29th July

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

Amazing to see Erythrina crista-galli in full flower in a garden just inland from Seaview. Very early in the year for it to be in flower.

Erythrina crista-galli
Erythrina crista-galli
Erythrina crista-galli
Erythrina crista-galli
Erythrina crista-galli
Erythrina crista-galli
Erythrina crista-galli
Erythrina crista-galli
A huge clump of Abutilon megapotamicum. The flowers are rather hidden within the clump.
Abutilon megapotamicum
Abutilon megapotamicum
Abutilon megapotamicum
Abutilon megapotamicum
Thirty acres of good arable land planted with trees three years ago. Two dry summers later there have been casualties particularly with the oaks. Ragwort and thistles now dominate. The successful establishment of Alder and Hawthorn is no surprise. I am surprised the grant was given for 3m spacings between trees as opposed to the normal 1.2m.
Thirty acres
Thirty acres
Thirty acres
Thirty acres
Thirty acres
Thirty acres
Thirty acres
Thirty acres
Thirty acres
Thirty acres

2023 – CHW
After the rain there is suddenly a late flowering clump of Rhododendron maddenii with decent flowers.

Rhododendron maddenii
Rhododendron maddenii
Another unusual flower combination of Catalpa x erubescens ‘Purpurea’ and Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘Nymansay’.
Catalpa x erubescens ‘Purpurea’ and Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘Nymansay’
Catalpa x erubescens ‘Purpurea’ and Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘Nymansay’
Flowers on Catalpa x erubescens ‘Purpurea’ are not much different to those of Catalpa bignonioides but there are more individual flowers in each flower truss.
Catalpa x erubescens ‘Purpurea’
Catalpa x erubescens ‘Purpurea’
Catalpa x erubescens ‘Purpurea’
Catalpa x erubescens ‘Purpurea’
A month ago this very rare Reevesia had no leaves left on it. The old leaves had dropped and it was too dry for the new growth to emerge. No problem now!
Reevesia
Reevesia
See how well these Rhododendron zaleucum have reshot new growth after we halved them in size last autumn.
Rhododendron zaleucum
Rhododendron zaleucum
A young plant of Eucryphia x hillieri ‘Penwith’ performing properly for the first time.
Eucryphia x hillieri ‘Penwith’
Eucryphia x hillieri ‘Penwith’
Lomatia fraseri flowering away int is deer shelter. At Gorwell Garden this has grown into a huge tree despite originating from New South Wales. So tall in fact that it is hard to see the flowers. In a good hot spot with us and also facing the sea.
Lomatia fraseri
Lomatia fraseri
Tetracentron sinense var. himalense (WJC 13618) is becoming interesting. The leaves are tiny in comparison to T. sinense and they are clustered much more closely together.
Tetracentron sinense var. himalense (WJC 13618)
Tetracentron sinense var. himalense (WJC 13618)

2022 – CHW
Forestiera neomexicena has turned up its toes. Very dull and very rare plant. No idea why but it had been doing not a lot since 1991.

Forestiera neomexicena
Forestiera neomexicena
Egg shaped buds on our Manglietia mote but none out yet.
Manglietia mote
Manglietia mote
A fine show of Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ in the Rireii Opening.
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
The once record Osmanthus yunnanensis is reshooting better than expected. We dug out its neighbour in the spring as it didn’t reshoot at all.
Osmanthus yunnanensis
Osmanthus yunnanensis
Some seed heads on Magnolia sargentiana var. robusta but not nearly as many as last year which looks well for budding for next spring.
Magnolia sargentiana
Magnolia sargentiana
The tail ends of flowers on Lomatia ferruginea which I have missed completely this year.
Lomatia ferruginea
Lomatia ferruginea
Another veteran bites the dust and now needs digging out. Our oldest Rehderodendron macrocarpum. Lots of youngsters coming on all over the garden. Almost 100 years old.
Rehderodendron macrocarpum
Rehderodendron macrocarpum
Flower spikes emerging on Schefflera delavayi. Normally out in November/December.
Schefflera delavayi
Schefflera delavayi
I have also missed Illicium aff. griffithii (WWJ 1911) very last flower here.
Illicium aff. griffithii
Illicium aff. griffithii
Our Ternstroemia gymnanthera (BSWJ 12948) has no flowers as yet. Reddish new growth and reddish tips to the leaves which do not match Tom’s plant. If ours grows as big as his in 25 years we have this in the wrong place!
Ternstroemia gymnanthera
Ternstroemia gymnanthera
No idea how to name this clump of late flowering Rhodos beside the Podocarpus salignus clump but superb today and one to add to the layering list. Easy layers here as you can see.
late flowering Rhodos
late flowering Rhodos
late flowering Rhodos
late flowering Rhodos
A dead Magnolia ‘Lu Shan’. Honey fungus or caught in the cold winds with early leaf. Fortunately we have another.
Magnolia ‘Lu Shan’
Magnolia ‘Lu Shan’
Look how the bark has peeled off on the wind on another Betula ‘China Ruby’.
Betula ‘China Ruby’
Betula ‘China Ruby’
Big leafs struggling into new growth in the dry conditions but we have had a few drizzly days to make them set seed.
Big leafs struggling
Big leafs struggling
Big leafs struggling
Big leafs struggling
Interested to read an article in MSI Journal of how you fertilise the flowers of Magnolia delavayi to make them set seed. In the evenings as the flowers begin to open apparently. Written by a Magnolia grower in Dorset. I send a ‘how to have sex with a delavayi’ email to the propagators with the article. Never had fertile seeds here before.
Magnolia delavayi
Magnolia delavayi

2021 – CHW
Visits to local garden centres today to try to pick out more popular and potential mail order selling ‘new’ plants. After visiting half a dozen garden centres on the Isle of Wight and a few others last week I can glean a fair idea about local pricing and the local competition.Chacewater Garden Centre is not really plant orientated and is mainly a shopping centre for garden related (and unrelated) accessories, clothes and cards. Impressive and well laid out indoors but the outdoor plant sales area was thin and far too hot.Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Andre’ looked good in leaf (no flower) but much the same as ‘Diabolo’ or ‘Lady in Red’.
Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Andre’

Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Andre’
Leucothoe axillaris ‘Little Flames’ looked good.
Leucothoe axillaris ‘Little Flames’
Leucothoe axillaris ‘Little Flames’
Hypericum ‘Sunny Boulevard’ was a pale yellow.
Hypericum ‘Sunny Boulevard’
Hypericum ‘Sunny Boulevard’

Carnon Downs Garden Centre has a much better plant range and nearly all covered and shaded.

Poleonemium ‘Sulphur Trumpets’ was a nice new thing.

Poleonemium ‘Sulphur Trumpets’
Poleonemium ‘Sulphur Trumpets’
Agapanthus ‘Midnight Star’ is attractive but there are now scores of very similar varieties all with ‘selling’ names. I photographed at least a dozen unknown ones today and Burncoose already lists 28.
Agapanthus ‘Midnight Star’
Agapanthus ‘Midnight Star’
Rehmannia ‘Walberton Magic Dragon’ grows to about 3-3½ft.
Rehmannia ‘Walberton Magic Dragon’
Rehmannia ‘Walberton Magic Dragon’
Campanula ‘Pink Octopus’ has the merit of being rather different.
Campanula ‘Pink Octopus’
Campanula ‘Pink Octopus’

Pengelly Garden Centre is rather different. A huge multi span selling only plants with few sundries. All beautifully laid out to tempt buyers with a multitude of mixed and clever plant displays. Real show talent here and far the most enticing to buy of the three. Sadly and undeservedly not a single customer for half an hour at midday.Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Chiffon’ – attractive but a bit too tender to grow properly outside?

Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Chiffon’
Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Chiffon’
Hibiscus syriacus ‘Starburst Chiffon’
Hibiscus syriacus ‘Starburst Chiffon’
Hibiscus syriacus ‘Starburst Chiffon’
The dark foliage on Ceanothus ‘Tuxedo’ looked interesting and new but no flowers now.
Ceanothus ‘Tuxedo’
Ceanothus ‘Tuxedo’
A wall of nasturtiums was superb.
nasturtiums
nasturtiums
Penstemon ‘Strawberries and Cream’ – better than some varieties on our website.
Penstemon ‘Strawberries and Cream’
Penstemon ‘Strawberries and Cream’
Penstemon ‘Appleblossom’
Penstemon ‘Appleblossom’
Penstemon ‘Appleblossom’
Geranium ‘Orkney Cherry’ – superb groundcover.
Geranium ‘Orkney Cherry’
Geranium ‘Orkney Cherry’
Leucothoe axillaris ‘Curly Red’ without any winter colour but unusual none the less.
Leucothoe axillaris ‘Curly Red’
Leucothoe axillaris ‘Curly Red’
Absurdly named but excellent – Hydrangea ‘You and Me Together’ – Rose and Blue. A rather more double and intricate flower than ‘Fireworks Blue’ and ‘Fireworks Pink’.
Hydrangea ‘You and Me Together’
Hydrangea ‘You and Me Together’

2020 – CHW
A three year from planting Embothrium leaping ahead in a perfect position. Hot and dry in poor stony soil.

Embothrium
Embothrium
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ by Georges Hut has been out for a while.
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’
Planted as Rhododendron excellens this year it may well be just one form of Rhododendron nuttallii. Bronzy new growth.
Rhododendron excellens
Rhododendron excellens
Rhododendron excellens
Rhododendron excellens
But not on the second plant beside it.
second plant
second plant
Just a very few seeds forming on Styrax obassia which flowered poorly.
Styrax obassia
Styrax obassia
Still a few late flowers on Rhododendron maddenii as the weather turns hot with a stiff easterly breeze.
Rhododendron maddenii
Rhododendron maddenii
Quinces already well formed and whiteish speckling on the fruits.
Early berries forming on Ilex kingiana. Most years these only go red in the New Year but I cannot see this not happening much earlier this year.
Ilex kingiana
Ilex kingiana
I thought Decaisnea fargesii had no sausage fruits forming but was wrong. A few at the very top of the plant.
Decaisnea fargesii
Decaisnea fargesii
The wind has brought down the first unripe fruit clusters of Lithocarpus pachyphyllus. A squirrel has had a nibble already.
Lithocarpus pachyphyllus
Lithocarpus pachyphyllus
A good crop of magnolia buds outside the back yard already.
magnolia
magnolia
First flower almost out on Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’. At Tregrehan in the glasshouse both the white and red forms were full out last week.
Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’
Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’

2019 – CHW
I almost missed Rostrincula dependens in flower below the Tower. Buddleia like flowers. In our mild winters this is becoming a 4ftx4ft shrub with a woody trunk. It sets a fine crop of seeds each year which Asia is, I hope, germinating.
Rostrincula dependens
Rostrincula dependens
Rostrincula dependens
Rostrincula dependens
Lilium superbum with only one flower spike this year and three flowers. Spraying over the bulbs has not helped!
Lilium superbum
Lilium superbum
Lilium superbum
Lilium superbum
Lilium superbum
Lilium superbum
The first seed capsules I have ever seen on Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’. Still no leaf colouration yet and the central leader has broken (as usual). About three seed capsules in varying stages of development.
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’
Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Red Star’
First flowers high up on Eucryphia ‘Nymansay’ before the 1st August. They were not showing two days ago.
Eucryphia ‘Nymansay’
Eucryphia ‘Nymansay’
Clethra monostachya in full flower on Bond Street. Lovely flaking bark too. A Wilson introduction from 1903 but planted here about 20 years ago and now 20ft x15ft.
Clethra monostachya
Clethra monostachya
Clethra monostachya
Clethra monostachya
Clethra monostachya
Clethra monostachya

2018 – CHW
Quercus insignis has recovered from the hit it took in the ‘Beast’ and has produced a good crop of new growth. If it desisted from a second crop of new growth near Christmas it would be much easier for it to come through the winter unscathed.
Quercus insignis
Quercus insignis
Quercus insignis
Quercus insignis
Nearby Quercus crassifolia is looking fine but here also is late secondary new growth just emerging from the top of the small, young tree.
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Seed clusters starting to form on Lithocarpus variolosus with plenty of male flowers all over the tree. In previous years they have not swollen and developed properly into seed clusters.
Lithocarpus variolosus
Lithocarpus variolosus
Lithocarpus variolosus
Lithocarpus variolosus
Another large rhododendron nearly dead from the current drought. This has its roots in the top of a very dry bank.
Another large rhododendron nearly dead
Another large rhododendron nearly dead
Another large rhododendron nearly dead
Another large rhododendron nearly dead

2017 – CHW
Cannot keep away from Ventnor. So much to see!A fine white lampranthus.
white lampranthus
white lampranthus
A 20ft tall flower on an Agave americana. You can see that the rest of the plant is dying off.
Agave americana
Agave americana
Kniphofia caulescens from South Africa at its best.
Kniphofia caulescens
Kniphofia caulescens
Kniphofia caulescens
Kniphofia caulescens
Canna ‘Bonfire’ full out.
Canna ‘Bonfire’
Canna ‘Bonfire’
Canna ‘Bonfire’
Canna ‘Bonfire’
Canna ‘Bonfire’
Canna ‘Bonfire’
Even larger and more mature flower heads on two more dying Agave americana.
Agave americana
Agave americana
Agave americana
Agave americana
Chitalpa tashkentensis flowering sparsely as a small tree on a hot dry bank.
Chitalpa tashkentensis
Chitalpa tashkentensis
Chitalpa tashkentensis
Chitalpa tashkentensis
Eucomis bicolor in an outstanding clump. Some flowers full out, some still coming. Looks like there is some natural hybridisation in the clump.
Eucomis bicolor
Eucomis bicolor
Eucomis bicolor
Eucomis bicolor
Eucomis bicolor
Eucomis bicolor
The largest Agave americana I have ever seen. 10ft x 10ft easily!
Agave americana
Agave americana
More dead and finished flower spikes on Puya berteronica.
Puya berteronica
Puya berteronica
Puya berteronica
Puya berteronica
Freylinia lanceolata in full growth. Too early in the year for its tubular flowers.
Freylinia lanceolata
Freylinia lanceolata
Freylinia lanceolata
Freylinia lanceolata
A flower bud on Hedychium gardnerianum.
Hedychium gardnerianum
Hedychium gardnerianum
An extraordinary Melaleuca alternifolia with ‘cotton wool’ flowers. Never seen before.
Melaleuca alternifolia
Melaleuca alternifolia
Melaleuca alternifolia
Melaleuca alternifolia
Melaleuca alternifolia
Melaleuca alternifolia
Prumnopitys taxifolia with its juvenile new growth although this 10ft tall small tree looks half dead (as they always do).
Priminopitys taxifolia
Prumnopitys taxifolia
Priminopitys taxifolia
Prumnopitys taxifolia
Priminopitys taxifolia
Prumnopitys taxifolia
Now a real find of something new for the 2018 catalogue. Melianthus villosus from South Africa. Melianthus leaves all right (although green) but look at the flower colour!
Melianthus villosus
Melianthus villosus
Melianthus villosus
Melianthus villosus
Melianthus villosus
Melianthus villosus
Melianthus villosus
Melianthus villosus
Muehlenbeckia complexa with a flower! No idea if it is a male or a female flower?
Muehlenbeckia complexa
Muehlenbeckia complexa
Muehlenbeckia complexa
Muehlenbeckia complexa
White lampranthus again.
White lampranthus
White lampranthus
Crocosmia ‘Honey Angels’ full out.
Crocosmia ‘Honey Angels’
Crocosmia ‘Honey Angels’
Various watsonia still just out in flower.
watsonia
watsonia
watsonia
watsonia
watsonia
watsonia
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’ also full out. Not hugely different to ‘Honey Angels’ in reality.
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Odd shaped seeds on Cantua buxifolia – not seen before.
Cantua buxifolia
Cantua buxifolia
Cantua buxifolia
Cantua buxifolia
Watsonia seed nearly ripe.
Watsonia seed
Watsonia seed

2016 – CHW
The quest continues at Ventnor Botanic Garden.A superb new Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’ which has green leaves unlike our Crocosmia ‘Solfatare’ which has bronzy leaves and apricot-yellow flowers.
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
Crocosmia ‘Pauls Best Yellow’
An amazingly large specimen shrub of Bowkeria verticellata, the Natal shellflower bush, laden down with white flowers. This is new for 2017 in our catalogue and these pictures should sell a few!
Bowkeria verticellata
Bowkeria verticellata
Bowkeria verticellata
Bowkeria verticellata
Bowkeria verticellata
Bowkeria verticellata

Kniphofia bruceae had flower spikes of 4-5ft in height.

Kniphofia bruceae
Kniphofia bruceae
Bulbine frutescens was perhaps the nicest brand new thing I discovered today. Amazing fun to find such extraordinary new plants. This one the ‘African bulbine’.
Bulbine frutescens
Bulbine frutescens
Bulbine frutescens
Bulbine frutescens
The Cordyline australis disease which is killing mature plants in Cornwall is also present at Ventnor. This lot and several others stone dead since last year.
Cordyline australis
Cordyline australis
Then a really great find of a very rare new tree which is entirely unknown to me but certainly attractive. Mallotus japonicus, the ‘food wrapper plant’! Tenderish according to Hillier’s but worth a try at Caerhays. I have puzzled over this plant for several years thinking it might be a clerodendron species but suddenly now it has a proper label. Reddish new growth, oddly shaped leaves and peculiar flower spikes.
Mallotus japonicus
Mallotus japonicus
Mallotus japonicus
Mallotus japonicus
Mallotus japonicus
Mallotus japonicus
Mallotus japonicus
Mallotus japonicus
Is this a tall growing canna or a hedychium? No label of course and I do not have the reference book with me. I guess a H aurantiacum?
canna or a hedychium
canna or a hedychium
This is, I think, a large clump of the new aloe which Clare has found to add to the 2017 catalogue. Very vigorous and spreading here in full sun.
aloe
aloe
aloe
aloe
Grevillea ‘Florinda’ – a new one to me with rosemary-like leaves. Unusually late for a grevillea?
Grevillea ‘Florinda’
Grevillea ‘Florinda’
Grevillea ‘Florinda’
Grevillea ‘Florinda’
Finally an extraordinary cupressus-like conifer; Widdringtonia cedarbergersis, a South African native. You can see that it has male and female leaf forms on different branches on the same tree. It is tender and known as the Clanwilliam cedar.
Widdringtonia cedarbergersis
Widdringtonia cedarbergersis
Widdringtonia cedarbergersis
Widdringtonia cedarbergersis
Another oddity beside this conifer, Podanthus ovatifolius. It is a large shrub with leathery leaves and extraordinary seed pods which start yellow and then turn black. No idea about the flowers as not in any of my reference books.
Podanthus ovatifolius
Podanthus ovatifolius
Podanthus ovatifolius
Podanthus ovatifolius
2015 – CHW
Karol has been out with his drone taking fabulous pictures of the castle.
Caerhays Aerial
Caerhays Aerial
Porthluney Caerhays Beach Aerial
Porthluney Caerhays Beach Aerial
Caerhays in July 2015

After the rain the first mushroom of the season appears on the bank above the castle.

the first mushroom of the season
the first mushroom of the season
Below the greenhouse the very rare Rubus ichangensis is about to produce raspberries in large triangular trusses. I have never seen this species of rubus produce fruit before and there is clearly going to be a bucketful in a month or so. It is a climbing plant which clearly grows to 15 plus feet and enjoys crawling up through and over other plants. It is not freestanding.
Rubus ichangensis
Rubus ichangensis
Rubus ichangensis
Rubus ichangensis
Again the rain has induced activity in our earlier swarms of tiny frogs. They are all over the garden and are now about quadruple the size of a month or so ago. If only a tiny percentage have survived thus far there are still a hell of a lot all over the place. It is still hard to understand quite why they are so keen to move away from water (safety while they grow?) but there are certainly plenty of damp shady places in the garden and loads of insects.  A mystery to be resolved.
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’
By Georges Hut some self sown seedlings of Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ growing out of the stump of a long dead Pinus radiata are just coming out. The very last big flowered rhododendron to grace the season. ‘Polar Bear’ will be out here and there in the garden right through to September when the last plants near the back yard flower. Tremendous scent. The pink form which grows at Burncoose has been over for a fortnight by the garden borehole. Somehow the pink ‘Polar Bear’ does not look right! I can take ‘white’ brown bears but not pink white ones!

A 2003 planted Fagus longiopetiolata is at last making some progress. You would hardly recognise it as a beech tree with its pencil like leaves and close knit branches. I do not think it will be a dwarf tree but it will have to get a move on or be overshadowed by the nearby evergreen Quercus stenophylloides; a Mexican (?) oak given to us by Alan Coombes in 2002. It is now up to 12 to 15 or so feet in rather less years.

Quercus stenophylloides
Quercus stenophylloides
Quercus stenophylloides
Quercus stenophylloides

Who says there is nothing to see in a woodland garden in July?

I have found out a little more about Mr Harrow and his mysterious late flowering ‘Harrow Hybrid’ rhododendrons. Very much a real breeder with links to RBG Edinburgh and held in high regard by early Rhododendron Society members (formed 1916). Perhaps the subject for another research paper one day. However I think that next summer’s articles for publication might be about acers, ilex or even the convoluted puzzles of the original unnamed Chinese michelias at Caerhays. Even duller than this year’s efforts I fear for all but the most enthusiastic garden historian in about another century. I wish we could find a graduate with six months to spare, real plant knowledge, and more time than me to really get to grips with the archive here. Perhaps upon my ‘retirement’ (I doubt)!

1929 – JCW
(Handwritten note attached to Garden Book page)
Seed to get later:
Specimens of Ekianthus.
9 Cernus rubens origin unknown
9 Himalaicus from Coombe Wood to H White and so here
9 Campanulatus from Rogers of Southampton
9 Deflexus Wilson 4336 from Watsons by seed
9 21656 Forrest.Rhodo 25581 Charitopes
Pink rogue in ?These to go to Edinburgh in July or in October.

1924 – JCW
Plagianthus nearly over though a late season for some things. Drive buddleias are good.

1923 – JCW
Go to Scotland this week, much as above, the Plagianthus and Buddleias are the best things by far. No Auriculatum is really moving yet.

1911 – JCW
A good few cyclamen are up. Buddleias are going back. Mitraria suffered badly in the long spell of dry weather, some lapagerias show, roses coming again.