12th October

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)

2023 – CHW

The Eden Project have spent 6 weeks trying to come here to collect the wildflower seeds on the banks. We have finally given up and cut them. Sadly we will have cut off many cyclamen flowers in the process.

wildflower seeds on the banks
wildflower seeds on the banks
Magnolias flowering outside the Back Yard. Not secondary flowers this time but a seasonal mix up after this odd summer.
Magnolias flowering
Magnolias flowering
Magnolias flowering
Magnolias flowering
Heptacodium miconioides still flowering away.
Heptacodium miconioides
Heptacodium miconioides
Araucaria angustifolia with ever growing cones.
Araucaria angustifolia
Araucaria angustifolia
Araucaria angustifolia
Araucaria angustifolia
Secondary flowers on Magnolia virginiana ‘Havener’ in 40 Acres. Ripe seed on the same tree.
Magnolia virginiana ‘Havener’
Magnolia virginiana ‘Havener’
The first flowers on our recently planted white Lapageria.
white Lapageria
white Lapageria
The pink one in flower beside it.
pink Lapageria
pink Lapageria

2022 – CHW
The Liquidambar’s start to turn colour.
Liquidambar’s start to turn colour
Liquidambar’s start to turn colour
Tree surgery to remove limbs off an old Pinus insignis by the Hovel which were threatening the drive. Another Health & Safety expense which is probably justified in terms of risk.
Tree surgery
Tree surgery
Tree surgery
Tree surgery
Tree surgery
Tree surgery
A single pale secondary flower on Magnolia ‘Plum Pudding’.
Magnolia ‘Plum Pudding’
Magnolia ‘Plum Pudding’
Schima khasiana with many less flowers than last year.
Schima khasiana
Schima khasiana
Another Schima khasiana with very few flowers too and the other 2 plants have none. Hopefully Susyn Andrews can help confirm if these are indeed Schima wallichii and Schima argentea when she visits next week.
Schima khasiana
Schima khasiana
First flower high up in the sun on the first ancient, white Camellia sasanqua.
Camellia sasanqua
Camellia sasanqua
Autumn colour on various cercidiphyllums.
Cercidiphyllum
Cercidiphyllum
Cercidiphyllum
Cercidiphyllum
Cercidiphyllum
Cercidiphyllum

2021 – CHW
A letter from Duncan Donald with a welcome box of bulbs of Narcissus ‘White Star’ bred by JC Williams and, until now, lost to cultivation.

2020 – CHW
I got the identification of the fungus at Burncoose totally wrong a few days ago. It was of course not a ‘Tuft’ but, in fact, Honey Fungus. Much like the fungi growing in these pictures on an elderly beech which may have to be felled. Armillaria mellea.

Armillaria mellea
Armillaria mellea
Armillaria mellea
Armillaria mellea

Doing a bit of research on Sunday I think that what we have growing as Schinus polygama is correctly named. I also think that Melicytus crassifolius is likely to be correctly named despite the shape of its leaves. Although we have never seen yellow flowers or white berries the growth habit of the plant seems to marry up and the leaf shape seems to be a bit variable in the reference articles online. Not listed in Bean or New Trees.

I am fairly sure that I have planted Schinus latifolius and Schinus molle here in the past and the nursery once stocked a few of the latter. This causes me to think that one of the unnamed plants below Tin Garden may well be Schinus latifolius which Bean says is closely allied to S. polygama but without the spine tips on its twigs/branches with ovate or elliptic leaves. Certainly it is different from the Schinus polygama growing above the greenhouse especially as regards the leaf shape and the lack of such pronounced spine tips. Bean says however that S. latifolius has larger leaves than those shown below.

S. latifolius leaves, when placed in water “after a short time, will start to start and jump as though they were alive, while at the instant of each start a jet of oily matter is discharged into the water. Thus we have in every leaf a sort of vegetable battery which will keep up its fire until the stock of ammunition is exhausted” (Lindley).

I had better put this to the test!

Schinus latifolius (?) leaves. I cannot smell any turpentine when I crush them.
Schinus latifolius
Schinus latifolius
Schinus latifolius (?) leaves in a glass of water.
in a glass of water
in a glass of water

There was zero movement at first but tiny movements on the smallest leaves after a few minutes. Perhaps, or did I imagine this? Perhaps the ‘jumping’ only occurs when the new leaves are formed in the spring?I fear this is not Schinus latifolius but it was a nice experiment!

2019 – CHW
Cotoneaster franchetii with its usual display below the tower. These fruits get carried by birds and mammals into cavities in walls and under slates capping walls where they grow and are both a nuisance and hard to dig out properly.
Cotoneaster franchetii
Cotoneaster franchetii
Cotoneaster franchetii
Cotoneaster franchetii
Carpinus caroliniana showing some autumn tints but only here and there. If grown away from the wind it might perform better?
Carpinus caroliniana
Carpinus caroliniana
Carpinus caroliniana
Carpinus caroliniana
The bark on Acer rufinerve’Hatsuyuki’ is as striped as ever but now also some purple tints on the leaves at the ends of its branches.
Acer rufinerve’Hatsuyuki’
Acer rufinerve’Hatsuyuki’
Acer rufinerve’Hatsuyuki’
Acer rufinerve’Hatsuyuki’
Laurus azorica with swelling flower buds which will soon be out. This has grown into quite a tree! It won’t be flowering in April as the reference books say about this Canary Island laurel.
Laurus azorica
Laurus azorica
Laurus azorica
Laurus azorica
Alongside it Eucryphia moorei in full flower. This tree blew over in the 1990 hurricane but was righted and pollarded. It is now back to 20-25 feet tall but rather off the beaten path and rather late into flower this year. The Burncoose plant by the mist houses often has the odd flower in the early spring.
Eucryphia moorei
Eucryphia moorei
Eucryphia moorei
Eucryphia moorei
2018 – CHW
Mespilus germanica in Kennel Close is absolutely laden with fruit which are approaching being ripe. I need to investigate how one should begin to eat these but believe they are best turned into jam?
Mespilus germanica
Mespilus germanica
Mespilus germanica
Mespilus germanica
Magnolia ‘Sweet Sixteen’ has a single seed pod.
Magnolia ‘Sweet Sixteen’
Magnolia ‘Sweet Sixteen’
Magnolia ‘Sweet Sixteen’
Magnolia ‘Sweet Sixteen’
Amazingly Cercis canadensis ‘Flame’ has a crop of flowers. It was covered in flowers in the spring so I am unsure whether this is secondary flowering or whether the plant has simply got its seasons out of line after the drought.
Cercis canadensis ‘Flame’
Cercis canadensis ‘Flame’

2017 – CHW
The young Stewartia henryae has superb red autumn colour for the second year after planting. None of the other stewartia species do this with us. I bought this from Esvelt and we must plant more!
Stewartia henryae
Stewartia henryae
Stewartia henryae
Stewartia henryae
Stewartia henryae
Stewartia henryae
From a distance I thought this was a styrax with secondary flowers. Impossible of course! Close to Styrax japonicus ‘Snow Cone’ has its first crop of very white coloured seeds glowing in the light sun. Well worth collecting soon when ripe.
Styrax japonicus ‘Snow Cone’
Styrax japonicus ‘Snow Cone’
Styrax japonicus ‘Snow Cone’
Styrax japonicus ‘Snow Cone’
Pterocarya rhederiana ‘Fern Leaf’ was only planted in the spring. It certainly lives up to its name and is well worth its position. Propagated in Holland by a new nurseryman.
Pterocarya rhederiana ‘Fern Leaf’
Pterocarya rhederiana ‘Fern Leaf’
Pterocarya rhederiana ‘Fern Leaf’
Pterocarya rhederiana ‘Fern Leaf’

2016 – CHW
More seed investigations today. Rhododendron eximium has set a few seeds on each truss but many of the flower trusses have now dropped their seed heads which had not set and have simply dropped off.  Those few which have set and swollen are still far from ripe.
Rhododendron eximium
Rhododendron eximium
many of the flower trusses have now dropped their seed heads
many of the flower trusses have now dropped their seed heads
many of the flower trusses have now dropped their seed heads
many of the flower trusses have now dropped their seed heads
The quince shrub below Slip Rail is, as usual, full of fruit which will turn yellow when ripe. Old Mrs Kendall from Rescassa who sadly died last year used to come and collect them in November. Personally I find the smell of quinces sickly bordering on retch so I would not touch the jam if you paid me.
quince shrub
quince shrub
quince shrub
quince shrub
Ilex latifolia seeds which we saw ripe on trees last spring are still very green here and safe from the pheasants or birds for some weeks. A very unripe holly!
Ilex latifolia
Ilex latifolia
Ilex latifolia
Ilex latifolia
Vitex agnus-castus is just producing its pale blue flowers on a young plant, however the pictures I took are completely out of focus!  Rather like a salvia in appearance and a pleasant autumn surprise.

2015 – CHW

Some fruit and nice autumn colour on Cornus kousa var chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’. The fruiting is irregular and confined to a few branches.

Cornus kousa var chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’
Cornus kousa var chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’
Cornus kousa var chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’
Cornus kousa var chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’
Cornus kousa var chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’
Cornus kousa var chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’

Corylopsis ‘Spring Purple’ has as good an autumn display as its spring bronzy leaves. This early leaf bronzing is seldom seen in small young plants in pots.

Corylopsis ‘Spring Purple’
Corylopsis ‘Spring Purple’
Corylopsis ‘Spring Purple’
Corylopsis ‘Spring Purple’

1947 – CW
Returned from Scotland. Very dry and rain badly wanted. Rho Yellow Hammer very good. Lapagerias nice. All the Rho auriculatum hybrids over. Hydrangeas good. Fuchsias very good.

1926 – JCW
There is nothing better in the place than Clematis panniculata. The fuchsia in the New Planting has flowers. Very little else in bloom.

1924 – JCW
Returned from Scotland last night. A wet cool summer. Most rhodo’s did very well and so did most of the shrubs. Some rhodo’s dead all the same. Not as many flower buds as we hoped but better than last year.

1914 – JCW
Hydrangeas going off. C panniculata good. Solanum nice. Cyclamen fair. Belladonnas very good indeed.

1907 – JCW
Returned from Scotland. Hydrangeas are the best thing. Cyclamen are very good. Roses bad, it has been a cold year, but good for rhodo’s. C panniculata good.

1904 – JCW
Returned from Scotland, have been away for 3 months. The Lithospermum of Sir Francis is the best thing out. Solanums, woodwardias, cassias, musas, lemon plant are all nice. Clematis panniculata promises well. Cyclamen very nice.