The young Magnolia insignis which flowered so well in the summer has used its energy on secondary new growth. No seed pods at all in evidence sadly.

A young Magnolia macrophylla to replace our elderly specimen which is on its last legs was planted in a very sheltered spot in the spring. It has not grown much but has certainly settled in and looks happy enough.

Zanthoxylum coreanum (or so the label says but perhaps koreanum?) is another new species to us. Here are its first unripe berries and the usual huge spikes on its trunk. Quite different in leaf to the two Zanthoxylum species in Forty Acres which we looked at last week.

Caesalpina japonica (now Caesalpina decapetala) is becoming a dense mounded shrub armed with formidable prickles. The leaves and new growth are acacia like and rather beautiful despite their spines. We have not tried growing this before but it seems perfectly hardy even if a few branches have split and collapsed. It is in full sun but we have yet to see its yellow racemes of flowers in summer. Burncoose stocks Caesalpina gilliesii but this species has larger and more attractive leaves I think.

2018 – CHW
Acer rufinerve ‘Erythrocladum’ looking very fine in the late afternoon sun. The first of the snake bark maples to turn colour properly here this year.

Hydrangea ‘Mme. E. Mouilliere’ still with pristine new flower heads six months on from when I first photographed these earlier this year.

Fuchsia hatschbachii planted only this spring has made enormous growth and is flowering away well as a freestanding garden shrub.

Vitex agnuus castus, the chaste tree, flowering away nicely today. Six to seven feet tall with a similar spread.

2017 – CHW
Ehretia thysiflora has tertiary new growth which is impressive in a rare young plant. The new growth starts purple before fading.

Quercus laurifolia too has enjoyed the wet since August and has plenty of secondary new growth with reddish bark. A good trunk is developing. Odd we did not have this in the collection here already. It is a name I remember from 20 to 30 years ago so I guess we did and it has died.

This Salix moupinense was collected in Vietnam and a gift from Penrice Castle. Very different in leaf and habit from our other plant and the ones for sale at Burncoose. Attractive and appears to be becoming a tree rather than a bush.

Crataegus ellwangeriania ‘Fire Ball’ was a gift from Bluebell Nursery. Its fruits are now fully ripe. Enormous for a thorn tree and this one will be much admired in the future.

Tilia dasystyla was only planted this year. Collected by Bob Cheary in northern Iran. Huge leaves already which the slugs have got at. We planted half a dozen new species of lime in the spring. This one has done the best so far.

Viburnum prunifolium, the ‘black haw’ is its common name and you can readily see why! The fruits are sweet and edible. One to take to the Garden Society dinner in early October I think.

A couple of views of the middle bit of the Kennel Close planting after the third grass cut. Some 10 year old trees look as though they have been there for rather longer than this!