The dark red form of Azalea indica by the front door.

The tree fern in a tree stump is returned to its rightful spot after its trip to the Chelsea Flower Show. It is still alive but not looking like it did 3 weeks ago. Plenty of watering needed to get it rooted again through the old tree stump and into the soil.

The last of our Rhododendron nuttallii to flower. Three others are already over.

Cornus capitata nearly full out.

Picea pungens ‘Fat Albert’ was a purchase from Trevena Cross Garden Centre and planted in 2019. It is not looking well and has struggled into its new growth with lots of dead patches of needles. Drought damage or honey fungus from a nearby beech stump?

Several Hydrangeas starting to flower exceptionally early on the drive – here Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’.

Hydrangea serrata ‘Tiara’.

A pink form of Azalea indica.

First 9 spring lambs sold this week in Truro market for £133.00 each. Again, unbelievably early to start selling February born lambs, but we have had an exceptionally fine spring with lush grazing for ewes and lambs.

Deutzia x elegantissima ‘Rosealind’ about to drop its flowers and the colour has faded.

Hydrangea ‘Hamburg’ just coming out.

2024 – CHW
A flying visit to Belvoir Castle and a quick look at some of our previous planting at Croxton.Views across the garden.

Rabbits still a major problem.

Camellias eaten alive by rabbits.

The Salix and Poplars by the lake are doing well.

As is the Salix fargesii.

The magnolias are away too.

New outside catering at The Engine Yard.

The newly opened Belvoir Farm Shop.

2023 – CHW

An unexpected early drought casualty is Calycanthus ‘Athens’.

Rhododendron ‘Pink Polar Bear’ is struggling into flower and may well die before it does.

Philadelphus pekinensis just in flower in Tin Garden. Large shrubs in only 4 years.

Gardens closed now so the squirrel traps can come back into the open and an early catch here.

Philadelphus schrenkii var. jackii with few flowers as yet.

Deutzia monbeigii has many tiny flowers but, as usual, only on the older growth.

2022 – CHW

Syringa pekinensis ‘Yellow Fragrance’ not, as yet, looking very yellow (apart from the leaves).

Aesculus californica now nearly out and smelling gorgeous.

Keteleeria davidiana, which looked so sick after planting, now with good new growth and potential for cuttings.

Eucalyptus simonosii now full out all over the 30ft tall tree. Will it set seed? A superb tree with the most intricate pompom flowers as you see here.

Flowers just out on Liriodendron chinense at Slip Rail. No flowers out yet on L. tulipifera or the golden variegated form – both on the drive.

Attractive new growth on Lindera triloba.

Styrax japonicus from Taehuksando (BSWJ 14182) below Tin Garden. Superb large flowers but not that different to ‘Emerald Pagoda’.

Rhododendron ‘Tally Ho’ full out in the sun.

One of my mother’s Christmas azaleas planted out successfully years ago. A florist’s potful originally and now a half decent plant on Rookery Path.

Camellia ‘Grace Arbritton’ still with decent flowers below Rookery Path.

Euonymus moupinensis with its small reddish flowers that appear to be growing from the centre of the leaves. They actually have stalks back to the base of the leaves but unusual and peculiar.

Last flowers fading out on a 1980s planted Rhododendron yakushimanum in the Auklandii Garden. Only 4-5ft tall even now.

2021 – CHW
The G7 has brought lots of covid to Cornwall I am told. Two hundred police or security billeted on a specially chartered cruise ship in Falmouth harbour have got it so lots of Falmouth shops have to shut. Reportedly there were several thousand journalists camped out in the car park beside the Falmouth Maritime Museum. Once they spread back around the world the Indian variant of covid will indeed be everyone’s!Syringa yunnanensis flowering away at full strength for the first time.

Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’ (Korean lilac) in flower. I do not think I have ever spotted this out before although seed has been collected and grown. White flowers contrast with the foliage. Few flowers for a huge bush and not very scented.

First flowers out this year on the old original Styrax pseudocamellia.

The first grass cut in Kennel Close has started in this welcome heatwave.

Startling pale green new growth on Podocarpus henkellii.

What have always been called the late flowering ‘American’ (deciduous) azaleas on the drive by the Trevanion holly.

Cornus kousa chinensis just about fully out on the drive above Four in Hand.