10th July

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

Gevuina avellana reshooting well.

Gevuina avellana
Gevuina avellana
The first time I have ever seen flower heads on Persea japonica (BSWJ 12789). I cannot say they are of much interest!
Persea japonica
Persea japonica
Persea japonica
Persea japonica
Persea japonica
Persea japonica
The bark of Persea japonica is rather more interesting!
Persea japonica
Persea japonica
The Embothrium lanceolatum above Roger’s Quarry is nearly dead. These plants seem to live only 30 or so years with us.
Embothrium lanceolatum
Embothrium lanceolatum
Styrax tonkinensis may be nearly 20 feet tall after only 8 years but still no flowers. The tree split in half in the spring.
Styrax tonkinensis
Styrax tonkinensis
A Crug Farm Daphniphyllum aff. longeracemosum nearly died last year but, after a hard pruning, it has new shoots much lower down the stem.
Daphniphyllum aff. longeracemosum
Daphniphyllum aff. longeracemosum
Cornus hongkongensis is putting on a fine show but has oddly drooping branches.
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
An interesting colour combination of Hydrangea sargentiana ‘Gold Rush’ and Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula Aurea’.
Hydrangea sargentiana ‘Gold Rush’
Hydrangea sargentiana ‘Gold Rush’

2023 – CHW

Back in Seaview and the ancient Pittosporum tenuifolium in the garden has sunk over even more, so further branches have had to go. The insurance company once got stroppy about the threat to the house. No need to worry now as it will fall the other way.

Pittosporum tenuifolium
Pittosporum tenuifolium
No flowers yet on a large elderly plant of Myrtus communis ssp. tarentina in the garden.
Myrtus communis ssp. tarentina
Myrtus communis ssp. tarentina
Phygelius aequalis is, however, already almost completely over. Full out last year on the same date.
Phygelius aequalis
Phygelius aequalis
The Hypericum ‘Hidcote’ has had a generous clipping. RJW appears to have done ‘gardening’ during an earlier visit this year.
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
A gorgeous dark maroon, red-black hollyhock. Alcea rosea ‘Nigra’ (or a very near seedling to the true black form).
Alcea rosea ‘Nigra’
Alcea rosea ‘Nigra’
Outside the Yacht Club workshop and growing from the edge of the pavement is a large clump of yellow hollyhocks – Alcea rosea ‘Indian Spring’ (or similar).
Alcea rosea ‘Indian Spring’
Alcea rosea ‘Indian Spring’
Alcea rosea ‘Indian Spring’
Alcea rosea ‘Indian Spring’

2022 – CHW

A visit to the delightful and beautifully maintained gardens at Kiftsgate Court thanks to Max & Anna Kendry. In marked contrast to Ventnor Botanics, as I told who I think was the owner; Johnny Chambers. There is no predominantly herbaceous garden in Cornwall anywhere near as good as this. Wonderful planting combinations, great views over the valley below and signs of labels, care and maintenance everywhere. A true gem and the best new garden I have visited since the 2019 lockdown. Only a few hundred yards from Hidcote, but who would bother with the National Trust when the ascendency of the private sector was so obvious here. Amazing what Mediterranean species were growing facing west in the lower garden. Good mature magnolias, great pruning on the Magnolia delavayi on the house, the best Populus lasiocarpa I have ever seen. Outstanding in every respect and I look forward to returning at a different time of the year to take in more.

The view over the valley with a young aralia in the foreground. How many miles?

the valley
the valley
Phlox [?] and Ceanothus ‘Pearle Rose’.
PHLOX x paniculata blue paradise AND ceanothus perle rose
PHLOX x paniculata blue paradise AND ceanothus perle rose
The commanding view of the house over the valley.
the house
the house
Geranium ‘Azure Rush’ makes a huge clump.
Geranium ‘Azure Rush’
Geranium ‘Azure Rush’
Geranium ‘Azure Rush’
Geranium ‘Azure Rush’
And set beside Sanguisorba hakusanensis ‘Lilac Squirrel’ – quite superb.
Sanguisorba hakusanensis ‘Lilac Squirrel’
Sanguisorba hakusanensis ‘Lilac Squirrel’
Olearia nummulariifolia in full flower. I would have thought too tender for Warwickshire.
Olearia nummulariifolia
Olearia nummulariifolia
Phlox ‘Milly van Hoboken’ – sweetly scented.
Phlox ‘Milly van Hoboken’
Phlox ‘Milly van Hoboken’
Phlox ‘Cool of the Evening’ – not so scented today.
Phlox ‘Cool of the Evening’
Phlox ‘Cool of the Evening’
Dierama pulcherimum var. album which we stock but have never flowered in the nursery.
Dierama pulcherimum var. album
Dierama pulcherimum var. album
Hydrangea xanthoneura wilsonii in flower. I suspect the naming has been revised and I need to investigate.
Hydrangea xanthoneura wilsonii
Hydrangea xanthoneura wilsonii
Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’ – a gigantic edifice which is 85 years old (20m x 25m).
Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’
Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’
Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’
Rosa filipes ‘Kiftsgate’
Gorgeous double blue flowered geranium for which I could, sadly, find no label. [It is Geranium ‘Cloud Nine’!]
geranium
geranium
geranium
geranium
Two newer creations at the end of the garden. Not to my taste but so what!
newer creations
newer creations
newer creations
newer creations
A drought struck and pruned Burncoose magnolia in need of TLC.
magnolia
magnolia
Deutzia setchuanensis (possibly setchuanensis var. corymbiflora although the leaf description of corymbiflora did not always match what I saw) in many borders as feature plants where they have been staked up (usually multi stemmed) into 6ft tall shrubs covered in flower when we visited.
Deutzia setchuanensis
Deutzia setchuanensis
Deutzia setchuanensis
Deutzia setchuanensis
The lower garden and superb views (I did not, sadly, but for obvious reasons, photograph the Mediterranean species on the difficult and uneven stone paths down and up).
lower garden
lower garden
lower garden
lower garden
Lonicera implexa – a species I had never seen before.
Lonicera implexa
Lonicera implexa
Lonicera implexa
Lonicera implexa
Lonicera implexa
Lonicera implexa
What I assume is Schizophragma hydrangeoides (perhaps ‘Rose Sensation’?) with a fine show on the wall of the house. Probably even more pink in the early flowers.
Schizophragma hydrangeoides
Schizophragma hydrangeoides
Schizophragma hydrangeoides
Schizophragma hydrangeoides
Buddleia crispa full out. Normally you never see a flowerhead with all the individual flowers out at once. Usually it is just a few with the rest over.
Buddleia crispa
Buddleia crispa

2021 – CHW
Another smart tour of Ventnor so not so much time for ‘nicelys’ but still managed 69.Wisteria brachybotrys I assume with its last few flowers. Very vigorous with huge leaves growing in the newly planted Japanese garden near the sea.
Wisteria brachybotrys
Wisteria brachybotrys
We watched, very briefly, the Round the Island yacht race today. Hundreds of yachts of all sizes.
I had not realised that Ventnor had bought quite a number of magnolias from us and planted them in a windswept coastal location with loads of rabbits and inadequate guards. Stunted, dieback and bark all gnawed as you can see.
magnolias
magnolias
magnolias
magnolias
Greenish lizards under the agave plantation.
lizards
lizards
Agave americana in flower at 25ft in front of Washingtonia robusta.
Agave americana
Agave americana
Several Fucraea longaeva with 20ft tall flowers fully out.
Fucraea longaeva
Fucraea longaeva
Fucraea longaeva
Fucraea longaeva
Yucca rigida in flower.
Yucca rigida
Yucca rigida
At the entrance to Ventnor gardens an extraordinary sight. Dracunclus vulgaris in full flower from within a clump of Fascicularia.
Dracunclus vulgaris
Dracunclus vulgaris

2020 – CHW
A day to look at Meliosma dilleniifolia and its subspecies (which were previously species in their own right) to try to see what we actually have growing here. These are July flowering, spreading, tiered shrubs which may make small trees eventually. ‘New Trees’ indicates that the latest classification is now as follows:Meliosma dilleniifolia (upright panicles of flowers)
Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp. cuneifolia (plumes of creamy white flowers with hawthorn-like fragrance)
Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp. flexuosa (pendant terminal panicles of fragrant white flowers)
Melisoma dilleniifolia subsp. tenuis (pyramidcal nodding panicles of tiny creamy yellow flowers)So not an easy starting point with around eight plants of different ages (three to fifteen years old) to look at all with labels which may well be wrong today and nearly all bought over the years from Mark Bulk’s nursery and elsewhere in Holland. Tom Hudson has just given us a cutting of an unnamed Meliosma species which he grew from botanic garden seed originating in the wild some time ago which adds to the confusion. At least the other Meliosma species growing here are rather easier to identify:Meliosma pungens (now Meliosma simplicifolia subsp. pungens – original Chinese introduction here which still survives)
Meliosma alba (formerly Meliosma beaniana – original Chinese introduction here which still survives)
Meliosma veitchiorum (the only one to retain its original name – original Chinese introduction here which still survives)
Meliosma oldhamii (now Meliosma pinnata var. oldhamii – flowered here last year for the first time – see this diary)Pretty much a ‘buggers muddle’ as we will now see!1. This was planted in 2005 as Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp. cuneifolia above the George Blandford. However the flowers are in nodding pyramidical panicles of tiny creamy yellow flowers with a pinkish base so it is subsp. tenuis I believe.
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
2. This younger plant in Kennel Close carries the subsp. cuneifolia label but is also subsp. tenuis even if not quite out
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
subsp. tenuis
3. This large plant was planted in 2006 above Charlie Michaels Nursery bed also as subsp. cuneifolia. The same story here as it is identical to 1. above.
identical to 1. above
identical to 1. above
identical to 1. above
identical to 1. above
identical to 1. above
identical to 1. above
identical to 1. above
identical to 1. above
4. There is another younger plant above the greenhouse with no flower as yet. Also labelled subsp. cuneifolia but looks much the same as 1. to 3. above.
5. This one is (unbelievably) also labelled subsp. cuneifolia but is actually correctly named. The flowering plumes are upright and creamy white and they have a sourish hawthorn smell. The leaf shape is different too. This one was planted only last autumn.
subsp. cuneifolia
subsp. cuneifolia
subsp. cuneifolia
subsp. cuneifolia
subsp. cuneifolia
subsp. cuneifolia
subsp. cuneifolia
subsp. cuneifolia
6. The one on Sinogrande Walk is looking sickly in full sun but, inevitably, is labelled subsp. cuneifolia although it also looks like subsp. tenuis.
A fair display of misnaming by our Dutch friends! Two more 10 to 15 year old Meliosma dilleniifolia have died recently after achieving a height of 6x8ft as I discover today. Dry summers or perhaps they are short lived anyway? We have a supposed subsp. flexuosa coming on in the greenhouse I think. There may be one or two more plants to locate.

2019 – CHW
A visit to The Garlic Farm and Colin Boswell to view their traditional wild flower meadow beside the shop and restaurant. A real tourist trap. The meadow was just going over its maximum flowering but still impressive. It is replanted each autumn after two doses of rather unorganic round up which is of course not talked about. These plants would all have grown in island cornfields 80 to 100 years ago.

The Garlic Farm
The Garlic Farm
This flower is a ‘corn rattle’ which is hardly ever seen today. Caws called it a ‘corncrake’ which upset Boswell.
corn rattle
corn rattle
Poppies galore with cornflowers.
Poppies
Poppies
Poppies
Poppies
Poppies
Poppies
Poppies
Poppies
Poppies
Poppies
Allium ameloprasum, elephant garlic, was one of several small plots of garlic species growing amid the wild flowers.
Allium ameloprasum
Allium ameloprasum
Then on to Tipsy Wight, a small farm business employing four people making vodka based liqueurs flavoured with natural handpicked fruits growing in the fields and hedgerows on the farm. Summer fruits, beech leaves, quince, rosehips, bullens, sloes etc. About 20 flavours at 24% proof and hand bottled into bottles with misshapen bottoms as you can see. Stocked by English Heritage in its shops and available by mail order. The solution for me to the annual Christmas present problem. We sampled the quince and it tasted far nicer than I dared expect from this foul smelling fruit. They want to grow Ugni molinae for its red fruits which taste like strawberries. Perhaps a sale for Burncoose here but they will need a couple of hundred plants to produce a viable crop.
A nice market but expensive bottles and packaging. The vodka is bought in neat. The whole business in three rooms of a former stables.
Tipsy Wight
Tipsy Wight
Tipsy Wight
Tipsy Wight
Tipsy Wight
Tipsy Wight
The wonderful view from the Lovegrove’s Hill Farm near Bembridge facing south. Ash disease is taking hold all over the farm.
view from the Lovegrove’s Hill Farm
view from the Lovegrove’s Hill Farm

2018 – CHW
The garden here in Seaview is pretty bare and unloved.The Phygelius x rectus ‘Devils Tears’ is in full flower and the best thing here at present. About 5ft tall and very much in its prime despite the cold in March which you might have thought would have cut it back to ground level. The inside of each of the tubular flowers is flashed with yellow which you only see if you turn an individual inverted flower to face you.
Phygelius x rectus ‘Devils Tears’
Phygelius x rectus ‘Devils Tears’
Phygelius x rectus ‘Devils Tears’
Phygelius x rectus ‘Devils Tears’
Phygelius x rectus ‘Devils Tears’
Phygelius x rectus ‘Devils Tears’
I planted the climbing Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’ here against a wall of the house (facing west) three years ago and it is doing well. It now needs more supports on the wall to encourage more growth but sadly the leaders have been pruned out by someone who failed to realise that it is a climbing fuchsia!
Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’
Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’
Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’
Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’ has been so scorched by the current heatwave that the petals on the flowers are literally shrivelling on the plant without coming out properly. You would have thought a hypericum would have been tough enough to overcome the drought.
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
Jasminum officinale is nicely out on the wall too and so far untouched by the drought. About a fortnight later into full flower than last year.
Jasminum officinale
Jasminum officinale
The difference between the 1976 drought (in Cornwall at least) and the current one is that in 1976 there was no appreciable rain from 23rd April until September after a record early harvest. This year we started a late season after a very wet April and the underground water table started full. That is perhaps why we are not yet into serious water shortages and hosepipe bans.

2017 – CHW
The Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’ on the drive are just coming out and what a sight these huge clumps are. Clearly Rhododendron auriculatum in the parentage to get such late flowering and the leaf clearly shows this too. I wonder how these three separate huge clumps came to be in the garden (actually there are four) and from what era, breeder or nursery? At least we have successfully layered this clump to ensure its survival although the layers are now too big to transplant. Just an extension of the clump in reality.
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Hydrangea ‘Taube’ is just out. A startling blue indeed and a plant everyone should grow (on acid soil) if they only have room for just one hydrangea.
Hydrangea ‘Taube’
Hydrangea ‘Taube’
Hydrangea ‘Taube’
Hydrangea ‘Taube’
Hydrangea ‘Taube’
Hydrangea ‘Taube’
Another batch of dead stumps dug up to make room for replanting in the spring.
dead stumps
dead stumps
The end of the embothrium which has been so splendid in recent years. It died over winter. These trees live only 30 years or so as we have proved yet again. Time to plant several more as the others dotted about the garden are the same age.
embothrium
embothrium
Hydrangea ‘Lady Taiko’ has this startling blue-white bi-coloured red effect but the mopheads soon burn in the sun.
Hydrangea ‘Lady Taiko’
Hydrangea ‘Lady Taiko’
Hydrangea ‘Lady Taiko’
Hydrangea ‘Lady Taiko’
Hydrangea ‘Lady Taiko’
Hydrangea ‘Lady Taiko’
Hydrangea ‘Geoffrey Chadbund’ – purplish at first fading to pinkish-red here. This is an enormous clump of plants on the drive. Quite a spectacle today and for a week or three.
Hydrangea ‘Geoffrey Chadbund’
Hydrangea ‘Geoffrey Chadbund’
Hydrangea ‘Geoffrey Chadbund’
Hydrangea ‘Geoffrey Chadbund’
Hydrangea ‘Geoffrey Chadbund’
Hydrangea ‘Geoffrey Chadbund’
Hydrangea ‘R F Felton’ is another good paleish but imposing blue mophead.
Hydrangea ‘R F Felton’
Hydrangea ‘R F Felton’
Hydrangea ‘R F Felton’
Hydrangea ‘R F Felton’
Hydrangea ‘R F Felton’
Hydrangea ‘R F Felton’
Buddleia lindleyana is just out much earlier than last year overhanging the drive. The deep purple trumpets on long flowering racemes (often splitting into three racemes) are normally a September show.
Buddleia lindleyana
Buddleia lindleyana
Buddleia lindleyana
Buddleia lindleyana
Buddleia lindleyana
Buddleia lindleyana

2016 – CHW
A party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose to ‘launch’ the house on an overcast evening. You are seeing the ‘well behaved’ bit although I was dragged away at 7pm. Not since the last village fete or major staff party has there been so much ‘action’ around the house.
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
party given by my brother for Savills staff at Burncoose
2015 – CHW
Ventnor Botanic Gardens moved from public to community trust ownership two years ago. Last year you could see the standards of care had risen but not so sure this time. Plenty of bindweed, still pathetically few name labels for a botanic garden and just how many Echium fastuosum can you stick?  Soon time to restart whole areas but I guess they are struggling for cash although entry price is now £7.50 (ticket readmits free for a week which is an idea holidaymakers would like).  Although my visit is exactly the same time as last year much is over. The Echiums are absolutely over as are the Cistus, Puya and most of the Callistemon. Many of the Lampranthus colours, there were six or eight, have died out or gone.

Three outstanding things did however catch the camera: Fucraea longaeva by the café were 15 feet or more tall in flower. Very different in flower to the Beschorneria yuccoides which flowers at Burncoose by the packing shed. These promptly die after flowering and two were already going in the succulent section. What an unusual sight and, of course, no label for the public on any of them.

Fucraea longaeva
Fucraea longaeva
Fucraea longaeva
Fucraea longaeva
Fucraea longaeva
Fucraea longaeva
Sisyrinchium striatum
Sisyrinchium striatum

Sisyrinchium striatum in profusion on a very dry bank under a pine tree. Better than a stand of foxgloves today and the second best spectacle in the garden. Burncoose stocks it and the variegated form called ‘Aunt May’.

We had Cantua buxifolia on our stand at Chelsea this year. Clearly a tender plant normally only for the patio but this one is 4ft tall and 6ft across. The flowers are much darker and redder than our plants which were more pink than red. It needs growing, as here, on a bank so its flowers can hang down without trailing on the ground. No label.
Cantua buxifolia
Cantua buxifolia
Cantua buxifolia
Cantua buxifolia
Cantua buxifolia
Cantua buxifolia

1995 – FJW
Some rain at last – after several weeks dry.
1944 – CW
Magnolia grandiflora out and delavayi the last few weeks. Styrax japonica best thing in the place. Then the young leaves of the Rho Sir Charles Lemon. Several good Auriculatum hybrids. Didymum Rho good, also one Prophantum. Wet the last 3 weeks after a long dry spell.

1927 – JCW
Only a few Giganteum but they are good. Late rhodo’s remain. Late Plagianthus are hardly open. Griersonianum nice yet and so Eriogynum. There has been a lot of rain on and off for two weeks. American Pillar X X X.

1907 – JCW
Lilium giganteum just opening.

One thought on “10th July

  1. I think most people (garden adicts, of cours) recognize that behind the flowering Agave
    there is a Phoenix canariensis palm and a smaller Brahea armata, no Washingtonia – a lapsus-, a further lapsus pennae in Furcraea, a Agave relative, named in honour of the french chemist de Fourcroy.

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