21st September

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

Heavy rain and wind but it is still very warm.

Loads of seeds on Styrax wilsonii this year.

Styrax wilsonii
Styrax wilsonii
Hoheria populnea ‘Variegata’ just out.
Hoheria populnea ‘Variegata’
Hoheria populnea ‘Variegata’
The clump of Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’ is now making a good show.
Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’
Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’
Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’ often has the odd flower but is now full out.
Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’
Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’
Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’
Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’
Seed and flower buds on Camellia taliensis. Should be flowers in 2-3 weeks.
Camellia taliensis
Camellia taliensis
Camellia taliensis
Camellia taliensis

2022 – CHW

Only a few house martins left. The majority went last week when the wind was in the North. A very successful breading year for them. Two egrets around the lake.

The Blue Cedar was planted by H.R.H. Prince Charles on 24th April 1984 below the Nobby. It has done well in a rather exposed, but prominent, situation.

Blue Cedar
Blue Cedar
The Queen Mother’s magnolia (seedling) was planted by her near George’s Hut on 11th April 1981.
Queen Mother’s magnolia
Queen Mother’s magnolia
I have now written to H.M. King Charles III offering condolences from the family and estate.
Euonymus myrianthus is a large tree and it is hard to see if it is setting any seed after the drought? The seed heads lower down are shrivelled but perhaps not higher up. We photographed this tree in flower in the spring and it is now a new item for sale on the Burncoose website.
Euonymus myrianthus
Euonymus myrianthus
Euonymus myrianthus
Euonymus myrianthus
Hidden away is the rather sad sight of a drought struck Rhododendron sinogrande ‘Lord Rudolph’. Dead soon with no new growth at all.
Rhododendron sinogrande ‘Lord Rudolph’
Rhododendron sinogrande ‘Lord Rudolph’
A huge, late summer leaf drop under the largest Quercus acuta after the drought. It’s very ‘thin on top’ today compared to normal years. Leaf drop of old leaves is normally in May.
late summer leaf drop
late summer leaf drop
Just a few solitary seed pod with only a couple of seeds in it on Magnolia x soulangeana ‘Picture’ x Magnolia soulangeana ‘Pickards Sundew’.
Magnolia x soulangeana ‘Picture’ x Magnolia soulangeana ‘Pickards Sundew’
Magnolia x soulangeana
‘Picture’ x Magnolia soulangeana ‘Pickards Sundew’
A strange leaf structure to the old leaves on Berberis temolaica.
Berberis temolaica
Berberis temolaica
Berberis temolaica
Berberis temolaica
Berberis temolaica
Berberis temolaica

2021 – CHW
Captain George reports that a fisherman had seen a pair of choughs above the cliffs between the Lookout and East Portholland.Borde Hill have sent an email announcing that their Emmenopterys henryi is flowering again. This, and photographs, are attached here. Ours is of a similar age and 80ft tall but has never looked like flowering (nor has our original plant of Emmenopterys wilsoni). Having seen the Borde Hill plants growing in full sun in a hot dry location I am not really surprised. Ours are in woodland with dappled shade towards the top of the garden.We now have two flail cutters rather than one flail and one Allen scythe. The second grass cut in the garden is nearly complete.
flail cutters
flail cutters
More pictures of butterflies on Escallonia bifida from Jaimie grass cutting in this area.
Escallonia bifida
Escallonia bifida
Escallonia bifida
Escallonia bifida

2020 – CHW
The rare plant fair went ahead at Tregrehan yesterday with distancing, masks, contact tracing and no catering. The attendance was about a third of what we have come to expect from the late May fair and takings were similarly reduced. Nevertheless a good turnout in the circumstances and a most excellent array of rare plants from all the usual nurseries. We all enjoyed meeting each other again after so long without shows or events!

Nick Lock with his stand of rarities from which I made 10 early purchases.

Nick Lock
Nick Lock
The Burncoose stand with Justin preparing to get into full flow with the customers.
Burncoose stand
Burncoose stand
Burncoose stand
Burncoose stand
What I think was a hummingbird moth feeding on Clerodendron bungei on our stand. It hovered and lowered its tongue/proboscis into the flower.
Clerodendron bungei
Clerodendron bungei
Clerodendron bungei
Clerodendron bungei
On the Crûg Farm stand:
Roscoea purpurea f. rubra ‘Gurkha Red’
Roscoea purpurea f. rubra ‘Gurkha Red’
Roscoea purpurea f. rubra ‘Gurkha Red’
Cardiandra alternifolia amamiohshimensis – hydrangea relative
Cardiandra alternifolia amamiohshimensis
Cardiandra alternifolia amamiohshimensis
Cardiandra alternifolia amamiohshimensis
Cardiandra alternifolia amamiohshimensis
Cardiandra formosa ‘Xitou Survivor’ – hydrangea relative
Cardiandra formosa ‘Xitou Survivor’
Cardiandra formosa ‘Xitou Survivor’
Cardiandra formosa ‘Xitou Survivor’
Cardiandra formosa ‘Xitou Survivor’
The peculiar herbaceous Sambucus ebulus
Sambucus ebulus
Sambucus ebulus
Sambucus ebulus
Sambucus ebulus

On the Tregrehan stand:Brassaiopsis hispida (£50 each!)

Brassaiopsis hispida
Brassaiopsis hispida
Brassaiopsis hispida
Brassaiopsis hispida

On Nick Lock’s stand:Euonymus bungeanus with pink seed pods

Euonymus bungeanus
Euonymus bungeanus
Buddleia heliophylla
Buddleia heliophylla
Buddleia heliophylla

Paul Bonavia:A huge stock plant of Tibouchina urvilleana (we were selling Tibouchina orangensis)

Tibouchina urvilleana
Tibouchina urvilleana

Treseders Nursery:Cuphea ignea

Cuphea ignea
Cuphea ignea
Cuphea ignea
Cuphea ignea

Other spectacular plants of interest at the fair:Erica cerinthoides

Erica cerinthoides
Erica cerinthoides
Erica cerinthoides
Erica cerinthoides
A very fine Brugmansia suaveolens
Brugmansia suaveolens
Brugmansia suaveolens
Nerine masoniorum
Nerine masoniorum
Nerine masoniorum
Nerine masoniorum
Nerine masoniorum
Pseudopanax ‘Chainsaw’
Pseudopanax ‘Chainsaw’
Pseudopanax ‘Chainsaw’
This was labelled Rostrincula decipiens. I think it is Rostrincula dependens?
Rostrincula dependens
Rostrincula dependens
Rostrincula dependens
Rostrincula dependens
Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Capri’
Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Capri’
Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Capri’
Persicaria ‘Purple Fantasy’
Persicaria ‘Purple Fantasy’
Persicaria ‘Purple Fantasy’
Persicaria ‘Purple Fantasy’
Persicaria ‘Purple Fantasy’
Hedychium coccineum – probably a named form
Hedychium coccineum
Hedychium coccineum
Westringia fruiticosa ‘Variegata’
Westringia fruiticosa ‘Variegata’
Westringia fruiticosa ‘Variegata’

2019 – CHW
Glyptostrobus pensilis ‘Wooly Mammoth’ was only planted this year and lost its leading shoot in transit. It has however grown another. This is a very slow growing small tree which we saw in maturity last May in Nymans garden at about 20-25ft after 80 or so years.

Glyptostrobus pensilis 'Wooly Mammoth'
Glyptostrobus pensilis ‘Wooly Mammoth’
Glyptostrobus pensilis 'Wooly Mammoth'
Glyptostrobus pensilis ‘Wooly Mammoth’
Odd secondary flowers on Berberis wilsonae which is deciduous. I have not seen these before in autumn as the leaves are about to go yellow.
Berberis wilsonae
Berberis wilsonae
Berberis wilsonae
Berberis wilsonae
The evening sunlight catches the tops of the three 1913 planted Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’ (‘Senkaki’) which are already a beautiful autumnal yellow.
Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’
Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’
Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’
Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’ already plastered with ripe ‘strawberry’ fruits. We must have got on top of the squirrels as they delight in these and I once saw a dozen stripping one large Cornus capitata tree.
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Wisley Queen’

2018 – CHW
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Strawberry’ displaying its superb autumn colour on a drab day. The best of the foliage effect is probably now rather than in the spring.
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Strawberry’
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Strawberry’
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Strawberry’
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Strawberry’
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Strawberry’
Cercidiphyllum japonicum ‘Strawberry’

2017 – CHW
Tom Hudson gave us this pink lapageria two or three years ago. To my surprise it has suddenly produced four pink flowers; most at the very tips of the new growth. What a lovely pink it is too!
pink lapageria
pink lapageria
pink lapageria
pink lapageria

2016 – CHW
Schefflera pauciflora has been nibbled by deer and was a very leggy plant to start with. Reshooting a little. Is this our fifth schefflera species? I still do not like them but they are a must for the catalogue. Clare is on the case.
Schefflera pauciflora
Schefflera pauciflora
Schefflera pauciflora
Schefflera pauciflora
Rhodelia aff parvipetala appears to be well away. This is a whole new genus to Caerhays but one which Tom is very keen on at Tregrehan. The judges are still ‘out’ here!
Rhodelia aff parvipetala
Rhodelia aff parvipetala
Rhodelia aff parvipetala
Rhodelia aff parvipetala
Xanthocyparis vietnamensis (the very odd new conifer many talk about) has not enjoyed its two year liberation in the garden after Tom gave it to us to show at Chelsea. It is said to be tender although it is well sheltered here. Perhaps and accidental splash of weed killer in April? Anyway we have some nice young plants grown by Asia coming on in the greenhouse so all is not lost.
Xanthocyparis vietnamensis
Xanthocyparis vietnamensis
Mahonia fortunei ‘Winter Prince’ was a gift. It has ‘sat’ for a year with little, if any, new growth but now its first (autumn!) flower buds. A pale yellow it seems.
Rhodelia aff parvipetala
Rhodelia aff parvipetala
Mahonia fortunei ‘Winter Prince’
Mahonia fortunei ‘Winter Prince’
Mahonia fortunei ‘Winter Prince’
Mahonia fortunei ‘Winter Prince’
2015 – CHW
A second flowering on Magnolia ‘Iolanthe’ and on Magnolia denudata ‘Forrest Pink’. As with previous offerings nothing to get too excited about but certainly something to stop and look at even if ‘admire’ would not be the right word. The more one looks the more one sees magnolias that do actually have a second flowering. We used to think it was just Magnolia soulangeana and Magnolia ‘Star Wars’ that did this regularly.

Magnolia ‘Iolanthe’
Magnolia ‘Iolanthe’
Magnolia denudata ‘Forrest Pink’
Magnolia denudata ‘Forrest Pink’

1918 – JCW
Hydrangeas, lapagerias, cyclamen, roses on the terrace are all good, there is very little else.

1917 – JCW
Much as in 1915 except that the solanums have most of them been killed in the last winter.

1915 – JCW
Charles came home from the Dardanelles. Solanum and cyclamen are good. Lapagerias fair, hydrangeas good, there is little else. My hybrid gladiolus just over, the seedling yellows hold on. Very dry.

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