18th September

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2018 – CHW

Stewartia rostrata already showing autumn colours at its extremities but remaining green elsewhere. This really is a remarkable tree and the seed pods are nearly ripe too. I hope more people will grow this in full sun and enjoy it through the seasons as much as we do.

Camellia oleifera with buds nearly showing colour. With one downpour I think it would be out in September and around a month early after the drought.

I have been trying to locate our plant of Diospyros kaki for some weeks and here it is in Kennel Close doing rather well for a 2013 planting. It is rather different in leaf to the three other Diospyros species in the Isla Rose Plantation. I must keep an eye out for the much vaunted autumn colour.

2017 – CHW
The sunshine encourages a trip to the Georges Hut area to see what is new here.

Hoheria sextylosa ‘Pendula’ is full out from top to bottom. None of the other hoheria varieties (including Hoheria angustifolia) have any flower at all. Hoheria sextylosa is late this year.

The leaf has dropped on Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Leopoldii’ to reveal (as for many years) cascades of lichen. A sign of clean air or a sign of an old tree past its prime? Probably both!

Aralia vietnamensis still in full new growth and 15ft high after five years. Leaves even bigger than Schefflera macrophylla. The indumentum on the new growth is similar though. Nasty spines remain on the stem of what now must be called a tree.

Cladastris kentuckea is showing its first yellow autumn colour. Always early and always one of the best displays.

2016 – CHW
The new clump of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ by the fernery and in the shade have grown well and flower late in the season. The ‘ice cream’ colours are only just starting to show on some lower flower heads.

The old oak tree which fell a week ago at 4am with no wind has now been cut up. The main trunk is destined for Jaimie’s wood-burner.

Sorbus ‘Pearly King’ (from Trevor Green) planted in 1997 is full of fruit. Sorbus ‘Golden Wonder’ behind it has none. Sorbus do not generally fruit well in our wet conditions but Pearly King does well. Two others on the drive.

A small number of raspberries are just forming on Rubus lineatus together with yet more attractive new growth. Must remember to look in a month.

The top grafted Crateagus grignoniensis has been photographed before in this diary but seldom fruiting as well as this! The pheasants are, as yet, uninterested.

Heptacodium miconoides has grown well in a year and is flowering attractively. A wonderful border shrub with crinum or crocosmia.

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Phantom’ is still out above Red Linney and very late for a Hydrangea quercifolia. All the others are long over. This one a single survivor of three or five planted and clearly has a rather dwarf habit.

2015 – CHW

Magnolia ‘March till Frost’ is one of two in the garden living up to its name. These flowers seem larger than those in the spring and are, as expected, darker in colour. The slugs have hugely enjoyed the tepals in the recent wet weather but this second flowering is far better and more prominent than on the much vaunted Magnolia ‘Star Wars’ autumn showing.

Nearby is the wonderful Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’, easily the best cornus in flower here amongst the many photographed in July. There are a few orange strawberries showing up but not that many.

1971 – FJW
The Duke of Cornwall came to stay. Arrived at 3.31pm.

The Garden Diary

A Cornish garden diary from Caerhays Estate over 100 years

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