19th 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

2023 – CHW

A fine show of secondary flowers on the RHS Plant of the Decade – Viburnum plicatum ‘Kilimanjaro Sunrise’.

Viburnum plicatum ‘Kilimanjaro Sunrise’
Viburnum plicatum ‘Kilimanjaro Sunrise’
Cercidiphyllum japonicum just turning. This was a 1991 replacement for the Record Tree destroyed in the 1990 hurricane in the same spot.
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’ with ripe and falling seeds.
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’
× Gordlinia grandiflora with buds opening.
× Gordlinia grandiflora
× Gordlinia grandiflora
Zanthoxylum armatum (NJM 1108) has slightly fallen over perhaps due to the weight of its many peppers. The spines remain as spiteful as ever.
Zanthoxylum armatum (NJM 1108)
Zanthoxylum armatum (NJM 1108)
Zanthoxylum armatum (NJM 1108)
Zanthoxylum armatum (NJM 1108)
First few flowers out on Camellia sasanqua ‘Hugh Evans’ – a month early above Rogers Quarry.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hugh Evans’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Hugh Evans’
Plenty of flowers for next spring on Lindera megaphylla.
Lindera megaphylla
Lindera megaphylla
Last week Edward Bolitho said his Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ was out at Trengwainton a month early. I checked ours in Rogers Quarry and it is just out as well.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’
The second and later flowering Schefflera delavayi is now full out in Donkey Shoe.
Schefflera delavayi
Schefflera delavayi
Schefflera delavayi
Schefflera delavayi
A little autumn colour on Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’.
Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’
Quercus robur ‘Fastigiata’
A good crop of early flower on Camellia costei.
Camellia costei
Camellia costei

2022 – CHW
A few more Malus awaiting planting in the old Kitchen Garden have spectacular fruits.Malus ‘Neville Copeman’

Malus ‘Neville Copeman’
Malus ‘Neville Copeman’
Malus ‘Indian Magic’
Malus ‘Indian Magic’
Malus ‘Indian Magic’
Malus ‘Halloween’
Malus ‘Halloween’
Malus ‘Halloween’
Malus ‘Royal Beauty’
Malus ‘Royal Beauty’
Malus ‘Royal Beauty’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’ – the heaviest fruiter of all at a young age
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’
Malus ‘Rosehip’
Malus ‘Rosehip’
Malus ‘Rosehip’
Here is the accumulating pile of Malus with one more delivery from overseas to come.
accumulating pile of Malus
accumulating pile of Malus
Secondary new growth on Persea thunbergii.
Persea thunbergii
Persea thunbergii
Tom Hudson gave us two of these plants (TH4465) which he said were from a very primitive evolutionary past. He then said he had given us the wrong name. I had not seen it flowering but it looks like a Rhus in flower.
TH4465
TH4465
Berries now coloured up on Zanthoxylum armatum (NJM 11.080)
Zanthoxylum armatum
Zanthoxylum armatum
Good colour on a 12 year old Acer japonicum.
Acer japonicum
Acer japonicum
Athrotaxus selaginoides growing away well.
Athrotaxus selaginoides
Athrotaxus selaginoides
Athrotaxus selaginoides
Athrotaxus selaginoides
The other Tom gift is labelled Rhus chinensis but its leaf form is nothing like our plant with this name. Note the suckering well away from the main trunk.
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
First poor flower on Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Dazzler’

2021 – CHW
Nyssa leptophylla with the odd bright red leaf so far and the customary deer nibbling lower down.
Nyssa leptophylla
Nyssa leptophylla
Nyssa leptophylla
Nyssa leptophylla
A young Magnolia cavaleriei var. platypetala doing well inside its deer protection.
Magnolia cavaleriei var. platypetala
Magnolia cavaleriei var. platypetala
As is Podocarpus chingianus.
Podocarpus chingianus
Podocarpus chingianus
A totally unexpected late flower or three on Stewartia pseudocamellia. Secondary flowers or a sign of weakness in this old veteran? The flowers are high up on an old branch from the main stem.
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Stewartia pseudocamellia
Eucryphia moorii still full out with bumblebees in attendance.
Eucryphia moorii
Eucryphia moorii
Eucryphia moorii
Eucryphia moorii

2020 – CHW
Another day at Burncoose in the sun this time.Akebia trifoliata with pleasant autumn colours which I had not picked up on before.
Akebia trifoliata
Akebia trifoliata
Abutilon ‘Nabob’ still has some flowers.
Abutilon ‘Nabob’
Abutilon ‘Nabob’
Abutilon ‘John Thompson’ looking good as well with loads of flowers.
Abutilon ‘John Thompson’
Abutilon ‘John Thompson’
Oxydendrum arboreum has fully turned colour now. What an impressive tree this is.
Oxydendrum arboreum
Oxydendrum arboreum
Nyssa sinensis with two stages of autumn colour showing.
Nyssa sinensis
Nyssa sinensis
Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’ has a good yellow hue.
Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’
Calycanthus x raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’
Cercis ‘Ruby Falls’ is changing nicely too.
Cercis ‘Ruby Falls’
Cercis ‘Ruby Falls’
Catalpa bignonoides ‘Aurea’ with secondary new growth in the show tunnel.
Catalpa bignonoides ‘Aurea’
Catalpa bignonoides ‘Aurea’
Catalpa bignonoides ‘Aurea’
Catalpa bignonoides ‘Aurea’
Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’ with flower but the autumn colours have nearly gone over.
Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’
Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’
Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’
Rhus typhina ‘Tiger Eyes’
Our stock plant of Pseudowintera ‘Red Leopard’ is the best thing in the nursery today as regards autumn colour. Outstanding!
Pseudowintera ‘Red Leopard’
Pseudowintera ‘Red Leopard’
Pseudowintera ‘Red Leopard’
Pseudowintera ‘Red Leopard’
Aconitum ‘Newry Blue’ in the sun.
Aconitum ‘Newry Blue’
Aconitum ‘Newry Blue’
A few camellias with early flowers in our tunnel of saleable three litre plants:
Camellia x oleifera ‘Winter’s Joy’
Camellia x oleifera ‘Winter’s Joy’
Camellia x oleifera ‘Winter’s Joy’
Camellia ‘Cornish Snow’
Camellia ‘Cornish Snow’
Camellia ‘Cornish Snow’
Camellia ‘Takanini’
Camellia ‘Takanini’
Camellia ‘Takanini’
Rhus glabra with a flower but, as yet, no autumn colour.
Rhus glabra
Rhus glabra

2019 – CHW
Camellia sasanqua ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ just out above the greenhouse by Orchid House Nursery.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Sparkling Burgundy’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Sparkling Burgundy’
Callicarpa dichotoma coming into flower in the Isla Rose Plantation. Odd that this species is flowering just when the others seen recently are fruiting. This group have grown well two and a half years on from planting.
Callicarpa dichotoma
Callicarpa dichotoma
Callicarpa dichotoma
Callicarpa dichotoma
Attached here is a long missive from Susyn Andrews about the renaming of Symplocos aff. sumuntia which was previously thought to be Symplocus glomerata. The map shows the location of all Symplocos species in the garden here.

2018 – CHW
Magnolia kobus ‘Octopus’ has a few seed capsules with just a couple of ripening seeds in each.
Magnolia kobus ‘Octopus’
Magnolia kobus ‘Octopus’
Magnolia kobus ‘Octopus’
Magnolia kobus ‘Octopus’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’ has one chubby seed pod.
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’
Cornus alternifolia with attractive reddish-black autumn colour.
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia
Cornus alternifolia

2017 – CHW
First flowers out on Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’
Excellent red autumn colour on Rhododendron cumberlandense.
Rhododendron cumberlandense
Rhododendron cumberlandense
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winters Snowman’ just out as well. A good covering of flower this year but the other three varieties alongside are not showing yet.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winters Snowman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winters Snowman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winters Snowman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winters Snowman’

2016 – CHW

Jaimie took this picture of the last flowers on a plant of Indigofera yunnanense [Paul Bonavia has pointed out that this is in fact NOT an Indigofera but Desmodium praestans] growing above Hovel Cart Road. A rather more decisive colour than other Indigofera varieties which can be rather pale and insipid. We looked at another new species in the greenhouse recently (Indigofera howellii).

Desmodium praestans (not Indigofera yunnanense!)
Desmodium praestans (not Indigofera yunnanense!)
Bergenia ‘Sunningdale’ flowering absurdly early on the lawn by the tower with full leaf still on the plant. The flower is actually almost over.
Bergenia ‘Sunningdale’
Bergenia ‘Sunningdale’
Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’ has, for the first time, small round yellow quinces which are already starting to drop. They are well hidden in the low growing shrub and not yet smelling unpleasant.
Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’
Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’
Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’
Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’
Symphoricarpos albus has clusters of white ‘snowberries’ on the lawn although in full shade here. My mother made us dig these up as children but quite a clump has survived her efforts.
Symphoricarpos albus
Symphoricarpos albus
Symphoricarpos albus
Symphoricarpos albus

2015 – CHWSome flowers today! On Burns Bank Camellia sasanqua ‘Winter Snowman’ has sprung out in a week from when I last passed by. One of nine different sasanquas planted here in 1999 this is the only one showing. By sasanqua standards a very large double flower.

Camellia sasanqua ‘Winter Snowman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winter Snowman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winter Snowman’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Winter Snowman’
Schima wallichii (or perhaps it is Schima khasiana?) is about to become the best thing in the garden. I have planted several species including Schima argentea and do not see that much difference in the three species which are supposedly identifiable. This is an older ?1950s plant which most probably came from Trewithen gardens originally. Their huge clump will be a sight soon and set seed which ours never have to my knowledge.
Schima wallichii
Schima wallichii
Schima wallichii
Schima wallichii
Schima wallichii
Schima wallichii

1994 – FJW
Dry spell came to an end.

1931 – JCW
Poor lot of rhodo’n flower bud. Fuchsia, lapagerias, hydrangea are all our flowers except cyclamen.

1925 – JCW
Clematis cirrhosa a few flowers. C panniculata is excellent. Delavayi and Decorum good. Haematodes also good and one Maddeni in the 40 Acres. Cyclamen are going back. A great set of flower bud on most rhodo’s. Roses nice, one bed renewed after 15-20 years. Shall put in General McArthur.

1908 – JCW
Clematis cirrhosa is very good.

One thought on “19th October

  1. I correct my coment from yesterday and confirm that Jan de Langhe gives photos like your Podocarpus chingianus, whereas Ch. Earle gives this as near macrophyllus, obviously wrongly.
    Fitzroya cupressoides is obviously the ‘British Type’, typical the drooping branches and mostly the leader too, more so as propagated by cuttings. The normal types grow upright and are present at RBGE, as types of Prumnopitys andina.
    Both conifers are dioecious and need plants of different sexes to produce seed. With Prumnopitys the sexe of the plant is already seen from autum on as the male catkins are visible upright and branched on young twigs. Female cones, upright on branched stalks, are visible in spring.

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