2021 – CHW
The very last flower on Magnolia ‘Caerhays Surprise’.



Another Carpinus variety in our collection which I missed the other day. Carpinus betulus ‘Quercifolia’.
2019 – CHW
Cutting Podocarpus today for the Podocarpaceae Plant Heritage exhibit at Hampton Court. About 60 vases of different Podocarpus species, hybrids and related species.
Jaimie found a late birds’ nest in one. In another in the Rockery a snake had used the trunk and branches to assist it with shedding its skin.

Tom had cut some flowers of Manglietia chingii (also called M. conifera) and now renamed Magnolia conifera. They last only a couple of days and even less in this strong warm east wind. The three outer sepals recurve as, it would seem, in all Manglietia.
The Cornish hedgerows are looking so wonderful that I stopped on the way to Burncoose to pick out a few things that we may well grow in our gardens but which are actually wild or native hedgerow plants originally.Lonicera periclymenum (common honeysuckle) has white to yellow flowers flushed red on occasion. Very fragrant and variable in form as you see here. Every garden centre sells this!
Compare Tropaeolum ciliatum to Tropaeolum speciosum seen recently. This plant has been flowering since March and never died down over winter unlike speciosum. Wonderful value and one which Asia needs to propagate from seeds or cuttings soon. A welcome addition to the Burncoose catalogue. I wonder if we can obtain any other hardy tropaeolum varieties?
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Overton’ has a huge flower on the top wall.

2015 – CHW

A little rain yesterday after a very dry month. The first rhododendrons are responding to it being dry by dying but it may just be honeyfungus which strikes at this time of the year.


The only goodish news is that several magnolias are, as a result of the dry spell, shedding their seed pods and will not be wasting energy producing huge seeds this autumn. Soon we hope to see next year’s buds appearing instead.
There is much talk about second flowerings of magnolias in September but I can find several very late stunted flowers on a Magnolia dawsoniana seedling beyond the Rockery. This was full out in late April. The stunted flowers are a much darker colour and right on the extremities of the branches.


1992 – FJW
First gossamer of rain since June 3rd. It has not been so hot as 1976 but the signs do not look good – bad weather has been hitting north north Scotland and the Mediterranean – newly planted stuff suffering.1989 – FJW
With Philip near recently dead Rho loderi, saw tree magnolias coming up in the wild.
1932 – JCW
Just as in 1928. Some goodish azaleas, a goodish double pink of Antony is extra good. The big Mag parviflora is extraordinary and many hundreds of flowers are open.
1928 – JCW
Moyesi set of roses nearly over. Maddeni is good and so Arborescens, Styrax, roses in the 3 beds and American Pillar.
1912 – JCW
First crop of roses is over, Arums nice, Escallonia langleyense and the late Wilson Fortunei’s are the best things open. Some Azaleas in the Beech Walk are well out. Has been a wet month.