2016 – CHW
The seed heads on Viburnum betulifolium are ripe and some have dropped although this plant usually carries its berries well on into winter. The best plants I know are at Trewithen and trained onto a trellis structure.

Rhododendron ‘Norfolk Candy’ has one surprise secondary flower outside the front gate. Another plant in this group is currently dying of honey fungus associated with the decaying roots of a nearby Pinus insignis stump. I thought it would kill them eventually but the next door camellias will be fine as they do not get honey fungus. Well known tip when planting near dead tree stumps!

Wonderful autumn colours on a young Rehderodendron macrocarpum outside the front gates by the ancient ginko. You can see the Pinus insignis stump in the background. A rare plant which has tough pink seed pods in maturity but not here.

Huge flower buds already on Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’ on the lawn. Is this the foretaste of another record early January magnolia season? Certainly they are very well swollen and far more advanced than I would have expected in October

2015 – CHW
Back to duller stuff! Quercus stenophylloides was planted in 2003 and is now 12 to 15 feet in a fairly cold location. This is clearly a tender oak collected by Allan Coombes and one he regards highly according to Tom Hudson. Anyway it is thriving here. Collectors’ number CMBS645.

This odd climber growing up a dead yew tree is a bit of a puzzle. It had a Crug Farm label (now lost) saying it was a rhus but can a rhus really be a climber? Perhaps Sue or Bleddyn Wynn-Jones will know? Anyway it has excellent autumn colour and insignificant flowers (perhaps even a second flowering?) which I suppose just might be rhus-like even if the leaf is not. Some of the inflorescences also have small greenish fruits as you can see. I think the plant has merit whatever it is. Needless to say it is not on the planting plans.

The new liquidamber collection on Sinogrande Walk is still green in leaf with hardly a hint of colour yet. None of the other ancient sasanquas are yet showing colour which is odd for mid October. The newspapers are full of swans arriving early at Slimbridge heralding a hard winter to come. However I still saw several swallows on Friday 16th October. A sighting of the first woodcock would ne1989

On day PMW’s plaque blessed at Gwennap Church, heavens opened and drought really over.