22nd March

FJ Williams Profile Picture
FJW 1955-2007
CH Williams Profile Picture
CHW 2015-
JC Williams Profile Picture
JCW 1897-1939
C Williams Profile Picture
CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW (images to follow)

The Garden Society Dinner in London and 4 species of Lindera for members to look at:-

Lindera triloba has tiny flowers but grows into a sturdy upright multi-stemmed shrub. The autumn colour is better than the flowers.

Lindera sericea is a quicker growing and less woody upright shrub but also multi-stemmed. The flowers are as good as the autumn colour.

Lindera angustifolia is an extraordinarily quick growing tree with gorgeous bark and new growth. The flower clusters are a bit sparse and do not give much of a show. Near evergreen in a mild winter with no frost.

The flowers on Lindera erythrocarpa only open fully with us when the leaves appear so the overall effect is muted. With us this is a medium sized woody tree. Ours dates from around 1990.

All 4 species of Lindera together.

Lindera are dioecious which is irritating as you have no way of knowing if you have a male or female plant if grown from seed. All you can do is plant a group and hope to get berries with males and females present. Propagation from cuttings is difficult. They can root easily but overwinter badly and readily die off.

We tend to think of Lindera as autumn colour plants, and some are indeed spectacular then. However some species do produce a good spring show. About half the species which we grow are evergreen although all the 4 pictured above are deciduous.

2023 – CHW

A pleasantly warm and wet week where I think the water table will have got back to about normal. Frankie has dug out the stumps of a number of old Camellia japonicas in the Rookery to make a good new planting place up from the now flowering well Melliodendron.

pleasantly warm and wet week
pleasantly warm and wet week
pleasantly warm and wet week
pleasantly warm and wet week
18 to dinner on a Daily Telegraph gardening tour of the Great Gardens of Cornwall and 23 for the Magnolia lecture today. Three very wet garden tours during the week.
Lindera megaphylla in flower just before the camera lens misted up.
Lindera megaphylla
Lindera megaphylla
Illicium philippinense (CWJ 12466) still nicely in flower after 3 weeks.
Illicium philippinense (CWJ 12466)
Illicium philippinense (CWJ 12466)
Magnolia kobus var. borealis towers over Rhododendron macabeanum.
Magnolia kobus var. borealis towers over Rhododendron macabeanum
Magnolia kobus var. borealis towers over Rhododendron macabeanum
Euonymus wilsonii with flower buds not yet open. A quick growing species.
Euonymus wilsonii
Euonymus wilsonii
Phyllostachys nigra and Magnolia kobus var. borealis go well together.
Phyllostachys nigra and Magnolia kobus var. borealis
Phyllostachys nigra and Magnolia kobus var. borealis
The original Magnolia ‘Kew’s Surprise’ in the sun in the Rookery.
Magnolia ‘Kew’s Surprise’
Magnolia ‘Kew’s Surprise’
Narcissus ‘Mr Julian’ and primroses aplenty by the front door. Absolutely at their best.
Narcissus ‘Mr Julian’
Narcissus ‘Mr Julian’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x M. ‘Lanarth’. Another of Jaimie’s new hybrids flowering for the first time.
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x M. ‘Lanarth’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x M. ‘Lanarth’
Another casualty from the drought.
Another casualty from the drought
Another casualty from the drought

2022 – CHW

The strong east wind persists.

First flowers showing on all the clumps of Rhododendron ‘Countess of Haddington’.

Rhododendron ‘Countess of Haddington’
Rhododendron ‘Countess of Haddington’
Rhododendron irroratum ‘Polka Dot’
Rhododendron irroratum ‘Polka Dot’
Rhododendron irroratum ‘Polka Dot’
We are used to seeing the autumn flowering of Magnolia ‘Yakeo’. The spring version is much better and a totally different colour.
Magnolia ‘Yakeo’
Magnolia ‘Yakeo’
Magnolia ‘Yakeo’
Magnolia ‘Yakeo’
Magnolia ‘Angelica’
Magnolia ‘Angelica’
Magnolia ‘Angelica’
First proper flowers on Magnolia ‘Parfum’ but not out yet to test the scent.
Magnolia ‘Parfum’
Magnolia ‘Parfum’
This must, I assume, be wrongly labelled as Magnolia ‘Blue Diamond’ but it is not in the Eisenhut reference book.
wrongly labelled as Magnolia ‘Blue Diamond’
wrongly labelled as Magnolia ‘Blue Diamond’
Magnolia ‘Crystal Chalice’ is growing into a decent tree.
Magnolia ‘Crystal Chalice’
Magnolia ‘Crystal Chalice’
Magnolia kobus ‘White Elegance’ just showing.
Magnolia kobus ‘White Elegance’
Magnolia kobus ‘White Elegance’
Another young Pinus radiata snapped off at 6ft in the east winds.
Pinus radiata
Pinus radiata
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Serene’ is not bad but windblown.
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Serene’
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Serene’
The new growth on Tilia endochrysa is, yet again, breathtaking.
Tilia endochrysa
Tilia endochrysa
Magnolia ‘Spring Rite’
Magnolia ‘Spring Rite’
Magnolia ‘Spring Rite’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Princess Margaret’ at its best.
Magnolia campbellii ‘Princess Margaret’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Princess Margaret’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Princess Margaret’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Princess Margaret’
First flowers out on Enkianthus serrulatus.
Enkianthus serrulatus
Enkianthus serrulatus
Leaf now full out on Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’.
Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’
Acer palmatum ‘Orange Dream’
Magnolia ‘Sayonara’ slightly wind scarred.
Magnolia ‘Sayonara’
Magnolia ‘Sayonara’
Yet another Rhododendron arboreum ‘Tony Shilling’ looking good.
Rhododendron arboreum ‘Tony Shilling’
Rhododendron arboreum ‘Tony Shilling’
Camellia ‘High Fragrance’ living up to its name.
Camellia ‘High Fragrance’
Camellia ‘High Fragrance’
Camellia ‘High Fragrance’
Camellia ‘High Fragrance’

2021 – CHW
A late afternoon garden tour with Tom Hudson to look at forms of Magnolia sprengeri. We viewed about a dozen including a few hybrids.Daphne bholua ‘Mary Rose’ still full out while all the other varieties are well over. Great value in a garden plant.
Daphne bholua ‘Mary Rose’
Daphne bholua ‘Mary Rose’

Primroses on the bank at their best.

Primroses
Primroses
Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’ and Michelia doltsopa under an overcast sky.
Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’ and Michelia doltsopa
Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’ and Michelia doltsopa
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Burncoose Tennis Court’ in the Rookery (another below Slip Rail).
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Burncoose Tennis Court’
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Burncoose Tennis Court’
A couple of decent flowers still on Magnolia ‘Lanarth Surprise’.
Magnolia ‘Lanarth Surprise’
Magnolia ‘Lanarth Surprise’
Podocarps ripening on our Podocarpus matudae for the first time. Tom said that although he often sees these at Tregrehan in the autumn they can occur at any time in the year. Do we have a male P. matudae nearby? Not anymore but one did blow out of the ground nearby two years ago. Possibly fertilisation has occurred with another species?
Podocarpus matudae
Podocarpus matudae
Podocarpus matudae
Podocarpus matudae
The usual exchange of plants took place with Tom kindly giving us a Lithocarpus kawakamii (from seed off his plant), two new species of callicarpa, one new Symplocos with a highly scented flower and a new Michelia species.

2020 – CHW
A glorious Mothering Sunday amid the National Gloom. We remain open.

Jaimie has planted a group of Rhododendron ‘Ginnie Gee’ below Donkey Shoe. A heavily mulched surround.

Rhododendron ‘Ginnie Gee’
Rhododendron ‘Ginnie Gee’
Gardeners are now sending each other pictures to cheer themselves up. Here are some from Carolyn Townsend which were planted around six to eight years ago; and Simon Trudgeon sends a picture of his, possibly, ‘Mathotiana Rubra’ growing in Bristol.
From Carolyn Townsend
From Carolyn Townsend
From Carolyn Townsend
From Carolyn Townsend
From Carolyn Townsend
From Carolyn Townsend
Camellia 'Mathotiana Rubra'
Camellia ‘Mathotiana Rubra’

Vikki in the (now) takeaway tearooms.

tearooms
tearooms
Magnolia ‘Venus’ at the sales point.
Magnolia ‘Venus’
Magnolia ‘Venus’
Sarah taking contactless payments in gloves from the very occasional visitor.
contactless payments
contactless payments
Daffodils in a pot under the arch. My mother used to call these ‘Pink Howards’ but I have no idea quite why as far as the Howard bit is concerned.
Daffodils
Daffodils
Tom responds to today’s visit here as follows:
Sent: 23 March 2020 18:17
To: Charles Williams PA
Subject: Visit.
Hi Charlie,
Great that Jo and I were able to come along on Sunday, the net is closing fast now and we will all be looking at our own gardens for a while.
There is plenty to see, what a treat we are lucky.Just a few things that I had noted….That tender oak I think may be Q. fleuryi. [Correct]I think that the Kew Schima may be remotiserrata but it will be interesting to see it in flower. [Labelled excelsa]I will definitely get that Eisenhut book, the most up to date with the named selections and their parentage.Interesting to see The Rookery where the old oaks are and the Emmenopterys trees.
I quite like the feel of the darkness under the evergreens, quite like being in that type of Fagaceous forest in Asia.
We were surprised to see Emmenopterys trees in Vietnam recently, it will be interesting to see whether they will flower earlier or at all when compared to the original Wilson material.So much new planting in new areas has changed the feel of many areas and will set the garden up for at least a couple of generations.Many thanks, all the best,
Tom

2019 – CHW
A tour with a journalist from ‘The Tatler’. Not normally a publication noted for its horticultural content!

Vaccinum urceolatum still retains some reddish autumn colour in the Rockery although it is an evergreen shrub of some rarity.

Vaccinum urceolatum
Vaccinum urceolatum
Vaccinum urceolatum
Vaccinum urceolatum
The dwarf Rhododendron canadense just coming into flower.
Rhododendron canadense
Rhododendron canadense
This (and other) forsythia had flowers in November. Perhaps some forsythias flower twice a year but I had thought the late autumn flowers were a sign of a mild winter and a premature spring.
forsythia
forsythia
forsythia
forsythia
Primroses galore on the bank outside the front door. This is why we mow the grass here late and infrequently in the summer with the cutter bar set high.
Primroses
Primroses
Primroses
Primroses
Tom Hudson has keyed out this previously unknown evergreen Symplocos as Symplocos lucida. It is very fine this year with plenty of unusual and fairly unpalatable scent. It is becoming a large tree with a dark black trunk.
Symplocos lucida
Symplocos lucida
Symplocos lucida
Symplocos lucida
Rhododendron ‘Martha Wright’ just out and early.
Rhododendron ‘Martha Wright’
Rhododendron ‘Martha Wright’
Self-sown Pododcarpus salignus seedlings growing away beside the nine mature male and female trees planted in the 1920s. Some of these seedlings have in previous years been sent back to the Chilean forestry department as this conifer is now endangered in the wild.
Pododcarpus salignus seedlings
Pododcarpus salignus seedlings
Pododcarpus salignus seedlings
Pododcarpus salignus seedlings
First flowers on Rhododendron ‘Mrs Lionel de Rothschild’ – again very early indeed.
Rhododendron ‘Mrs Lionel de Rothschild’
Rhododendron ‘Mrs Lionel de Rothschild’
New sign on the door of the Tin Garden shed.
Tin Garden shed
Tin Garden shed

2018 – CHW
A horrid funeral in Mount Hawke of a 20 year old. A hundred boy racers wearing woolly hats may just have got to grips with the reality of their ‘sport’!

First flowers showing on Magnolia dawsoniana and no frost damage.

Magnolia dawsoniana
Magnolia dawsoniana
Part of yesterday’s planting all staked and wired.
yesterday’s planting
yesterday’s planting
A huge Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ now full out and untarnished.
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’
Rhododendron praecox just showing colour and thankfully rather late this year.
Rhododendron praecox
Rhododendron praecox
A few decent flowers on a Magnolia sprengeri ‘Diva’ seedling by Four in Hand.
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Diva’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Diva’
A fine display of daffodils and primroses outside the front arch.
daffodils and primroses
daffodils and primroses

2017 – CHW (photos to follow)Passed by Parliament Square at 2.20 some 10 minutes before the terrorist atrocity en route to Vincent Square and a police lockdown.

Showed Cephalotaxus fortunei at the 275th Garden Society dinner at Whites. Pollen everywhere! Home on the overnight sleeper – new carriages.

2016 – CHW 
A 24 hour trip to London for The Garden Society dinner (64 attendees) and back on the night train. Not the greatest display of plants I have seen but some nice things – Abies pindro, Lindera umbellata, Viburnum furcatum, Michelia platypetala.I took two forms of what we now call Michelia doltsopa and explained the puzzle between this and Michelia floribunda which ‘the experts’ say we do not have and Michelia manipurense which we may now have. Also Michelia ‘Touch of Pink’ and Michelia ‘Silver Cloud’ as well. It made them all laugh and we had a very jolly dinner in what is now known as the ‘naughty corner’ with Jim Gardiner (who retires from the RHS in October), my brother and Thomas Methuen-Campbell.
Michelia doltsopa
Michelia doltsopa
MICHELIA floribunda
MICHELIA floribunda
MICHELIA 'Touch of Pink'
MICHELIA ‘Touch of Pink’
Michelia doltsopa ‘Silver Cloud’
Michelia doltsopa ‘Silver Cloud’

1996 – FJW
Phillip saw first swallows – now very wet.

1992 – FJW
Saw a flock of the swallow family flying around the pond.

1947 – CW
No colour on any Magnolias, Camellia hybrids not nearly at their best and only Mary reticulata out. Blood reds and Rireii beginning to be good, also Sutchuenense hybrids. Not 100 flowers out in Tin Garden but come on a lot the last week. Still a lot of snowdrops. Rho moupinense good and Rho praecox beginning.

1940 – CW
Mag campbellii and sargenteanum opening. Salicifolia above Camellias fully out. Camellia hybrids very good also Reticulata species and Lady Clare. Rhodo sutchuenense hybrids and reds at their best, red Auklandii coming. Lutescens very good. Most daffodils out.

1924 – JCW
The east wind has left for a time and after a dry three weeks it is mild and damp, far behind 1921. No Auklandii hybrids red or white, few buds and most of them frosted.

1921 – JCW
The Auklandii x White Arboreum are good. The red Auklandii wanes. The heath Erica darleyense fades. Rho bodartianum is good, the first Mag Consipua and is open. Cerasus subhirtella not open yet.

1920 – JCW
The Berberis pinnata is VG, Cerasus subhirtella and pendula is good, heaths are excellent particularly arborea. Over 70 species of Rhodo open. I put scintillans first.

1913 – JCW
Some Poets are open, several Erica australis half open. The Arboreums about mid season. Anemone alpinia at their best. Many reticulatas open.

1907 – JCW
Bob saw the first martins.