Osmanthus x fortunei in full flower in the Isla Rose.

A drought casualty – Pimelea drupacea.

Fruits on one plant (female) in a group of 3 Diospyros lotus.

Simon Trudgeon delivers a speech at the Cornwall Field Trial Society. Open Qualifying Spaniel Stake for 16 dogs.

The Winner – David Templar with Countryways Octavia (making her a Field Trial Champion).

The Runner up – Dave Hodgson with Saxonvale Slinky.

The competitors, guns and judges.

The winning dog.

The winner and the two judges – Mr. Lascelles & Mr. Warren.

2025 – CHW

Camellia sasanqua ‘Sparkling Burgundy’.

Secondary flowering on Rhododendron ‘Chink’.

In Ireland Embothriums form clumps not from seed but from root suckers. The plant above the quarry is starting to do this. Unusual in the UK.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Hugh Evans’ just starting.

Cladrastis kentukea already leafless.

Gorgeous colours on Diospyros kaki.

And on Juglans cinerea.

2024 – CHW
A planting day in the sun.Oreopanax glabratus (BSWJ 14728) goes into the Aucklandii Garden.

Crataegus calpodendron with its first ripe fruits.

Quercus palustris and Stewartia monodelpha colouring up together.

Stewartia pseudocamellia ‘Koreana Group’ with remarkable colouring. Much better than S. pseudocamellia.

Seed catkin clusters on Carpinus betulus ‘Purpurea’.

Sorbus hupehensis covered in berries.

Hydrangea aspera, a gift from Lord Howick in March 2018, is perhaps the best thing in the garden today.

Euonymus kachinensis with secondary new growth.

Malus hupehensis also plastered in fruits. We should plant the two hupehensis side by side.

2023 – CHW
The Magnolia virginiana ‘Havener’ has opened more fully and so has the seed pod.

Hard pruning of Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’ (yellow) on the Main Ride.

The Magnolia delavayi which split in half has been tidied up. Is the darker wood in the centre of the stem rot or not? I think not as I have seen this before.

Vitex agnus castus in the sun on a remarkably hot afternoon.

Cladrastis kentukea turning yellow early as usual.

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Araucarioides’ was only planted in the spring but is doing well below Sinogrande Walk.

Flowers on Ilex cornuta.

Cupressus cashmeriana in the sun.

2022 – CHW
Cotoneaster glomerulatus with berries (ex. Roy Lancaster). The older plants on the drive and below Slip Rail have none after the drought.

Taxodium distichum ‘Falling Waters’ just starting to turn brown. Extraordinary habit.

The last fruits remaining on the leafless Crataegus schraderiana.

Sorbus hedlundii (KR 1801 A – best clone) with its first fruits.

Betula luminifera ‘White House Farm’ showing a variety of bark colours before and after shedding its older bark further up the tree.

Keteleeria davidiana (ex. Roundabarrow) with secondary new growth. This nearly died after planting but is now getting going.

Tilia cordata ‘Winter Orange’ with its fine autumn display.

The true Photinia villosa (we also saw P. villosa var. coreana two weeks ago). A group of 3 large shrubs below Slip Rail which Susyn Andrews identified for us last year. Seeing the fruits proves it. The comparative flowers were more of a puzzle!

Fallen fruit under Sorbus cyclophylla next door to Photinia villosa. I don’t remember seeing this species fruiting before but have seen the flowers. Fruits have already fallen.

Vitex agnus castus from a distance – now full out. Hydrangea aspera ‘Robusta’ the best thing in flower in the garden today but this is a close second.

First flashes of autumn colour on Tilia kiusiana.

2021 – CHW
Euonymus alatus ‘Compactus’ starting its brilliant autumn tints.

Flowers on Hoheria populnea ‘Variegata’. This form and Hoheria ‘Alba Variegata’ are both tender and struggle in a cold winter. Tucked away here in shelter they produce a fine October show.

Hoheria populnea full out at around 20-25ft in height.

A splendid second autumn flowering as usual on Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’.

Podocarps swelling on Podocarpus henkellii.

The horrid smell of quinces again fills the air by Slip Rail.