2018 – CHW
Karpinus kawakamii restored to life and new growth after The Beast had, we thought, rendered it dead. The light pruning from six weeks ago has helped.
2017 – CHW
Garden visitors keep muttering that there is ‘nothing to see’. Although an early flowering year they simply do not take the trouble to look around even with a 2For1 entry offer.
Rhododendron viscosum on the drive. I have never taken in this elderly late flowering species here before. The one at Burncoose is paler and a bit later to flower. Nice scent.
Here are the latest leaf pictures, studio taken by Karol, of Michelia floribunda and Michelia doltsopa from Tregrehan. These show that the former species has a leaf petiole or leaf ‘scar’ of circa 50mm in length while the latter has a ‘scar’ of only circa 20mm in length. Apparently this is the only way to separate these two pretty obviously identical species in terms of habit, leaf size/shape and flowers. My paper disputing this conclusion is nearly finished and I hope to promote some argument.
Another wander up the top part of the drive. Just by the start of Hovel Cart Road is yet another rather good deciduous azalea with no name. There are several still out but you have to hunt them down amid the greenery.
We have just missed Sorbus folgneri ‘Emiel’ in flower at Red Linney. This was a selection by Pavia nurseries and has attractive drooping new growth. Good autumn colour apparently but I have not noticed as yet.
After all the phytophthera ramorum scares I thought we had removed every larch on the place but I now discover, up from Red Linney, three cracking plants of Larix kaempferi which are looking good. This Japanese species has exceptional yellow autumn colour so we hope for the best.
One forgets just how large and attractive the flowers on young Quercus ilex can be. The avenue on the top drive do not all flower at the same time nor do all the trees yet seem to be old enough to do so.
