second flowering.
The biggest Quercus acuta has small acorns as we have seen occasionally before. This year they do actually have properly formed acorns in the cups. Asia will need the long handled pruners to gather some of these if they are indeed ripe? Easier from cuttings perhaps.
The last flower on Magnolia kwangtungensis (Manglietia moto).
The seed heads on Dipteronia sinensis have now gone pink.
2018 – CHW
A tiny dead baby grass snake in the Rockery. Possibly killed by pheasant poults? Many sightings of adders this summer and several dogs bitten walking on the cliffs in Cornwall. At the GWCT clay shoot last Saturday I looked at a large springer spaniel from the Lizard which had survived an adder bite but the venom had decayed and rotted the flesh around the bite. The poor dog now has a 2’’ hole in its belly, a jumpsuit to wear and daily changing of the bandages.
A tiny dead baby grass snake in the Rockery. Possibly killed by pheasant poults? Many sightings of adders this summer and several dogs bitten walking on the cliffs in Cornwall. At the GWCT clay shoot last Saturday I looked at a large springer spaniel from the Lizard which had survived an adder bite but the venom had decayed and rotted the flesh around the bite. The poor dog now has a 2’’ hole in its belly, a jumpsuit to wear and daily changing of the bandages.
The hot summer has produced another crop of unusual insects. Here a couple of stick insects found by Michael in his garden at Rescassa. Occasionally, over the years, we have spotted these in the nursery where they may have arrived on plant imports from Italy or Spain. Odd how such insects could have survived The Beast in early March. I wonder what their life cycle is?
Wikipedia has the answer: Some species, particularly those from temperate regions, undergo diapause, where development is delayed during the winter months. Diapause is initiated by the effect of short day lengths on the egg-laying adults or can be genetically determined. Diapause is broken by exposure to the cold of winter, causing the eggs to hatch during the following spring.
2017 – CHW
Another one which will not be pinching our magnolia seeds or shredding the bark on young trees. This is the time when squirrels migrate into woodland as the corn harvest leaves the fields. Usually worse in October when the maize gets cut as well.
Another one which will not be pinching our magnolia seeds or shredding the bark on young trees. This is the time when squirrels migrate into woodland as the corn harvest leaves the fields. Usually worse in October when the maize gets cut as well.
Sarcocca wallichii flowers nearly out. Very early I think.
Viburnum macrophyllum given to us by Rod and Mary White this year is growing away well in its cage. Huge new growths.
Crabiodendron yunnanense is just finishing flowering and the ground is carpeted with greenish white balls resembling those of a pieris. I always seem to miss it when full out usually after walking under the tree several times!
Rubus ichangensis is still in flower. This raspberry is very late to fruit and already the leaves have great red and purple autumnal tints. Last year we saw fruit in November I think?
The cyclamen are popping up in profusion again all over the bank above the lawn. Thankfully just after the second grass cut.
2016 – CHW
This 1996 planting of five Hydrangea paniculata is today quite superb with just a hint of pink developing on some of the florets in the most sun. Now that Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ are mostly over this is the best thing in the garden today.
This 1996 planting of five Hydrangea paniculata is today quite superb with just a hint of pink developing on some of the florets in the most sun. Now that Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ are mostly over this is the best thing in the garden today.
Rhododendron flavidum is having its usual secondary flowering which is a bonus, albeit a small one!
Just as the eucryphias have been universally late this year so the hoherias have very little flower as yet. Hoheria sextylosa ‘Pendula’ has just an odd flower but loads of bud a fortnight or so off.
A drowning yesterday evening off East Portholland. Scuba diving apparently. Father died and one daughter also taken in the air ambulance. The new RNLI warning signs are all in place but yesterday was a remarkably calm and warm day. Without knowing any facts relating to this incident, and reading several recent cases of drownings all over the country in the fine weather, I wonder what more can really be done to prevent accidents of this sort? The local media do not yet seem to be trying to blame anyone and the rescue services (large helicopter, air ambulance, ambulance, coastguards, cliff rescue teams etc) were all on site at a huge cost to the public purse.
2015 – CHW
Rhododendron flavidum is another species which has an unspectacular flowering in the autumn.
Cladastris lutea (kentuckea) starting its amazing display of pure yellow autumn colour.
Another, rather dull, form of Hydrangea sargentiana from Crug flowering for the first time at Donkey Shoe. A poor replacement for the old clump which died out here 20 or more years ago. There were three plants but I killed one pruning it when I thought it was dead. Just dormant and my stupid mistake as these do not produce side shoots if you remove the leader.
1975 – FJW
Corn cut – yield good straw very sparse indeed.
1973 – FJW
All straw in.
1964 – FJW
Harvest finished.
1942 – CW
During the summer I picked off over 1800 Magnolia seed pods. Parviflora most over 9000. 5050 from No 2 and 2200 from No 1 – over 3000 Sinensis, 1500 from the big one, 5400 Wilsoni, 800 from the single one in New Planting, also 800 by Engine House.
Dear Charles
Just enjoying catching up with “The Diary” great read,love the un P.C. Bits! Plant information and photos always entertain and inform. The plant from us featured on the 31st August is actually Vaccinium megaphyllum. Our plant is about 6 years old,has not flowered yet and is 3.5mX3.5m X 1.8m high hardy down to -8c so far. Looks to be a big grower. Our newest Vaccinium acquisition V.dumicola appears to be a bit tender. One for you I think. Recently viewed a new species of Rhodo to me -Rh Polytrichum. Great foliage plant ,very bristly foliage- one to watch out for.