2023 – CHW
The striking pink form of Magnolia delavayi which Tom Hudson gave us 25 years ago. It has done well beside the Kitchen Garden and we must now propagate one to give back to Tom who has lost his original.
2022 – CHW
Another attempt to sort the Knapweeds outside the front door now that they are all full out and a delight on the new uncut backs.
I think this is Centaurea scabiosa or Greater Knapweed. One big clump on its own.
I don’t think we have Centaurea jacea or Brown Knapweed in Cornwall.I am really not knowledgeable enough to sort this out.
A wonderful night’s rain to refresh the garden after the earlier heatwave but strong winds have caused damage too.A large branch off a Magnolia campbellii seedling on the drive.
A trip to the nursery.All the camellia liners now potted from the mist bench.
Out in the nursery today:Arbutus unedo nicely out.
Interesting to compare the summer leaf forms of our various Gingko biloba varieties growing here today. The Plant Heritage stand of gingko varieties at Hampton Court had many more different forms but we are keeping up. The three young plants featured here are only about 4ft tall with a similar spread 15 or even 20 years after planting. Extremely slow growers and Gingko biloba ‘Variegata’ is even slower.One of the two original 100 year old Gingko biloba which has often featured in this diary with autumn colour.
To the enormous Bridgemere Garden Centre near Nantwich at the weekend with Karol. This is now a Wyevale Garden Centre having formerly been owned by the Ravenscrofts. Many changes and improvements but the six acres of demonstration gardens were still well maintained and interesting even if their rhododendrons were on their last legs too in the drought.Sambucus niger ‘Black Lace’ under-planted with Dahlia ‘Moonfire’ was a most effective combination of foliage and flower colours.
2017 – CHW
Off to Busy Bees fairly awful garden centre in the rain. Crammed with coach loads.
Verbena rigida may be one for Clare to look for when buying new herbaceous plants for next spring. Is it hardy I wonder? Not very tall growing (unlike our Verbena bonariensis) which will appeal to some.
Then a few new roses to search for and photograph for next year’s catalogue but I do not find any of them! They stock only Harkness roses which is good as we enjoy their company at Chelsea and their stock here is superb.
‘Happy Anniversary’ may be better pictures than we have?
Scraping the barrel today at ‘Butterfly World’ near Wooton. They had a power cut so entrance half price at £4.00, the tearooms shut and the fountain display (bigger than the butterfly bit) rather dull.The butterfly bit was ‘hot’ so photos will be steamed up. A variety of foreign butterflies being fed on oranges and grapes as well as the expected buddleia, hibiscus and lantana.
Note the quails!
2015 – CHW
A bit of research into meliosma reveals the bloody botanists have struck again and changed all the names:
Meliosma beaniana – now Meliosma alba (we have record tree)
Meliosma oldhamii – now Meliosma pinnata subsp arnottiana (absurd – what did Mr Arnott have against Mr Oldham?)
Meliosma pungens – now simplicifolia var pungens (we have an elderly original)
Meliosma cuneifolia – now Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp cuneifolia
Meliosma flexuosa – now Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp flexuosa
Meliosma tenuis – now Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp tenuis
New Trees (effectively the ninth reference volume of Bean) implies that Meliosma pungens is a new introduction. Patent bollocks as my article on oaks and lithocarpus clearly shows. Collectors showing off and renaming things (after themselves probably) without realising what happened 100 years ago.
Today only Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp cuneifolia (what a mouthful!) is out here and, although Burncoose stocks tenuis and flexuosa, I cannot locate where they are here so presumably they died soon after planting.
Cuneifolia has very distinct leaves with serrations and a broad bushy spreading habit. It has loads of flower clusters or trusses but the flowers are tiny and come out, then drop very quickly so it is hard to tell what has or has not come out. Still, not much else flowering now – eucryphias are late this year compared to last. An easy to grow but quite specialist plant. Underrated by gardeners but needs room to spread out.
2001 – FJW
Two great landmarks removed today – the stump of Sprengeri Diva and the last of Barbatum corner. A fairly dry summer without excessive heat for long (to date) but it had rained from Sept – May 1st almost non-stop.
1999 – FJW
A hot dry fortnight. Everything well out.
1981 – FJW
Granny’s 70th birthday – the rain came after a very long HOT spell. Winter corn good, spring poor in comparison.
1931 – JCW
American Pillars over. Schizophragma on the Laundry wall is most remarkable. Some fuchsias are nice but they are [?] and very small. One rhodo repens has blooms on it. Plagianthus in New Planting is very good. Magnolias delavayi, parviflora and grandiflora all have flowers. Delavayi a good many but some also on hypoleuca.(Handwritten note attached to Garden Book page)
Cuttings for 1931:
Kurumes 19720 twenty of each
Fedora drive twenty of
Plants to go out:
1 of Acer rufinerve in frame
2 of Mag globosa
1 of Acer wardii
4 of Michelia nitida
Several Enkianthus roseflorus
1906 – JCW
Very little but roses open and the Romneya.