3rd February | The Garden Diary

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2026 – CHW

However are we ever going to clear this all up even in the whole of 2026?

The new bridge in the water meadows is now 300 yards from its original location and has floated even further in the recent floods.

Dry Walls has catastrophic damage. A lime tree has smashed the new bridge here.

Along the bottom of 40 Acre Wood.

Dead rooks and jackdaws are a common feature of the aftermath even 3 weeks after the event. Still plenty of live winged hoppers as well although they will soon die. I wonder how many pheasants and corvids overall? Certainly hundreds.

Under 40 Acres.

By the top of the lake the whole skyline has gone – obliterated quite literally.

Under Bond Street is a mess and the path will be blocked for months to come.

Another bridge has floated several yards in the recent inundation.

Below White Styles.

Below the drive.

The top end of Bond Street.

An evil sea and more heavy rain nearly here.

2025 – CHW
A slow recovery from a cold and cough so a few days have been missed.

Uplifting lower branches on a Schima as the laurel hedge cutting progresses.

Only a day to go to complete the laurel hedge cutting on the Main Ride.

The original Magnolia campbellii has two flowers out.

Our new barn owl boxes ready for installation.

Acacia cultriformis completely shattered in the recent severe gales. I wonder if it will reshoot if cut back completely?

2024 – CHW
The first garden tour of the year with Raf and his Belgian & French gardening friends.Camellia reticulata ‘Captain Rawes’ just out in the Aucklandii Garden. This is the Tregullow form.

First flowers blown open on the 1912 planted Magnolia campbellii.

Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomeum already full out.

First flowering of a young Polyspora on Rookery Path.

Brassaiopsis dumicola (KWJ 12217) totally unfrosted which is unexpected.

Rhododendron ‘Crossbill’ already full out below the Engine House.

Camellia reticulata ‘Royalty’ just out on the Main Ride.

Carpinus rankanensis has finally shed all its leaves.

2023 – CHW
A large numbers of rhododendrons are now dying as a result of the drought. Not just the big leaved species but many younger smaller leaved species too.

First flowers out on the sport of ‘Donation’ called Camellia x williamsii ‘Celebration’ by George’s Hut.

A dead branch in a clump of Rhododendron ‘Royal Flush’.

A last fallen flower under Magnolia delavayi which had just about survived the frost.

Polyspora longicarpa in flower despite wind damage to the foliage.

Another dead.

A drought hit Rhododendron barbatum. Half dead.

Polyspora axillaris aff. tonkinensis has suddenly died. Drought, cold (unlikely) or honey fungus? No sign of rotting from honey fungus at the base.

And a certain dead!

Another Rhododendron ririei just opening.

Half dead again – this one a scented variety.

2022 – CHW
A fallen leaf under Magnolia dealbata with its silvery underside. The last leaves fell only in mid-December.

Lomatia tinctoria had a few seeds but they have shed and we have missed them.

A perfect flower on Rhododendron ‘Red Admiral’.

Another laurel hedge cut back before the start of the opening season. This one below Engine House.

Flowers on Rhododendron ririei now properly out. Note the different colour on the tight buds.

First flower half out only on Rhododendron ‘Mrs J C Williams’.

Camellia ‘Cornish Spring’ full out but it rather hides its flowers inside the bush. A good thing with a tight rounded habit.

A fine flower on Camellia x williamsii ‘Caerhays’.

Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’ and Camellia ‘Alba Simplex’ above the greenhouse.

The fourth magnolia to flower here this year is a Magnolia ‘Lanarth’. A graft from the original plant at Lanarth at the top of the lawn there and earlier into flower than all our other plants. At Lanarth it is often out in mid to late January so clearly a very early form. There are five or six original ‘Lanarth’ still surviving at Lanarth and all this shape of flower with slight colour variations.

2021 – CHW
The mystery picture which we did not think was actually taken here between 1907 and 1914 or, perhaps, in 1921 has now been inverted as you can see.

This is indeed the second building at the other end of the top wall by the greenhouse. It does not have a chimney today but the remains of the internal brick chimney are visible inside the building.

The pink Rhododendron arboreums in the picture still exist at least 100 years on but, as you can see today, they are nearing the end of their lives. The tree heathers and large clump of Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ are still there.

Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomium

If you use a magnifying glass you can just see a greenhouse behind the seat. A larger and more modern one is there today. The orchid house and galvanised potting shed are also just visible and are still there.On another similar tack Jaimie has been sent a 1925 picture (postcard) of the castle and Porthluney Beach. The former boathouse is visible and there seem to be more walls and structures on the left of the beach than remain today.

The erosion of the cliffs has been dramatic along the coastline shown here in the last 95 years.Two odd bits of history!

Here is a short film of the flooded road from Penvergate to Rescassa taken on Sunday afternoon. The worst flooding in the water meadows since spring 2014 we think and far worse than pre-Christmas this year.

View 3rd February 1897 – 2020