2016 – CHW
Sad news. The recently registered (as new) Magnolia ‘Tropicana’ has split in half overnight. We have had a week of unusual strong south east winds which are mildish in temperature but strong enough to break much debris onto the drive and split a magnolia in full leaf. We will send cutting material to Burncoose tomorrow. I promised a review of the newer bamboo species and how they have progressed in a year since they were last photographed:Hibanobambusa tranquillans ‘Shiroshima’ had seemed a dwarf but is now racing away to 6ft. A very attractive variegated bamboo and one we must get for the nursery to stock. We could dig a few canes here soon.

Chusquea gigantea is clearly in too shady a place but is already 12ft or so after planting at a small size in 2011. This will be new in the 2017 catalogue.

Stewartia henryae has very striking red autumn colour and stands out in Kennel Close although only planted this year. Wrong place again I fear as too exposed for it to show off its autumn colour well later in life.

Fargesia utilis – supposedly the largest growing species of fargesia which is fully hardy but here the leaves are often blown off in winter with no ill effect next year.

Fargesia rufa (syn Fargesia dracocephala ‘Green Panda’ according to Hillier’s) seems to grow to about 10ft and is spreading vigorously.

Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda – this one will be in the Burncoose 2017 catalogue. An extraordinary layered spreading habit. Easily the most shapely and attractive of these six new ones. The canes are used in China as walking sticks.

Fargesia robusta is as its name implies although only planted (as all these were) in 2011. It will, and already is, breaking some underdraft.

I see on the plan that I have missed the seventh one – Himalayacalmus falconeri. This has grown poorly and only two survive from the original clump of three or five. This lot are more exposed to wind but the survivors seem fine today.I think I am sick of new bamboo species and their bizarre unpronounceable names so I will spare you pictures of the dozen or so other new ones planted this spring. At least the fucking deer do not eat bamboo! Much evidence of new nibbling all over this area.

2015 – CHW

A very happy two and a half hours collecting and swapping seed with Tom Hudson. We inspected the following styrax and collected seed from most of them:

Styrax odoratissimus (veitchiorum) (above greenhouse) – very different to Tom’s

Styrax serrulatus (by Magnolia Atlas)
Styrax hookeri (several mature plants – Rockery, Slip Rail, Georges Hut)

Styrax obassia (Drive and Bond Street – old plant at Crino Hedge nearly dead)Styrax formosanus var formosanus (above Crino Hedge in new planting)

Styrax japonicus ‘Fargesi’ (above Crino Hedge in new planting)

Styrax japonicus (old plant on Burns Bank)

Styrax wuyuanensis (above Crino Hedge in new planting)

Styrax faberi (above Crino Hedge in new planting)

Styrax japonicus var hayatiana (perhaps formosanus var hayatiana – there is one in Kennel Close and one above Crinodendron Hedge)

Styrax hemsleyanus (above Crino Hedge in new planting)

Styrax officinalis (above Crino Hedge in new planting – one survivor from two planted?)

Styrax shiraianus (Burns Bank – small plant)

We did not find Styrax wilsoni or Styrax dasyanthus on our travels. The former may have died out but I remember planting several seedlings. Our original plants of Styrax hookeri and Styrax hemsleyanus have been dead for some time by Charles Michaels Nursery. I think we have also planted out a Styrax confusus and perhaps Styrax calvescens.

Clearly there are several more species to hunt for to add to our collection: Styrax suberifolius, Styrax redivivus, Styrax platanifolius, Styrax limprichitii.

Tom very kindly gave us plants as follows:

Lapageria (pink) x 1

Quercus lomboldtii boadta x 1

Magnolia cathcartii 13215 x 3

Styrax 2975 x 3

Styrax 1390 x 3

And seeds as follows:

Styrax confusus TH2200 from Lu Shan Jiangxi

Magnolia sprengeri (shell pink) TH2823 from Leigon Shan, Guizhan

Rhododendron yuetengense TH2785 from Maoer Shan

Styrax limprichtii 2+F Coll Erhalpk Dalai Yunnan

Pterostyrax psilophyllus var leveillei

Camellia yunnanesis yunnanense TH452