25th July | The Garden Diary

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW

A visit to Appley Tower restoration project with the High Sherrif of the IoW. The tower was built in 1875 as a watchtower over the Solent; basically a glorious folly to the then huge Hutt family house and estate which has long gone. A £349K restoration project nearing completion although the builders are nowhere near finishing by 1st August as they are contracted to do. The official opening may have to be delayed. The funding has largely come from the National Lottery. The builders are Stoneham Construction and the tower is owned by Ryde Council.

Beside the tower is a memorial to HMS Sirius which sailed to Australia in 1788 and never came back.

The tiny ground floor room in lined or decorated with ammonite fossils which are currently being painted over. An odd way of preserving them one might think. This tiny room is available for rent. It has no natural light.

The middle floor is to be an art gallery. A new (ugly) steel staircase runs around the wall to allow access to the roof. Still with no handrails. Its all so tiny that it will need careful policing to avoid overcrowding.

Access to the upper floors and roof is only via an exterior staircase.

The viewing balcony and quite a bit of friable stonework still visible for which there was not enough funding to replace.

It is a most peculiar building – apparently the third most photographed building on the island. Ryde Council have given the project 4 nearby beach huts to hire out (£35/ day) which should pay the rent for the art company, Monkton Arts, who will be the new tenants when the builders finally move out.

These mature trees below the Tower car park, toilets and main sewage pumping station have recently been cut down and, as you can see here, the stumps poisoned. I assume the trees were cut down to create a view over the Solent? With true Council hypocrisy they have now planted new trees to avoid the obvious criticism. A fair few have been vandalised already.

2023 – CHW
The buds on Magnolia kwangtungensis are close to opening.

Very late in the year flowers on the elderly Lithocarpus cleistocarpus.

This clump of Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ already nearly over by George’s Hut.

Magnolia ‘Todd’s Fortyniner’ covered in secondary flowers.

Another scented Rhododendron dies. The rain came too late.

Hydrangea sargentiana ‘Gold Rush’ putting on a good show.

See how different this flower is on our Desfontainea spinosa than the one a week ago at Osborne House in the Isle of Wight.

Our best blue hydrangea clump is nearly over but looking rather heathier than a year ago.

2022 – CHW

Some light rain overnight but not enough.

I cannot get over the growth of Acacia baileyana in just two years in this hot spot above the greenhouses. I fear it will blow over despite the large stake.

Magnolia ‘Todd’s Forty Niner’ covered in flowers again! What a performer this small tree is!

Sequoiadendron giganteum ‘Glaucum’ finally getting away after a slow start from 14 years ago.

Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ – the red bark has just peeled off the lower part of the trunk. In this it is very similar to ‘Bowling Green’ and ‘Chinese Garden’ at this youngish age.

Styrax japonicus ‘Pendulus’ with a few tail end flowers after I would have expected it to be over.

Hydrangea ‘Leanath’ making a fine show in the shade back from the Green Gate.

2021 – CHW
The strong warm northerly gales preceding the end of the heatwave have split the Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Aureomarginata’ more or less in half.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ now full out but no pink tints yet.

Ehretia macrophylla growing away quickly.

Sizygium smithii still has attractive new growth.

Juglans major (Juglans elaeopyren now) is getting away nicely.

Lithocarpus dealbatus not so well.

Pseudopanax ‘Moa’s Toes’ has survived the roe deer nibbling and is now going ahead.

The (original) Magnolia ‘Lanarth’ which was hit by the tree surgeons two years ago is reshooting vigorously and needs a bit more judicious pruning to tidy it up.

Viburnum parvifolium (BSWJ 6768) planted this spring is making good headway.

2020 – CHW
Whatever it was yesterday it was not Ptelea nitens which I should have spotted at once as all Ptelea have three lobed leaves. It clearly died after planting in 2005. This leaves not just this small shrub, but another small tree near it, unidentified and not listed on the plans.

Buddleia lindleyana looking as lovely as ever on the drive despite its pruning two years ago which has increased the flower size. Earlier out than usual.

My research locates a Cotoneaster glomeratus which Roy Lancaster gave us in 2004. No flowers and we saw sparse flowering on the older plant on the drive.

Quercus monimotricha planted in 2013 is doing well. A good evergreen.

The last flower on Rhododendron excellans (KR 3095) planted in 2002 below Tin Garden. (See my earlier comments on excellans vs nuttallii now being considered one and the same.)

Then two Sorbus species planted in 2005 which are now decent trees but I had not ‘clocked’ them properly before for the diary.

Sorbus cyclophylla (2002/116) has whitebeam characteristics but I have yet to locate it in a reference book? No fruits and no flowers this year.

Sorbus tianschanica. Hillier’s says flowers and fruits are rare in the UK and I have never seen any on this tree.

In Tin Garden Verbascum nigrum or Dark Mullein has appeared here and there in what was bare earth a year ago. It survived the grass cut five to six weeks ago and has emerged since. Found in Cornwall (as a native species) mainly on the Roseland Peninsula according to the Flora of Cornwall. Quite a rare wildflower seed of which has been undisturbed for decades in the ground. Well worth Asia collecting the seed – very pretty!

Sorbus yuana just getting going in Tin Garden with secondary new growth.

We have just layered this very late flowering rhododendron on Rookery Path which I remember being more orange-red than this when I have seen it before. No idea of a name.

Steve Dance photographed Mallotus japonicus in flower in the nursery after the heatwave.

2019 – CHW
To Trelowarren for an update on the Cornwall Red Squirrel Project and a visit to the two red squirrel enclosures hidden in the woods. Both contain breeding pairs and it is possible that one pair have kits as only one of the pair has been seen for a few weeks. Although the unrelated squirrels came from enclosures in Paradise Park in Hayle and Norfolk where they were used to the public they have become very timid in their new woodland homes. Buzzards and owls sit and watch them in the cage and they do not like it. A third enclosure will go up soon when we have more youngsters. The release will only come when we have the necessary Natural England approvals and a captive stock of about 20 young reds from the breeding pens at Paradise Park, Trewithen and Trelowarren. Paradise Park already have one litter this year. These pictures of Ross and Demelza were not taken by me but show how the captive pens look prior to the release. All very exciting!

These pictures of Ross and Demelza were not taken by me but show how the captive pens look prior to the release

2018 – CHW
An invitation to view ‘the tallest ever flowering Agave americana in the UK’ at The Nare hotel. I have seen similar agave in flower on Tresco and at Ventnor botanics in the Isle of Wight over the years but of course did not have a clinometer with me at the time to measure the overall height of the flower spikes! It is certainly a huge performance especially after the emerging spike was covered in snow during the March ‘Beast’. Whether it is genuinely a record is more doubtful. Perhaps a record for 2018?

The flowers were full out today and covered in bees, flies and wasps. There will soon be a huge crop of seed and the lower leaves on the plant are already crinkling and starting to die as the whole plant very soon will. I had assumed that agaves take 40 to 50 years to flower but this one has been here for only 21 years. The plant right beside it is of a similar age and shows no sign yet of flowering.

Pimm’s and some alcoholic Mexican concoction made from the juice of agave leaves was served in the evening sun. The latter quite revolting.

2017 – CHW
More from Eddington’s Nursery.Thalictrum ‘Elin’ – may not have ever caught the flowers as well as this.

Geraniuma wallichianum ‘Crystal Lake’ – nice veining in the flower.

Rudbeckia maxima – grows to 6ft. Light green leaves and yellow flowers on tall stalks.

Rudbeckia? – good red.

Rudbeckia ‘Peking’ – huge flower heads.

Crocosmia ‘Okavango’ – big flower and quite unusual.

Geranium ‘Eureka Blue’ – another nice blue but the name might sell it.

Geranium ‘Dusky Rose’ – groundcover with dark leaves.

Geranium ‘Blue Sunrise’ – blue at first fading quickly.

Lots of new things to review here perhaps for our 2018 catalogue? Outstanding small herbaceous nursery but I fear they will struggle to make a living. Lots of stock still here from a year ago although half the agapanthus have sold and all of some new varieties (eg A. ‘Queen Mum’).

2016 – CHW
A long letter to George Eustice, Redruth MP and now confirmed (again) as minister of agriculture. George came to the Burncoose stand at Chelsea on press day and we had a chat about the shocking maladministration and non-performance of the Rural Payments Agency. His family farm and run a farm shop so he is one of the few MPs who actually know something about farming and what I am so furious about as regards Caerhays and the non-payment of the contractual management and other BPS payments due from last year.Off in another heatwave to Busy Bee Garden Centre. More of a shopping centre really with plants a rather poor fifth. Many plants had not moved at all from where I saw them shelved a year ago but they now look un-watered and unloved. Vastly overstocked for a short summer season.

A few new plants to consider for our 2017 catalogue seen here:Leucanthemum ‘Real Charmer’ is perhaps better than Leucanthemum ‘Freak’ and Leucanthemum ‘Goldfinch’ but not by miles.

What was very good but possibly too tender to winter outside were two superb brand new cordylines. Seemed to be UK grown rather than overseas sourced and a fair price (£30.00) for a 7.5 litre pot-full of this quality.

Cordyline australis ‘Pink Passion’ with lovely light pink edges to the leaves and pink stripes.

Cordyline australis ‘Salsa’ with red stripes and red edging.

Olearia x oleifera ‘Waikariensis’ – not that different but a compact New Zealand introduction. Might make a nice unusual compact slow growing hedge.

Podocarpus lawrencei ‘Red Tip’ – a Dutch raised dwarfish hybrid with attractive blue-green foliage and striking red new growth just emerging here.

Teucrium hir ‘Purple Tails’ – going over here but quite nice none the less at this stage in late July.

Phlox ‘Pettermint Twist’ – although largely over still quite eye-catching.

Gaura ‘Rose Bicolor’ – this is definitely a nicer gaura variety than any we currently stock and grows about the same size as Gaura ‘The Bride’.

Gaura ‘Belleza’ is smaller growing with reddish new growth but not that different.

Alstroemeria ‘Indian Summer’ – tall growing with bronzy foliage.

Alstroemeria ‘Summer Breeze’ – same applies. Nice colour mix close up but not so eye-catching. Looks pretty straggly even in a large pot as here.

2015 – CHW
Yesterday we got our first proper rain for months but today is set fine and everything in the garden (except the keepers and pheasant poults) rejoices in the growth. The Park (or Downs) has gone from brownish to green overnight.

It is doubtful that we will get the grass cut a week ago on the banks above the front door raked up and burnt as normal as it will now rot. I am always in two minds about whether it is worth the effort and time involved in raking it up by hand. Years ago the tenant farmer (Rowse) at Penvergate used to come and bale it up as extra fodder for his smallholding but this just left seed allover the gravel. The banks have to be cut late to protect the primroses and bluebells but cutting the flowering weeds and grasses deprives the butterflies of feed. There are usually plenty of small blue ones to be seen but not this year nor in the Isle of Wight. Raking up grass does spread flower and weed seed around I suppose and makes the place look tidy for visitors but I would prefer to see it cut in August and the bank below the lawn to be left to grow rather than flymown to death as has become the norm.

1933 – JCW
Auriculatum is opening well in several places. Romneya is good, the bed wants renewing.

1926 – JCW
Plagianthus lyali nearly over. Decorum x Auriculatum coming on. Violas good. Rambler good. Romneya is very remarkable. Styrax just over as a family. Some rain but very little for 5 weeks.

1911 – JCW
Buddleia var Veitchii and Magnifica at about their best. Very very dry, several things dead.

1909 – JCW
Buddleia variabilis shows colour. Mitraria fair. Cyclamen none. Half the daff seed sown. Most of the transplanting finished. R decorum not open yet.

One thought on “25th July”

Georg Ruf says:

25th June 2023 at 6:34 pm

Juglans major from Texas has offsprings which grow in France and Western G., the Garavell hybrids, J. major x J. regia, as forest trees for quality timber.
’20 The oak given as Qu monimotricha must be another. Qu monimotricha is a small, shrubby species with small leaves not much longer than 3 cm and more ovate. The picture shows an oak with long leaves with apex, three times as long as wide. New shoots nearly 40 cm long whereas Qu. mon. has about 10 cm shoots. It resembles therefore more the Qu. lanata type of oaks, but surface and colour differ (shinier, brighter). ’17 the doubtfull Rudbeckia may be a red Helenium, flowers smaller, about half.

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