11th February

FJ Williams Profile Picture
FJW 1955-2007
CH Williams Profile Picture
CHW 2015-
JC Williams Profile Picture
JCW 1897-1939
C Williams Profile Picture
CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW

To Burncoose on a very wet day.

Boxes of liner sized plants which have just arrived from France and now need potting on.

Boxes of liner sized plants
Boxes of liner sized plants
Boxes of liner sized plants
Boxes of liner sized plants
A lot of Schefflera taiwaniana liners in the delivery.
Schefflera taiwaniana
Schefflera taiwaniana
Camellia ‘Pink Clouds’ in the sales point – a perfect bloom!
Camellia ‘Pink Clouds’
Camellia ‘Pink Clouds’
The scent from the various species and varieties of Sarcococca was overwhelming.
Sarcococca
Sarcococca
Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ with plenty of flower tassels in the nursery. Our mature plant at Caerhays has none this year as we saw a few days ago.
Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’
Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’
Our freshly potted roses are surging into leaf.
freshly potted roses
freshly potted roses
Hamamelis mollis ‘Brentry’ is an interesting yellow colour. Relatively new to the Burncoose website.
Hamamelis mollis ‘Brentry’
Hamamelis mollis ‘Brentry’
Nice plants of Beschorneria septentrionalis.
Beschorneria septentrionalis
Beschorneria septentrionalis
Flowers on Othonna cheirifolia which I had not seem out before.
Othonna cheirifolia
Othonna cheirifolia
Canarina canariensis is another new entry for this year which I need to look up. Looks at present rather like a nettle!
Canarina canariensis
Canarina canariensis
Canarina canariensis
Canarina canariensis
Amazingly a flower on Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kay Parris’.
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kay Parris’
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kay Parris’

2023 – CHW
Interesting to see what was out and looking good in the nursery today.Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’ stunning in the early morning sun. An under rated plant.

Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’
Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’
Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’
Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’
Helleborus ‘Cheryl’s Shine’
Helleborus ‘Cheryl’s Shine’
Helleborus ‘Cheryl’s Shine’
Helleborus ‘Cheryl’s Shine’
Helleborus ‘Penny’s Pink’
Helleborus ‘Penny’s Pink’
Helleborus ‘Emma’
Helleborus ‘Emma’
Helleborus ‘Molly’s White’
Helleborus ‘Molly’s White’
Helleborus ‘Molly’s White’
Helleborus ‘Molly’s White’
Helleborus ‘Moondance’ – gorgeous leaves.
Helleborus ‘Moondance’
Helleborus ‘Moondance’
Helleborus ‘Moondance’
Helleborus ‘Moondance’
Helleborus ‘Moondance’
Helleborus ‘Moondance’
Pulmonaria ‘Opal’ – nice flower but poor foliage as yet.
Pulmonaria ‘Opal’
Pulmonaria ‘Opal’
Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ – a startling blue for February.
Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’
Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’
The telehandler unloads a lorry – a busy day with 5 arctics in the morning alone.
The telehandler unloads a lorry
The telehandler unloads a lorry
The telehandler unloads a lorry
The telehandler unloads a lorry
Berries on Lonicera alseuosmoides which I have seen before.
Lonicera alseuosmoides
Lonicera alseuosmoides
Black berries on Lonicera crassifolia which I had not. Ripe and juicy!
Lonicera crassifolia
Lonicera crassifolia
Distylium myricoides ‘Blue Cascade’ – I had not seen this properly in flower before.
Distylium myricoides ‘Blue Cascade’
Distylium myricoides ‘Blue Cascade’

2022 – CHW

Flowers nearly over on a young Camellia transnokoensis.

Camellia transnokoensis
Camellia transnokoensis
A gift from Margaret Miles of an unknown species of Eriobotrya collected originally in North Vietnam. Fully evergreen but not very like any of the other two species of Eriobotrya which we grow.
Eriobotrya
Eriobotrya
Eriobotrya
Eriobotrya
We are constantly urged by environmentalists to leave piles of deadwood to rot away and decay naturally. Here the insects, birds, fungi and bacteria are doing their stuff. This beech tree blew down, I guess, 10 or so years ago. The stump has nearly rotted away but honey fungus all around no doubt.
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
Lithocarpus harlandii getting away with high deer protection after planting a year ago.
Lithocarpus harlandii
Lithocarpus harlandii
Pittosporum glabratum has some recent secondary new growth and is also doing well so far.
Pittosporum glabratum
Pittosporum glabratum
First flowers out on a Pieris this this. This is Pieris ‘Dorothy Wykoff’ from memory.
Pieris ‘Dorothy Wykoff’
Pieris ‘Dorothy Wykoff’
Pieris ‘Dorothy Wykoff’
Pieris ‘Dorothy Wykoff’
First flowers full out on the American Oemleria cerasiformis.
Oemleria cerasiformis
Oemleria cerasiformis
The Camellia ‘Adelina Patti’ on the Main Ride has a few pure red flowers but, as yet, no pure white ones. It sports both colours on the same bush.
Camellia ‘Adelina Patti’
Camellia ‘Adelina Patti’
Camellia ‘Adelina Patti’
Camellia ‘Adelina Patti’
The yellowish Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’ is now properly out.
Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’
Below is a full list of the plants delivered via Burncoose earlier this week. Boring perhaps but this diary is a useful record.
Magnoliastore
Coates
Darkest Purple x Betty Jessel
First Love
cylindrica Hohman
J.C. Williams x Apollo
John Bond
Katja Landner
Lilac Chalice
virginiana Ludoviciana
Melon Sky
Peter Dummer
Purple Breeze
Purple Eye
Purple Star
Rose Marie
Rominas Pink
Sybille
dawsoniana Valley Splendour
stellata Wisley Stardust

R&G
Celtis sinensisPavia
Euonymus americanusAvaxa
1 Acer macrophyllum
1 Berberis jamesiana
1 Berberis kawakamii
1 Callicarpa dichotoma
1 Callicarpa membranacea
3 Hydrangea involucrata
3 Hydrangea serr. Mount Aso
1 Ilex pedunculosa
1 Mahonia sheridaniana
1 Myoporum laetum
1 Nothofagus cunninghamii
1 Stewartia Anne
1 Syringa protolaciniata
1 Syzygium aff. Griisii
1 Cryptomeria jap. AraucarioidesBurncoose stock
Prunus Shimidsu/Shogestsu x 2
Davidia Sonoma x 2. Requested one and billing for one. Sent two as small.
Abies concolor x 3 one needs replacing, I am aware. Not on attached list.
Carya ovata
Corylopsis pauciflora x 3
Hippophae Leikora
Hipophae Pollmix
Ilex Sunny Foster
Pittosporum napaulaensis
Pseudowintera Moulin Rouge
Rhus Tiger Eyese large
Ribes speciosum x 3
Sophora Dragon’s Gold
Sorbaria Sem x 3
Viburnum cinnamomifolium
Viburnum sieboldiiFrank Matthews
Prunus x per Spring Glow 125cm + bare-root
Malus Admiration (Adirondack) 7L container
Malus baccata 12L
Malus florentina 12L
Malus Prairie Fire® 12L
Malus tor Aros® 7L
Malus trilobata 12LLunaplant magnolia
Gorgeous C3 60/80
Illini Gold C7,5 120/140
Illini Moonlight C7,5
Bronwyne C7,5 100
Ian’s Cerise C20 250
Dark Shadow C3 60/80
Dennis Ledvina C3 60/80
Eternal Flames C3 100
Fire C7,5 120
Nancy C12 180
Pickard’s Schmetterling C7,5 140
Pink Pyramid C12 120/140
Romina’s Pink C3 60/80
Rose Quartz C3 60/80
Snow Goose C3 120
Spring Peppermint C20 140/160
Toro C20 160
Ula C7,5 160/180
Badenweiler C3 60/80
Flaming Heart C12 140
Romance C12 180
Miss Marble (fastigiate) C3 80/100
Nelly C3 80/100
Pink Butterfly C7,5 140
Summer Lady C7,5 120/140
April Melody C3 80/100
Avalon C3 60/80
Black Tulip x Ian’s Red #01 C3 80/100
Cassiopeia C12 100
Anne Leitner C12 200
Pink Flanell C3 100
Summer Rose C12 220
Vulcan’s Forge C12 160
Diana C12 160
Livia C3 100
Snowblood C20 180
Dimas Giant C3 60/80
Lesa Purple C3 100
Freya C3 100
Jost Wallis C3 100
Angels Landing C7,5 120
Tjebbe Talsma C3 80/100

2021 – CHW
Quite a bit of snow at Burncoose which, after two hours of plotting the planting programme in the garden, finally spurred me to go home for fear of the roads. Nearer Truro no snow at all but The Beast is with us and just as bad now as in March 2018. So strong is the east wind that it is totally unsafe in the garden this afternoon. Grim!

9am and a smattering of powdery snow through the nursery.

snow
snow
Even the euonymus in the tunnels are showing their displeasure.
euonymus
euonymus
Nevertheless lifting and despatching orders goes on apace.
orders
orders
I find a plant in the nursery which I have never heard of. Campylotropis macrocarpa. When I look it up it is a Chinese shrub with trifoliate leaves and long racemes of flowers which are purple to pinkish white. One goes in the car for Caerhays. I wonder where Clare, the nursery buyer, found this?
Campylotropis macrocarpa
Campylotropis macrocarpa
Amazingly a Kniphofia ‘Ice Queen’ is just coming into flower in a pot. I do not fancy its chances in the howling gale.
Kniphofia ‘Ice Queen’
Kniphofia ‘Ice Queen’
Pseudopanax laetus in the garden with its first flowers out in the snow. The flower buds and seed heads look much the same.
Pseudopanax laetus
Pseudopanax laetus
Pseudopanax laetus
Pseudopanax laetus
A quite well grown Ilex yunnanensis behind the pond. Totally un-holly-like leaves.
Ilex yunnanensis
Ilex yunnanensis
A fallen flower of Camellia ‘Little Bit’ on a snowy bench.
Camellia ‘Little Bit’
Camellia ‘Little Bit’
Rhododendron ‘Seta’ just showing by the tennis court. A short lived hybrid and on its last legs.
Rhododendron ‘Seta’
Rhododendron ‘Seta’
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’ (pink form) just coming out. A few days ahead of ours here.
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’
An elderly Rhododendron rirei on the drive just out. A very different colour to ours.
Rhododendron rirei
Rhododendron rirei
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gay Time’ on the drive.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gay Time’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gay Time’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gay Time’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gay Time’
Wonderful bark and masses of flower on Rhododendron barbatum by the lodge.
Rhododendron barbatum
Rhododendron barbatum
Rhododendron barbatum
Rhododendron barbatum

2020 – CHW
Malcolm Pharoah and his team from Marwood Hill Gardens visit Burncoose to see how a mail order operation works. They plan to start a mail order offering from the garden. Astilbe first with other herbaceous and Dr Smarts camellias later.Time to look at a little of the nursery properly between the violent squalls and rain that are the tail end of Storm Ciara.Camellia ‘Betty Sheffield Supreme’ in the cash point. This variety is a sport of ‘Betty Sheffield’ which is pure white! ‘Betty Sheffield Supreme’ has red frills so we appear to have propagated a branch that has reverted or muddled the stock plants.
Camellia ‘Betty Sheffield Supreme’
Camellia ‘Betty Sheffield Supreme’
Arbutus andrachne in full flower at the cash point. £25 size which seems a fair price for a rare plant of this size.
Arbutus andrachne
Arbutus andrachne
Arbutus andrachne
Arbutus andrachne
Arbutus andrachne
Arbutus andrachne
Arbutus andrachne
Arbutus andrachne
Daphen bholua ‘Peter Smithers’ looking especially good and scenting the till area.
Daphen bholua ‘Peter Smithers’
Daphen bholua ‘Peter Smithers’
Daphen bholua ‘Peter Smithers’
Daphen bholua ‘Peter Smithers’
Pictorial labelling of the whole sales area virtually now complete. A great advance in presenting our plants to visiting customers.
sales area
sales area
sales area
sales area
Daphne ‘Guardsman’ slightly disappointing now it is out. New on the website but, so far, a sparse flowerer.
Daphne ‘Guardsman’
Daphne ‘Guardsman’
I now discover that a huge beech tree above the sales area split in half in a squall yesterday leaving a precarious second half dancing in the wind. No access to the garden this way until it is still enough to cut the remainder down. It actually fell on its own half an hour later. This old beech had a rotten centre but was leaning into a nearby oak tree which had supported it for 25 years until the aftermath of Storm Ciara. Quite a mess to clear before we open next Monday!
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
beech tree
The magnolia outside the back yard nearly out after the storms.
magnolia
magnolia

2019 – CHW
Another trip to Burncoose with more time for photography.Daphne odora ‘Marianni’ in full flower and beautifully scented in a tunnel.
Daphne odora ‘Marianni’
Daphne odora ‘Marianni’
Daphne odora ‘Marianni’
Daphne odora ‘Marianni’
Loropetalum chinense ‘Fire Dance’ with buds and flowers. An attractive harbinger of spring which is becoming more popular. The dark leaves offset the red flowers to good effect.
Loropetalum chinense ‘Fire Dance’
Loropetalum chinense ‘Fire Dance’
Loropetalum chinense ‘Fire Dance’
Loropetalum chinense ‘Fire Dance’
Lonicera alseuomoides has produced a crop of black berries which now look ripe. A Wilson introduction. I had not seen the berries on our nursery plants before.
Lonicera alseuomoides
Lonicera alseuomoides
Lonicera alseuomoides
Lonicera alseuomoides

2018 – CHW
Off to the greenhouse to pick out different piles of plants from the frames for different planting areas next Friday which is a scheduled planting day.The huge camellia overhanging the top wall has been slightly frosted but still good in the sun and hailstorms.
camellia
camellia
camellia
camellia
camellia
camellia
camellia
camellia
A new form of Fuchsia arborescens from Crug Farm and Columbia is nicely out in the frame. Smaller individual flowers but larger trusses than I remember from what the nursery has grown in the past.
Fuchsia arborescens
Fuchsia arborescens
Fuchsia arborescens
Fuchsia arborescens
The Daphne bholua ‘Alba’ by the top wall is the best thing in the garden today. Scent immense and plastered in flower. The buds have a faint pink tinge but open pure white. The plant is 20 to 25 years old. Other varieties which grew nearby have died of old age.
Daphne bholua ‘Alba’
Daphne bholua ‘Alba’
Daphne bholua ‘Alba’
Daphne bholua ‘Alba’
Daphne bholua ‘Alba’
Daphne bholua ‘Alba’
Daphne bholua ‘Alba’
Daphne bholua ‘Alba’
A flower and a bud or two on Hydrangea lobbii in February! This grew well at Burncoose by the lawn but died, I think, of honey fungus or perhaps it is a bit too tender for us? In very full new growth in the frame but with a covering and some wind protection.
Hydrangea lobbii
Hydrangea lobbii
Hydrangea lobbii
Hydrangea lobbii
Stauntonia hexaphylla (or is it Holboellia latifolia?) has flower clusters nearly out. A vigorous climber here easily covering a 15ft high wall and 30-40ft across as a plant. I think the flowers will be white, tinged violet, with separate male and female racemes of flowers. We will see shortly!
Stauntonia hexaphylla
Stauntonia hexaphylla
Stauntonia hexaphylla
Stauntonia hexaphylla
Naturalised cyclamen, primroses and snowdrops all over the bank outside the front door.
cyclamen, primroses and snowdrops
cyclamen, primroses and snowdrops

2017 – CHW
A few more glimpses of the results of a very mild winter. One night of hard frost and hard ground and four to six days starting with a bit of white on the grass is all we have had although a cold east wind today. Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’ has quite a few flowers out now and this one has a nice scent today.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’
Tropaeolum ciliatum is in full growth up the wall and intertwined in a Camellia ‘St Ewe’ which is in flower. It seems to have been putting on a new growth all winter.
Tropaeolum ciliatum
Tropaeolum ciliatum
Tropaeolum ciliatum
Tropaeolum ciliatum
First flower for 2017 on the arum lily clump by the gents’ loo. No hint of frost damage here and a few snails hide in the flower.
arum lily
arum lily

Trip to Tregullow to see the garden (and the rugby). This used to be a much more frequent event before we moved from Burncoose. Rhododendron ‘Red Admiral’ flowers in the kitchen.The largest stinging nettles you are likely to see in February! 4-6’’ already. Cesspit nearby I suspect.

stinging nettles
stinging nettles
The propagating house is full of home grown cuttings of rarer rhododendrons. Phil, the gardener, has been doing a great job. Taught originally by Jaimie.
cuttings of rarer rhododendrons
cuttings of rarer rhododendrons
cuttings of rarer rhododendrons
cuttings of rarer rhododendrons
A new statue outside the back door with rather phallic connotations!
new statue
new statue
Rosemarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’ in full flower in February which is most unusual. Out of kilter to put it mildly.
Rosemarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’
Rosemarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’
Rosemarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’
Rosemarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’
Not a single flower bud this year on their big Magnolia ‘Lanarth’ by the back door. First time it has missed out for 20 years. I wonder why?
Magnolia ‘Lanarth’
Magnolia ‘Lanarth’
Some general shots from the Tregullow front door on what is now a bitterly cold day looking across the main road to the farm beyond.
Tregullow front door
Tregullow front door
England just beat Wales in Cardiff so all rather jolly.
2016 – CHW
Yes DJW and CHW both appear on ITV (local) news last night. David at No 10 Downing Street and me at Heligan sounding more pompous than I thought but it will give everyone a good laugh. Alex Smit (son of Tim) not the most eloquent of speakers and he had given up his breakfast due to nerves over his TV debut! Seldom have two brothers representing Caerhays and Burncoose appeared ‘live’ on TV in the same programme on the same day! Heligan’s head gardener clearly not too keen on No 10 and a host of Tory MPs (Cornish) and one minister (George Eustace – agriculture). Pity Caerhays is not open to the public yet to benefit.Dad of course missed the TV despite prompting but enjoyed the pictures of Downing Street and DJW.Filming at Heligan took 1hr 40mins to produce 2 minutes and 15 seconds of TV. About par for the course either side of a hailstorm and we only did two ‘takes’. In the first Smit was supposed to say ‘Cornish hotels and gardens are open for business’ and talk magnolias. Instead he waffled about autumn colours in New England and referred to ‘rhododendrons the size of hotels’. Not quite the theme we had in mind so ‘cut’.Yes ‘we’ were on BBC news (local) as well entering No10 but no BBC filming inside No10 unlike ITV.The main news item about Caerhays is embargoed until Monday but here is the press release which you cannot see until then (and will not due to the time lag in uploading this)! Rather more likely to encourage new visitors here than the media bunfight at No10.HHA/Christie’s press release and Great Gardens press releaseTelegraph article ‘Magnolias mark the start of this year’s Cornish spring

2015 – CHW
Found a tail end flower on Magnolia grandiflora ‘Edith Bogue’ Jaimie says it’s ‘Symmes Select’. Is this a record for lateness in the wrong season? First colour showing on record Magnolia campbellii on main path. Should be out in full by end of month if no frost or east winds.

1994 – FJW
Still very wet – some magnolias out.

1971 – FJW
Very mild February to date. Burns Bank partly replanted – snowdrops past best. Burnt Downs.

1954 – CW
We have had very bad frost and pond frozen over a week. 16° frost Lanarth . Almost all flowers out. Michelias looking very bad. Apart from Cam Tsai Hu no camellias hurt. Taliensis looks alright – Magnolia buds look all bad.

1914 – JCW
Some Caerhays daffs in the orchard. R lutescens is very nice, R mucronulatum going over. Several kinds of Rhodo’ open in the Beech Walk. Snowdrops at their best, Clematis chrymocomer is good now.

1906 – JCW
H Irving, G Spur, Tenby all open.

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