2024 – CHW
I have never known a year like it for ticks in the long grass. The result, I assume, of the incessant rain this year. The dogs are plastered every time they go out but, fortunately, their treatment means the ticks dies after they bite. Not the case when the latch onto me!
Rhododendron ‘Moser’s Maroon’ is very late into flower.
The very last flower on Michelia ‘Touch of Pink’.
Acer sikkimense with seed tassles.
The base of our largest Camellia taliensis.
Several clumps of Rhododendron maddenii now coming out.
During lockdown the IDS put on a lecture about Acer pentaphyllum and how rare this small tree now is in Sichuan. I thought we had at least one plant of this which was probably a gift from Kew or Windsor. This species is very late indeed into leaf and, by reputation, rather tender. Here are a few pictures of how this looks today. I saw another plant at Tregrehan of about the same size.
Three plants of Desfontainia spinosa. One full of flower, one with no flowers, and one half dead due to water logging.
The rather dull and unusual smelling Buddleja loricata.
Beside the garden entrance the white form of Rhododendron viscosum. The pink form is in Old Park on the top ride below the gunnera. Gorgeous scent.
A new enclosure for the car park ticket machines.
The new electric charging points are finally fitted at Porthluney.
2023 – CHW
First flower out on the Magnolia delavayi hedge below the lawn. The start of a 6 month flowering season if we get no frost.
Rhododendron yuefengense producing a fine show but water needed!
Acer carpinifolium with its (as we now know) sterile seeds.
Quercus variabilis with few acorns yet to be seen. Almost a cork oak trunk.
Schefflera trevesioides (BJW 15158) looking unhappy. Perhaps drought or perhaps just not hardy?
Rhododendron megacalyx has failed to open its flowers due to lack of rain and may well die.
Schefflera shweliensis (TH 3330) looking to be getting going well despite the drought.
2022 – CHW
More Tilia species to inspect today.Why is it that so many species of styrax hide their flowers within the inside of their foliage canopy? What in nature makes them do that rather than show off their flowers to insect pollinators? The exceptions are S. wilsonii, S. americanus, S. hemsleyanus and, partly, S. hookeri. S. japonicus (all forms) is perhaps the worst, followed by S. formosanus (all forms), S. obassia and S. wuyuanensis. S. shiranus and S. officinalis are too small here as yet to see if they qualify or not but I suspect that shiranus is a ‘hider’ too from the few flowers seen so far.First flowering of Crûg Farm’s Hydrangea angustipetala f. macrosepala (CWJ 12441). Three plants above the sales point but only one fully out. The sterile florets start out small but then become huge. Very distinctive leaves. Well worth propagating to create more clumps of this in the garden. Asia please.
More Tilia species to inspect today.Why is it that so many species of styrax hide their flowers within the inside of their foliage canopy? What in nature makes them do that rather than show off their flowers to insect pollinators? The exceptions are S. wilsonii, S. americanus, S. hemsleyanus and, partly, S. hookeri. S. japonicus (all forms) is perhaps the worst, followed by S. formosanus (all forms), S. obassia and S. wuyuanensis. S. shiranus and S. officinalis are too small here as yet to see if they qualify or not but I suspect that shiranus is a ‘hider’ too from the few flowers seen so far.First flowering of Crûg Farm’s Hydrangea angustipetala f. macrosepala (CWJ 12441). Three plants above the sales point but only one fully out. The sterile florets start out small but then become huge. Very distinctive leaves. Well worth propagating to create more clumps of this in the garden. Asia please.
Tilia amurensis from Chollipo.
Seedpods forming nicely for Asia to gather later on Paulownia kawakamii.
Irregular variegation on Ginkgo biloba ‘Variegata’ but this is a very variegated twig.
Tilia tomentosa ‘Petiolaris’ with its drooping branches which touch the ground.
Tilia mexicana has similarly huge leaves and a drooping habit. New leaves are bronzy green and the leaves are just as huge as on ‘Petiolaris’ but a different shape.
A young Tilia zamoyskiana with flower buds.
Tilia endochrysa with its exceptional early spring leaf colour now looks rather normal.
The first time we have seen seed cones on Carpinus caroliniana.
2021 – CHW
A warm visit to the nursery today.Bergenia ‘Morgenrote’ in full flower which is odd in June.
A warm visit to the nursery today.Bergenia ‘Morgenrote’ in full flower which is odd in June.
Phlox paniculata ‘David’ especially fine.
I finally locate Primula vialli ‘Alison Holland’.
The new to us Azalea ‘Blue Moon’ is a good thing.
All the camellia liners now potted on and looking good.
Huodendron biaristratum in full flower.
Actinidia arguta ‘Issai’ buzzing like a beehive with bees.
Campylotropis macrocarpa is a totally new plant/shrub to me. Need to look up what its flowers are like. From China and Korea.
2020 – CHW
A trip to inspect one of the new plantings undertaken last autumn.Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp. cuneifolia with erect and upright panicles of flowers. I wonder if it is true to name. New Trees now has three subspecies of M. dilleniifolia and I will enjoy seeing exactly what we have when the flowers are fully out. We should have the lot according to the planting records but I am doubtful.
A trip to inspect one of the new plantings undertaken last autumn.Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp. cuneifolia with erect and upright panicles of flowers. I wonder if it is true to name. New Trees now has three subspecies of M. dilleniifolia and I will enjoy seeing exactly what we have when the flowers are fully out. We should have the lot according to the planting records but I am doubtful.
Picrasma quassioides is a genus from China/Japan related to ailanthus as is evident here.
Nyssa leptophylla (ex Roundabarrow).
Lindera umbellata membranacea. We lost one earlier and this one has not enjoyed the drought.
Maddenia hypoleuca is getting away nicely. Maddenia are related to Prunus and we look forward to the flower clusters one day.
It is a job to keep up with the new named varieties of Styrax japonicus emerging from Dutch nurseries. This one is ‘Pink Snowbell’ which has very dark leaves but is only really pink in bud.
Euptelia polyandra with a second flush of good new growth after the rain.
This is our third plant of Styrax shirianus. The leaf structure is easily recognisable.
A youngish windblown and decimated Lithocarpus pachyphyllus with no leader has decided to produce acorn clusters alongside a second crop of (male) flowers. Quite odd really.
Meliosma dilleniifolia subsp. flexuosa perhaps. Another one to watch and key out when properly out. Drooping, terminal panicles of flowers here.
Quercus cerris ‘Argenteovariegata’ showing up well now that all the shoots with reverted green leaves have been removed.
2019 – CHW
The dark red Azalea indica is just out beside the front door. Weeks after the first ones came out in the Auklandii Garden.
The dark red Azalea indica is just out beside the front door. Weeks after the first ones came out in the Auklandii Garden.
Last year the Tropaeolum speciosum struggled to reach the top of the Camellia ‘Lady Clare’. I guess it did not have to die down at all in the mild winter so is now full out earlier than usual and right at the top of the camellia (10-12ft).
Rhododendron weyrichii full out in the Rockery. The other old plants in the garden are already over but this one is in full shade and flowering better than ever.
Self-sown Verbascum olympicum in the Rookery. The slugs have had a good go at the leaves.
Hydrangea longipes just out and well before the other similar aspera villosa types here.
Cornus kousa ‘Doubloon’ as covered and splendid as ever. Perhaps our best Cornus in flower today? ‘Satomi’ is probably better.
Seed pods starting to form on a youngish Rehderodendron macrocarpum. Now that we are closed the Kania 2000 squirrel traps can go out again although we got nine in Bond Street last week. Hopefully these seeds will make it to maturity for Asia.
Azalea ‘Gena May’ (I think) out in full flower. The second plant beside it is still in tight bud. One of the very last deciduous azaleas to flower. Most were over a month ago.
2018 – CHW
Yesterday a Great Gardens of Cornwall meeting at Lanhydrock Estate Office and then a garden tour with Tommy Teagle, the head gardener, who has worked here since 1977. Peter Borlaise, his predecessor, is now 90 but still going strong which is good news.Rhododendron serotinum which is scented and very like Rhododendron auriculatum except in its leaf shape.
Yesterday a Great Gardens of Cornwall meeting at Lanhydrock Estate Office and then a garden tour with Tommy Teagle, the head gardener, who has worked here since 1977. Peter Borlaise, his predecessor, is now 90 but still going strong which is good news.Rhododendron serotinum which is scented and very like Rhododendron auriculatum except in its leaf shape.
The formal beds by the house with begonias and roses. 275,000 visitors per annum to Lanhydrock and this, I fear, is what they want and expect to see. A team of four gardeners for 30 acres. Impressively maintained but hideous!
Euonymus kiautschovicus was a small evergreen tree. Hillier’s say it is tough but similar to Euonymus japonicus. You could have fooled me! So odd that I had to ponder even which genus it was before I saw the flowers.
Rodgersia pinnata full out and splendid.
Allium cernuum was especially good. Worth Burncoose stocking this.
Gillenia trifoliata – an entirely new herbaceous perennial to me and an excellent border filler.
Magnolia macrophylla full out but high up.
Cornus kousa ‘Milky Way’ plastered in flower.
Fagus engleriana I believe which is a large leafed species I have not seen in the flesh before. Hardly looks like a beech until you see the trunk. Slow growing.
Magnolia macrophylla subsp. ashei was also full of flower. Smaller in height than pure macrophylla and without an obvious leading central stem.
2017 – CHW
Overnight at Brasted’s hotel and restaurant near Norwich. Left home at 3pm. Flight from Newquay to Stansted and sitting down to dinner by 8.45pm.
Overnight at Brasted’s hotel and restaurant near Norwich. Left home at 3pm. Flight from Newquay to Stansted and sitting down to dinner by 8.45pm.
In the car park several nice specimens of, I think, Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Simon Louis Freres’ although there are other possibilities.
Like many of these euonymus they can be climbers as well as free standing shrubs. Here Euonymus ‘Emerald and Gold’.
Hebe rakiensis in full flower.
Brachyglottis ‘Sunshine’ just going over.
Rhus verniciflua is one of the lesser known sumach species with flowerheads that are not conical and upright as they are in Rhus typhina and Rhus glabra. Nor are they the same colour.
Then off to Harrod Horticultural’s factory in Lowestoft and to discuss their show garden.
Blueberry fruit changing colour already in the Harrod Horticultural vegetable garden.
Blueberry fruit changing colour already in the Harrod Horticultural vegetable garden.
Wisteria venusta starting to grow up the new metal Harrod wisteria frame.
This will be the site of the new Harrod herbaceous garden to highlight and photograph the use of their plant supports. Quite a bit of clearance and preparation necessary before the new planting plans can take shape.
2016 – CHW
A few more Burncoose novelties for the 2017 catalogue photographed today:Euphorbia choracias ‘Tasmanian Tiger’ seems very similar to Euphorbia ‘White Swan’ but if you like variegation this is one for you.
A few more Burncoose novelties for the 2017 catalogue photographed today:Euphorbia choracias ‘Tasmanian Tiger’ seems very similar to Euphorbia ‘White Swan’ but if you like variegation this is one for you.
Bowkeria verticellata is a tender evergreen South African shrub probably requiring a conservatory outside Cornwall. The calceolaria-like flowers are attractive and smell mildly of face cream.
Delphinium ‘Bolero’ is a double lavender blue but not quite out yet. Dwarfish growing.
We have all voted Brexit in the UK referendum today in the Magnolia Tea Rooms polling station here. The two tellers expected a ‘big turnout’ but there are less than 100 electors in our ward or parish so they are in for another dull day 7am to 10pm. The pollsters say Cornwall is 55% for ‘Leave’ and Karol tells me the Facebook polling is even more for ‘Leave’ but who is his Facebook linked to? He claims in a poll of 100,000 5:2 for leaving. We will see and live in hope. A dirty campaign by both sides but the choice was simple and made years ago. It will be a long night!
2015 – CHW
A very old Azalea indica with orange-red flowers outside the front door is coming out. We know the Camellia ‘Lady Clare’ beside it dates from 1902 and that the pictures of JCW and his mother moving into Caerhays in 1868 does not show the azalea.
Three more Magnolia grandifloras on the top wall are now out. One has had a flower since February (see back). They all came from New Zealand about 20 years ago.‘Main Street’ – with large and unpleasantly floppy flowers.
‘Russet’ – with attractive indumentum under the leaves well worth growing.
‘Overton’ – smaller shiny leaves and more pointed flowers. Small growing but still likes being on a wall.
1991 – FJW
Wet June – very heavy rain today – cool. DFW started her magnum carpet.
1933 – JCW
Just as in 1931.
1931 – JCW
Came back from Scotland. Maddeni has been as good as I ever saw as they have escaped the hot sun which commonly ruins the flowers. Harrow hybrids are really fine. Mag parviflora has many blooms perhaps hundreds on the big plant. Styrax japonica is not open yet. The late Obtusums near the Top Lodge are in flower.
1924 – JCW
R griersonianum, R maddeni, Harrow hybrids are all good. Styrax hemsleyanus comes on fast.
1920 – JCW
Ten days earlier than the above. The Beech Walk A arborescens are very good and so is the Maddeni . A Mikado is good at the Top Lodge.
1916 – JCW
Maddeni, the Wilson Fortunei’s , one or two Harrow hybrids, a Mikado and an orange azalea or so are all of that family open, with the Maddeni x cinnabarinum lot. Bamboo henonis is just starting.
1915 – JCW
Azalea Mikado and R micranthum with the Ponticums in the shade are the best rhodo’s. Wilson’s Fortunei’s are opening. B henonis is not really open yet. R calophytum is very good.
Some lapsi of species-spelling: Hebe rakaiensis, Euphorbia characias, Huodendron biaristatum, Bowkeria verticillata (rarely seen), and on 24. June, Ilex gagnepainiana, after french botanist Gagnepain, Magnolia sapaensis.
Wisteria venusta is rare, with nice, shorter racemes and odorous (not slightly, as Bean writes), growing obviously much lower than others.