17th March | The Garden Diary

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2026 – CHW

Schefflera bodinieri with red seed heads by Tin Garden. The Schefflera species with the thinnest leaves which we saw at Tregrehan last week growing in full shade.

To Penans Farm near Sticker to help identify their ancient Camellia collection. Some plants are 80+ years old in what was once a country house owned by the Hawkins and Carlyon family. A 6 acre walled garden ploughed up centuries ago.

The Gibbs Arch at the top of the former walled garden.

The front door of the old house with the Carlyon arms above it.

Tree clearance work has finished in the Rookery.

Magnolia sprengeri ‘Marwood Hill’.

The row of Corylopsis sinensis on Burns Bank – made a video today of 4 forms of Corylopsis for the Burncoose website.

Camellia reticulata ‘Lovely Lady’ flowering properly for the first time 4 years on from planting.

Camellia reticulata ‘Larry Piet’ – a fabulous dark red reticulata variety.

Camellia reticulata ‘Fiesta Grande’ – not such a huge flower as yet.

Three good new C. reticulatas all together at the far end of Crinodendron Hedge. None of them are listed in the Trehane or Macoboy Camellia books.

Rhododendron ‘Wee Bee’ in the Rockery.

2025 – CHW

To Burncoose which is also magnolia heaven in the sun today and despite a light overnight frost.

Magnolia ‘Purple Splendour’ and Michelia doltsopa.

Syzygium paniculatum ‘Newport’ which I have never before seen with purple fruits.

Hamamelis japonica ‘Brentry’ – the last of the witch hazels to be out in the nursery.

Magnolia ‘China Town’ (syn. ‘Jing Ning’) in full flower.

Podocarpus elongatus ‘Blue Chip’ badly frosted above the mist houses.

Magnolia sprengeri var. diva ‘Burncoose’ beside the conservatory.

The view below the front lawn.

Magnolia ‘Livingstone’ – a spectacular first flowering.

The clear up of the felled Thuja hedges is progressing well.

A young Magnolia ‘Bishop Peter’ flowering well.

Magnolias towards the conservatory.

2024 – CHW
The rather dull species of magnolia called Magnolia amoena flowering sparsely today underneath the 1913 Magnolia campbellii.

A newly planted Pittosporum brevicalyx. A while before it flowers I fear so that we can verify the name.

Raf Lenaerts gift of Magnolia laevifolia x M. champaca x (M. laevifolia x M. maudiae) has its first two flowers. Not, as yet, show stoppers! Looks very like plain M. laevifolia to me.

Viburnum luzonicum (GSWJ 3637) was hard pruned after planting and is already reshooting well.

Camellia ‘Manuroa Road’ – another one to propagate as a good deep red.

Lindera angustifolia (FMWJ 13156) is just opening from tight buds.

Magnolia sprengeri var. sprengeri (84329) is now full out and even better than last week.

Camellia ‘Mimosa Jury’ is nearly over but still a fine variety.

Magnolia liliiflora ‘Raven’ has fallen over.

Nick Locke’s Litsea from Taiwan is about to flower. Our other Litsea and Neolitsea have generally flowered much later in the year.

Rhododendron strigillosum just out. About as hairy as it gets!

Camellia ‘Tom Pouce’ is a new thing which I have not seen before flowering here.

Camellia ‘Winter Gem’ is another new thing.

2023 – CHW
Jim Gardiner with Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusky Pink’ which he gave us a few years ago. Today in full flower with a beaming Jim! This is one of the several new forms of Magnolia sprengeri collected in the wild by a Swedish and Chinese research team between 2008 & 2010 which demonstrated just how varied M. sprengeri can be. Forrest’s M. sprengeri ‘Diva’ is however, still probably the best form. You can read details of the expeditions discoveries here.

2022 – CHW

A bright and sunny day for a tour with John & Vanessa Marston.

First flowers out on the scented Rhododendron ‘Jim Russel’ – ridiculously early.

Lindera megaphylla, an unusual and rare evergreen Lindera species, nicely in flower.

The deciduous Lindera reflexa in full flower.

Illicium macranthum (BSWJ 11809) flowering here for the first time.

Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ now full out.

Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’ also full out.

Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ has not been named and registered as yet. Nowhere near as good as Jaimie’s ‘Atlas’ x ‘Lanarth’ which we saw yesterday.

First of the yellow magnolias to show – Magnolia ‘Petit Chicon’.

A few flowers on the newly planted Magnolia ‘Spring Peppermint’ from Germany.

2021 – CHW
The Magnolia sprengeri ‘Diva’ on Hovel Cart Road is out suddenly today. No flowers at all two days ago.

Magnolia sargentiana var. robusta in the distance from the top of Donkey Shoe.

A few flowers still on the ancient Magnolia sargentiana robusta which now has few live branches in by the Podocarpus clump.

I have never seen Ian Baldick’s Magnolia ‘Ian’s Red’ so full of flower or looking better.

Camellia ‘High Fragrance’ and it really was despite the first two flowers being battered by wind.

Magnolia ‘Vairano’ is an excellent thing! (Magnolia ‘Iolanthe’ x Magnolia campbellii)

Magnolia ‘Laura Saylor’ is not particularly.

An exciting moment – the recently planted Magnolia sinostellata in flower. A new species from Japan and China with white flowers, tinged pink on the back of the tepals. It looks far more vigorous than Magnolia stellata itself.

Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ – no name as yet but well worth one I believe.

Prunus ‘Collingwood Ingram’ as good as ever. Such a dark reddish-pink colour and not dissimilar to Prunus ‘Felix Jury’ really but this one is out much earlier.

Our best Magnolia sprengeri ‘Diva’ is also suddenly out as well. No colour at all last Monday.

The young Magnolia ‘Philip Tregunna’ below the Pound is just out. I looked on Monday and nothing doing then.

First flowers on Camellia reticulata ‘Dream Castle’.

The gigantic near white flowers on out best Magnolia campbellii alba seedling. The largest magnolia flowers in the garden beating ‘Atlas’ and ‘Big Dude’ by an inch or three.