29th June

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2021 – CHW

The very last flower on Magnolia ‘Caerhays Surprise’.

This ancient Cornus kousa hangs in there as one side shoot managed to get some roots down. The rest of the trunk is rotting away.

Styrax japonicus from Taeuksando (BSWJ 14182) has an erect, upright habit and decent large flowers. Slightly different shape to ‘Emerald Pagoda’ perhaps but not much different.

Aralia foliosa (Roundabarrow) is not at all like the herbaceous species seen a couple of days ago. A single stem and about 4-5ft of new growth already this year. Nasty spiked prickles on the stem. Perhaps 15ft tall now.

A young Magnolia macrophylla has doubled in size in a year. The old original plant died last year.

2020 – CHW
Another Carpinus variety in our collection which I missed the other day. Carpinus betulus ‘Quercifolia’.

Quercus x warei ‘Chimney Fire’ with secondary new growth after the rain.

Betula ashburneri with catkins.

Unusual to see ripening seed pods so obvious on Berberis wilsonae.

Phyllostachys aurea ‘Argenteovariegata’ (probably ‘Albovariegata’ is the correct name) is not a bamboo I have taken in before. Growing vigorous new canes now and rather attractive.

Carpinus fangiana is another species which I had missed out on photographing. This probably takes the collection to 20 different ones.

Himalayacalamus falconeri is another bamboo species which is getting away into a decent clump.

The clump of Azalea indica outside the front gate is properly out now. There are six different colours within the clump although, from this distance, only three are obvious.

This old and well established magnolia above the top wall which I can see today from my desk is plastered in flower. The old label says Magnolia tripetala but it is not! Magnolia x thompsoniana (Magnolia virginiana x Magnolia tripetala) is the correct identification. It has had some flowers out for a few weeks but now a big show high up.

Eucryphia lucida is nearly over above the greenhouse – I missed it.

A young Lithocarpus corneus (CMBS 692) making good growth after several years of sitting doing nothing.

Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘Nymans Silver’ just about recovering from the drought.

Sizygium smithii making good growth too. Planted last autumn.

First flower on a newly planted Viburnum fansipanense.

We always knew that this Michelia compressa was mislabelled when sold to us. It has struggled to survive and the flower buds appearing now could not possibly be those of a Michelia. Worth watching for an identification. The Tregrehan compressa is nothing like this.

Rhododendron ‘Dragonfly’ is one I have missed over the years. Huge trusses and a Jaimie label so planted 20 years ago and now 15ft in height.

Rhododendron weyrichii just out. An elderly plant of this deciduous species and an odd colour.

Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’ nearing the end of its lengthy performance. Still excellent.

Another decent clump of Rhododendron auriculatum which has not enjoyed the dry summers of late or the earlier drought this year.

Amid the ‘trash’/grass/weed growth I find matted clumps of another good wild flower above the Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’. It is growing in a damp location and I cannot find it in my wild flower books as yet.

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.

Then off to Tregrehan to collect more for the exhibit from Tom Hudson.
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 shrubby Styrax limprichtii full out. A rare species which we have yet to add to our collection. Shrubby and suckering like Styrax wilsonii.

Squirrels have taken a liking to Tom’s Rehderodendron macrocarpum and done untold damage much earlier in the year than you would expect ‘tree rat’ attacks like this.

Manglietia yuyuanensis at about 30ft with flowers at the top.

Manglietia duclouxii (Magnolia duclouxii) with white flowers turning yellow. Another new one to us with three outer recurving sepals or are these tepals?

Tom cutting Halocarpus kirkii (Dacrydium kirkii) for the Podocarpus exhibit.

Parakmeria lotungensis (a magnolia relative or a true magnolia species similar to M. nitida?) in flower. This has died on us. ‘Magnolias of China’ lists both M. nitida and M. lotungensis as species of Parakmeria which only adds to the confusion!

Derrecks (cattle) shed is a prominent landscape feature especially when viewed from the sea. Natural England want it maintained but a recent storm has done for the roof and a new one is going on. The walls are out of line and have moved after buffeting by the wind so a steel ring beam now has to go all round the top before we start on the roof.

2018 – CHW
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!

A blue fescue of some sort. I photographed this last year in the Isle of Wight but nothing like the 5ft tall it is here.

Rosa canina, the dog rose, is full out everywhere. Here a pink form.

The more common form (here at least) of R. canina is white. The forms I see in Durham hedgerows have larger flowers than these.

What a joy it is to see the hedgerows uncut until (now) August by law. The tourists grumble about scratches to their cars in narrow lanes but the plants are winning, seeding and adding to ‘diversity’. A popular word amongst liberal thinkers on the left but in a hedgerow context it actually means something.

2017 – CHW
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?

The old fashioned alstromeria which has grown, seeded and suckered itself in several borders.

Fuchsia exorticatica still has an odd flower left but the seed pods are swelling. People often ask us at shows ‘how long a plant flower for’? They are often disappointed in the reality of three weeks or less in hot weather. This plant has been in flower for at least five months since well before the leaves first emerged. Good value!

2016 – CHW
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Overton’ has a huge flower on the top wall.

Styrax wilsonii is just going over in the greenhouse. These are replacement plants for this species which died out some years ago outside the back yard.

Styrax japonicus ‘Evening Light’ has wonderful dark foliage and large flowers with just a hint of pink. This is the first time I have seen this new variety in flower although only one flower left.

Rhododendron ‘Pink Polar Bear’ is well worth its place and much earlier into flower than the commoner white form.

Styrax japonicus ‘Snowcap’ was only planted this year but is already performing well. The flowers protrude out and are far more visible than on a normal S japonicus.

Styrax formosanus var hayatiana (BSWJ 6823) was planted in 2010 and has done superbly as a dense multi stemmed tree. The flowers are just going over.

The original clump of Rhododendron griersonianum which we cut for Chelsea still has plenty of good flowers a month or more later.

Magnolia ‘Genie’ still has a couple of decent-ish flowers as well three months after first showing colour.

Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp cuneifolia is not yet out but the flower spikes are clearly visible.

A maddenia rhododendron with huge white flowers which I have never seen before above Orchid House Nursery.

Echinops battanicus has survived in this border for at least 50 years.

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.

Magnolia seed pods I — Magnolia seed pods

Magnolia seed pods 2 — Magnolia seed pods

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.

The Garden Diary

A Cornish garden diary from Caerhays Estate over 100 years

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