29th 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

2024 – CHW

A day at Burncoose.

Euonymus planipes with bursting ripe seed pods.

Euonymus planipes
Euonymus planipes
Euonymus europaeus ‘Red Cascade’ plastered in seed pods.
Euonymus europaeus ‘Red Cascade’
Euonymus europaeus ‘Red Cascade’
Cestrum nocturnum flowering away well.
Cestrum nocturnum
Cestrum nocturnum
Sorbus ‘Autumn Fire’ with fruit but, as yet, no autumn colour.
Sorbus ‘Autumn Fire’
Sorbus ‘Autumn Fire’
Syzygium paniculatum ‘Newport’ with flowers just going over.
Syzygium paniculatum ‘Newport’
Syzygium paniculatum ‘Newport’
Callistemon ‘Perth Pink’ with a secondary set of flowers.
Callistemon ‘Perth Pink’
Callistemon ‘Perth Pink’
Lagunaria patersonia with large ripe seed heads.
Lagunaria patersonia
Lagunaria patersonia
Russelia equisetiformis – yellow in full flower.
Russelia equisetiformis – yellow
Russelia equisetiformis – yellow
Myrtus communis laden with fruit.
Myrtus communis
Myrtus communis
Pseudopanax lessonii ‘Emerald Elf’ is a new variety for the website.
Pseudopanax lessonii ‘Emerald Elf’
Pseudopanax lessonii ‘Emerald Elf’
Skimmia japonica ‘Veitchii’ with ripening berries.
Skimmia japonica ‘Veitchii’
Skimmia japonica ‘Veitchii’
Another new entry for the 2025 catalogue – Skimmia japonica ‘Magic Marlot’.
Skimmia japonica ‘Magic Marlot’
Skimmia japonica ‘Magic Marlot’
Viburnum ‘Eskimo’ has got its seasons wrong!
Viburnum ‘Eskimo’
Viburnum ‘Eskimo’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Versicolor’ liners flowering away.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Versicolor’
Camellia sasanqua ‘Versicolor’

2023 – CHW
To the greenhouses to pick out plants for different locations for autumn planting.

Fruit on Viburnum nudum ‘Pink Beauty’.

Viburnum nudum ‘Pink Beauty’
Viburnum nudum ‘Pink Beauty’
I was impressed with the first flowers on Malus trilobata. Here are the first fruits which Brock, the Labrador, decided that he liked and they are no more!
Malus trilobata
Malus trilobata
Malus trilobata
Malus trilobata
An unnamed climbing Fuchsia from a Tom Hudson collection is climbing up the leg of a propagating bench and flowering very late in the year. A vigorous climber for which we need to find a good site.
unnamed climbing Fuchsia
unnamed climbing Fuchsia
Asterotrichion discolor full out in one of the frames.
Asterotrichion discolor
Asterotrichion discolor
Weeks after I first saw a flower Lysionotus aff. kuangensis (HWJ 625) is still full out and with buds to come. Asia has propagated this already from cuttings.
Lysionotus aff. kuangensis (HWJ 625)
Lysionotus aff. kuangensis (HWJ 625)
Lysionotus aff. kuangensis (HWJ 625)
Lysionotus aff. kuangensis (HWJ 625)
Catalpa ovata with seed pods while still in a pot in the frame.
Catalpa ovata
Catalpa ovata
Bright red leaves here and there on Luculia gratissima (KR 11263) and flower buds forming. Important for Asia to propagate this.
Luculia gratissima (KR 11263)
Luculia gratissima (KR 11263)

2022 – CHW
A visit to Burncoose when I discover score of Malus trees have arrived from various sources for planting out in the Kitchen Garden here. Some of these varieties are even better than what we currently offer in the catalogue today and need adding to 2024.Malus x robusta ‘Fruitilicious’
Malus x robusta ‘Fruitilicious’
Malus x robusta ‘Fruitilicious’
Malus ‘Direktoer Moerland’
Malus ‘Direktoer Moerland’
Malus ‘Direktoer Moerland’
Malus ‘Gorgeous’
Malus ‘Gorgeous’
Malus ‘Gorgeous’
Malus ‘Butterball’
Malus ‘Butterball’
Malus ‘Butterball’
Malus ‘Red Jade’
Malus ‘Red Jade’
Malus ‘Red Jade’
Malus ‘Royal Raindrops’
Malus ‘Royal Raindrops’
Malus ‘Royal Raindrops’
Malus ‘Crimson Cascade’
Malus ‘Crimson Cascade’
Malus ‘Crimson Cascade’
Malus ‘Sun Rival’
Malus ‘Sun Rival’
Malus ‘Sun Rival’
Malus ‘Royal beauty’
Malus ‘Royal beauty’
Malus ‘Royal beauty’
Malus ‘Royalty
Malus ‘Royalty'
Malus ‘Royalty’
Euonymus hamiltonianus ‘Rising sun’ with a great show on the sales point.
Euonymus hamiltonianus ‘Rising sun’
Euonymus hamiltonianus ‘Rising sun’
Escallonia ‘Peach Blossom’ still nicely in flower.
Escallonia ‘Peach Blossom’
Escallonia ‘Peach Blossom’
Aesculus x neglecta ‘autumn fire’ certainly living up to its name. I have not seen this performing before.
Aesculus x neglecta ‘autumn fire’
Aesculus x neglecta ‘autumn fire’
Aesculus x neglecta ‘autumn fire’
Aesculus x neglecta ‘autumn fire’
Aesculus x mutabilis ‘Induta’ with very tame autumn colour by comparison.
Aesculus x mutabilis ‘Induta’
Aesculus x mutabilis ‘Induta’
Cercis glabra with a good show of yellow. Contrasting nicely with the Chimonanthus praecox behind it which is still green.
Cercis glabra
Cercis glabra
Ilex verticillata berrying earlier than usual.
Ilex verticillata
Ilex verticillata
Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ also living well up to its name.
Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’
Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’
Gaultheria mucronata varieties making a great show.
Gaultheria mucronata
Gaultheria mucronata
Cornus ‘Sunshiny Drops’ with very ripe fruits.
Cornus ‘Sunshiny Drops’
Cornus ‘Sunshiny Drops’
Cornus ‘Sunshiny Drops’
Cornus ‘Sunshiny Drops’
Good autumn colour developing on Zanthoxylum simulans.
Zanthoxylum simulans
Zanthoxylum simulans
Quercus acutissima also eye catching today in a tunnel.
Quercus acutissima
Quercus acutissima
Podocarpus ‘Golden Lady’ is a new entry in the 2023 catalogue and soon available on the website. Still a bit small!
Podocarpus ‘Golden Lady’
Podocarpus ‘Golden Lady’

2021 – CHW
Ilex verticillata has a few berries this year but nothing like the crop from last winter.
Ilex verticillata
Ilex verticillata
Schima khasiana is now out in flower but, again, very few flowers compared to last year.
Schima khasiana
Schima khasiana
Schima superba is however covered and many flowers have already dropped to the ground.
Schima superba
Schima superba
Schima superba
Schima superba
Schima superba
Schima superba
A few tail end flowers are still left on Eucryphia nymansensis ‘Nymansay’.
Eucryphia nymansensis ‘Nymansay’
Eucryphia nymansensis ‘Nymansay’
Persea indica (BSWJ 12555) settling down nicely after planting this year.
Persea indica
Persea indica
Arbutus unedo overhanging the path by the Acer griseum.
Arbutus unedo
Arbutus unedo
First flowers out on Peumus boldus. Rather early as most are still in tight bud and will not be out until December/January.
Peumus boldus
Peumus boldus
Rhus chinensis now in full flower – no great show.
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis
Rhus chinensis

2020 – CHW
A few secondary flowers on Magnolia ‘Randy’.

Magnolia ‘Randy’
Magnolia ‘Randy’
A solitary self-seeded Gunnera in Old Park Wood well away from the Gunnera beds.
Gunnera
Gunnera
Frankie has also cleared out the ditches below Slydepark and removed yet another tree trunk from the river.
ditches
ditches
Edwina has brought a spray of Cotoneaster bullatus with berries from her garden in the village.
Cotoneaster bullatus
Cotoneaster bullatus
Much hassle yesterday from the Forestry Commission. A couple of years ago there was a scare about a new disease in sweet chestnuts. The Forestry Commission overflew Caerhays twice and identified old sweet chestnuts with dead crowns. After a bit we established they were not diseased with something ‘new’ and were merely old trees dying slowly. Undaunted the Forestry Commission then came looking in late February for Phytophthora ramorum in any side shoots from the base of these older trees. They found some and asked for these to be removed which we had largely already done. Today they demand the felling (or tree surgery to remove the dead crowns) on 20 or so mature trees by March 2021. They say that there may be grants but we know we do not qualify for Woodland Development grants until 2023. Destruction and legal compliance before common sense as usual. Some of these trees are in woodland garden areas so the mess and disruption will be more costly still. Trees with dead crowns which are dying of old age rather than a disease would normally be considered to be adding to biodiversity in a woodland context. I wonder whether to argue this further bearing in mind the usual COVID delays on anything happening between now and last February. What did two trips from Bristol for two or three Forestry Commission people plus two helicopter overflies actually cost the taxpayer and what is he actually getting in return?

2019 – CHW
Maytenus boaria near Georges Hut and behind the Sophora ‘Sun King’ has self-sown seedlings aplenty not far from the 1991 planted tree. Some have been mown off in earlier grass cutting but others are crying out for Asia to rescue and pot up. This rare Chilean tree with weeping branches is more common in Irish gardens than Cornish ones. We have never had it on the Burncoose website before so let us get cracking.
Maytenus boaria
Maytenus boaria
Maytenus boaria
Maytenus boaria
Maytenus boaria
Maytenus boaria
Maytenus boaria
Maytenus boaria
The cones on Abies koreana are ripe and have shattered much earlier than usual this year. Normally they would stand proud until the new year. No sign of the cones being ripe yet on any of the other Abies species.
Abies koreana
Abies koreana
Cotoneaster x watereri ‘Pink Champagne’ now has many more yellow fruits this year than ever before. They will turn pink tinged when ripe. This too is a 1991 (post 1990 hurricane) planting and has become a large tree as you can see in the third picture. We have sent seed in previous years to gardening friends and had a nice seedling back last Christmas. I am not sure if Asia has yet raised any herself here? Hilliers list this today as Cotoneaster salicifolius ‘Pink Champagne’ but we were given it by John Bond at Windsor under the first name.
Cotoneaster x watereri ‘Pink Champagne’
Cotoneaster x watereri ‘Pink Champagne’
Cotoneaster x watereri ‘Pink Champagne’
Cotoneaster x watereri ‘Pink Champagne’
Cotoneaster x watereri ‘Pink Champagne’
Cotoneaster x watereri ‘Pink Champagne’

2018 – CHW
More of the same.Illicium philippinense with one remaining flower. I have missed the rest. Looks as tender as its name implies. First time ever seen here.
Illicium philippinense
Illicium philippinense
Acer sterculaceum subsp. franchettii turning colour but only to brown!
Acer sterculaceum subsp. franchettii
Acer sterculaceum subsp. franchettii
Acer sterculaceum subsp. franchettii
Acer sterculaceum subsp. franchettii
Photinia niitakayamensis with fruits and a few older leaves turning red. This came from Mark Bulk’s nurseries to add to our Photinia collection. The berries seem to turn yellow then light red but may yet go darker? A Taiwanese species related to Photinia davidiana but with smaller leaves and a more compact habit. Semi evergreen by the look of it.
Photinia niitakayamensis
Photinia niitakayamensis
Photinia niitakayamensis
Photinia niitakayamensis

2017 – CHW
Look at how high up the trunk ferns have colonised this old Pinus insignis. The tops blew out two and three years ago and we left the bare trunk (60ft of it) for ‘deadwood’ or wildlife as the Forestry Commission now requires. Zero interest in timber production now – all they care about is climate change and bats! Such are the wonders of fading European rule. There are holly trees growing from the trunk too as it all decays.
ferns have colonised this old Pinus insignis
ferns have colonised this old Pinus insignis
ferns have colonised this old Pinus insignis
ferns have colonised this old Pinus insignis

2016 – CHW
The one seed pod on the Magnolia officinalis var biloba is maturing but not yet ripe.
Magnolia officinalis var biloba
Magnolia officinalis var biloba

Magnolia ‘Yellow Bird’ still has nice secondary flowers on show in Penvergate.

Magnolia ‘Yellow Bird’
Magnolia ‘Yellow Bird’

Now secondary flowers on Magnolia ‘Yellow Fever’ as well although these are dull by comparison.

Magnolia ‘Yellow Fever’
Magnolia ‘Yellow Fever’
Xanthoxylum simulans’ berries are now mature. James Garnett told me these make cheap pepper which sells in France for €130 per kilo. A few quid here then!
Xanthoxylum simulans
Xanthoxylum simulans

2015 – CHWA Cercidiphyllum japonicum planted in 1991 below Slip Rail is moving from a gorgeous yellow to having tinges of black. With the sun on it it is quite a sight but the Tetracentron sinense beside it, which has equally brilliant red autumn colour, is still pure green. No scent yet from the cercidiphyllum despite a very hot 10 days – hotter than August by a long chalk. Previously an identical record tree stood in the same spot but was felled in the 1990 hurricane.

Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Cercidiphyllum japonicum
Cercidiphyllum japonicum

1917 – JCW
Cyclamen wane but are good yet, there is little else but hydrangeas and lapagerias, and the roses are poor now. Finished cutting corn yesterday.

2 thoughts on “29th September

  1. Hi Charles I agree with your comments about the Forestry Commission and unreasonable requests. Trees dying of old age are part of the cycle of biodiversity.
    As for Phytophthora I suspect like Covid it is going nowhere fast and we will have to learn to live with it and accept the loss of plants from time to time. As you say the cost of helicopters etc is not acceptable in the present situation, as for ash-dieback it’s happening and had as much attention been aimed at the hundreds of thousands of infected whips being imported from Holland it might not be as bad.
    I would have thought you might have some attention from George Eustace.
    Regards
    Paul

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