The big clump of snowdrops above Bond Street are still not full out despite the cold snap. Probably our best clump.

Below 4-in-Hand yet more Aucuba dies from (so we are told) its own peculiar strain of Phytophthora.

A worrying fissure in the trunk of this snake bark maple. I fear it will turn into a bleeding cancer and the death of this tree as we have seen in so many others over the years.

As mature snake bark maples go this is one of the very best. This is Acer davidii ‘Karmen’ planted in 2007. One below 4-in-Hand and one below the main Fernery. I don’t see it in the 2024 Burncoose catalogue.

2022 – CHW
Fuchsia excorticata out in flower or nearly so as usual.

A fallen sycamore below Donkey Shoe.

The end of an old clump of Rhododendron barbatum in the Ririei Opening.

A rather younger Rhododendron barbatum with its wonderful bark.

Camellia x williamsii ‘Debbie’ just out.

As is Camellia x williamsii ‘ Monica Dance’.

And Camellia ‘The Czar’.

2021 – CHW
The random Camellia saluenensis/sasanqua seedling which I found on 17th January looks very similar to the camellia I saw at Trewithen on 20th February 2018. Two pictures of the Trewithen plant called Camellia saluenensis ‘Isadora’ are repeated here. This was named and registered after one of Sam Galsworthy’s children although, like ours, simply a chance seedling originally. Both seem well worth a name or perhaps it is close enough to ‘Isadora’ to be called that too?

I then wrote to Gary Long, head gardener at Trewithen, and here is his reply in full:From: Gary Long [mailto:gary@trewithengardens.co.uk]
Sent: 20 January 2021 10:55
To: Charles Williams PA
Subject: RE: Camellia saluenensis ‘Isadora’Morning CharlesWe were just saying the other day how your prediction, during our visit last spring, you stating that this will be the last time we would all gather for a while came so true!C.’Isadora’ has yellow stamens. We have seedlings with the red stamens that we have tentatively, not registered, called C.’Rafe’ (we need to find an “Eddie” next for a full family!). Yours looks different enough not to be ‘Isadora’.See you “virtually” at the great gardens meeting.RegardsGaryGary LongHead of Trewithen Gardens and Parks
Truro
Cornwall
TR2 4DDInternational Camellia Society, DirectorGardens and Parks office: 01726 883750
Estate Office: 01726 883647
Mobile: 07743 470945
Email: gary@trewithengardens.co.ukwww.trewithengardens.co.uk
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www.twitter.com/trewithengarden
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www.linkedin.com/in/gary-long-b0054749/I am not sure that I agree with Gary just yet but need to take more photographs of our plant.Then to Burncoose where I could not resist a few more close up pictures of Hamamelis as most start to go over in a tunnel.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Aurora’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Aphrodite’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Feuerzauber’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’

Hamamelis japonica ‘Brentry’

The new multi span tunnel is going up fast but, typically, Northern Polytunnels have not supplied all the bits.

George Williams’ plant boxes ready for a big despatch.

The messy site for a supplementary water tank.

And an equally messy borehole pump house which is being replaced.

The cycad seed has split still further.

Clivia miniata full out in the tearooms.

Sarcococca hookeriana ‘Winter Gem’ is a new one for the 2021 Burncoose catalogue. Here just coming out. The flower “buds” are dark red but will open white eventually.

2020 – CHW
Camellia campetre ‘Fairy Blush’ almost full out.

Rhododendron ‘Crossbill’ now half out.

Rhododendron ‘Bo-Peep Yellow’ splendid in the sun a fortnight after it first showed.

2019 – CHW
Click here to read my eulogy to my Dad.The wreath of williamsii camellia flowers on Dad’s coffin today at the funeral.

The flowers outside the front door.

2018 – CHW

First daffodils out in Kennel Close but the flowers have been eaten by pheasants or guinea fowl.

And here are the offending guinea fowl! They have survived happily here for at least three years.

The plan today was to inspect our young collection of fan palms. Not all have survived but there are five to look at in Kennel Close. I manage only three today.

The planting plan is far from perfect but I think this is Trachycarpus wagnerianus. Doing well anyway in the shelter from a laurel hedge and developing a good sturdy trunk. Smaller and more delicate fan leaves than Trachycarpus fortunei.

The second one is I believe a form of Chamaerops humilis. Possibly Chamaerops humilis ‘Volcano’. I will need to investigate the invoice from 2015 from The Palm Centre. The leaves do have a silvery blue indumentum on the undersides. Clearly this plant too is doing well with many offsets forming a good clump.

No idea of this one either but is seems to be a trachycarpus with huge fan leaves with a circle or corolla at the base of the fan leaf as you can see. Anyone any ideas please? The answer is just Trachycarpus fortunei but I have never seen the circle before?

2016 – CHW
Hawthorn breaking into leaf this early! These plants will be planted in the cleared scrubland on Treveor Hill when it becomes dry enough underfoot to even think of planting anything! A record? Certainly a record to me.

Alongside the cash point Magnolia veitchii and Magnolia campbellii still have quite a lot of leaf left even in this exposed spot. M campbellii will be out in three to four weeks with no frost.