8th March

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

Looking at more first time flowerers and young plants. This time in Old Park where there are 14 to look at today.

First flowering in Kitchen Garden of Magnolia ‘Touch of Class’. A tiny first flower but a good colour. This was bred by Vance Hooper in New Zealand and is M. liliiflora ‘Nigra’ x M. soulangeana ‘San Jose’. Our plant from Lunaplant Jan 2024.

Magnolia ‘Touch of Class’
Magnolia ‘Touch of Class’
Also a first flowering in Kitchen Garden of Magnolia ‘Big Ben’ which looks good already. No record of the parentage but MSI register says New Zealand bred. Our plant direct from Lunaplant and planted Jan 2024.
Magnolia ‘Big Ben’
Magnolia ‘Big Ben’
Magnolia ‘Big Ben’
Magnolia ‘Big Ben’
A wind battered flower or two left on Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. campbelli subsp mollicomata ‘Werrington’. Lunaplant have ‘Avalon’ and ‘Michael’s Purple’ listed with this parentage. From what we saw yesterday I guess ‘Avalon’ as this was a 2017 planting and ‘Michael’s Purple’ is a brand new Lunaplant name (or so I guess). What a bloody muddle this is becoming! ‘Michael’s Purple’ is not MSI registered unless very recent indeed. This plant is just beside the seat in the Camiellia sasanqua planting.
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. campbelli subsp mollicomata ‘Werrington’
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. campbelli subsp mollicomata ‘Werrington’
A newly planted Magnolia ‘Miss Marble’ with two impressive first flowers. This is MSI registered as M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x M. ‘Black Tulip’. This is also the same parentage as the equally impressive M. ‘Venus’. Both were breed by Michael Gottschalk in Germany. This plant is below White Styles.
Magnolia ‘Miss Marble’
Magnolia ‘Miss Marble’
Magnolia ‘Miss Marble’
Magnolia ‘Miss Marble’
A newly planted Magnolia ‘Avalon’ with its first tiny flower.
Magnolia ‘Avalon’
Magnolia ‘Avalon’
Magnolia ‘Pink Pyramid’ was planted in 2020 and is a Vance Hooper, New Zealand hybrid between M. ‘Aurora’ and M. ‘Genie’. Looks good for a first flower.
Magnolia ‘Pink Pyramid’
Magnolia ‘Pink Pyramid’
Magnolia ‘Cup Cake’ has plenty of flowers at the far end of Old Park.
Magnolia ‘Cup Cake’
Magnolia ‘Cup Cake’
Magnolia ‘Ledvina’ is another I cannot trace as a name.
Magnolia ‘Ledvina’
Magnolia ‘Ledvina’
Magnolia ‘Ledvina’
Magnolia ‘Ledvina’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x M. ‘Star Wars’ is at the end of Old Park and looking good but, again, I cannot trace a name.
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x M. ‘Star Wars’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x M. ‘Star Wars’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x M. ‘Star Wars’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x M. ‘Star Wars’
Magnolia ‘Mark Jury’ – good to have a second plant coming on nicely. Flowers rather battered today at the end of Old Park.
Magnolia ‘Mark Jury’
Magnolia ‘Mark Jury’
Magnolia ‘Just Jean’ is a John Gallagher raised and registered M. x soulangeana seedling. Far end of Old Park.
Magnolia ‘Just Jean’
Magnolia ‘Just Jean’
Magnola ‘Sybille’ is Philippe de Spoelberg’s M x soulangeana x ‘White Giant’ x M. ‘Leda’. Clearly correctly named at the far end of Old Park.
Magnola ‘Sybille’
Magnola ‘Sybille’
Magnola ‘Sybille’
Magnola ‘Sybille’
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’ is a very fine hybrid between M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ and M. ‘Caerhays Surprise’. Just getting established now in the centre of the Old Park. 2019 planted.
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’
Magnolia ‘Theodora’ is Maurice Foster’s UK bred M. ‘Dark Shadow’ x M. campbelli var mollicomata. Rather wind battered and over today.
Magnolia ‘Theodora’
Magnolia ‘Theodora’

2023 – CHW
Attached is the application to register Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid with the Magnolia Society International together with a selection of photographs of the tree and flower taken today. There is no certainty that the name ‘Queen Elizabeth’ or the plant itself will be accepted by the Registrar. We will have to wait and see.
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid

2022 – CHW

A horrid cold SE wind. Hardly ideal for the magnolia flowers so I have rushed off to capture what is performing today in Kennel Close in case it all gets ruined. A boring list perhaps but an interesting record of these seven to fifteen year old plants as they mature.

A well established Magnolia ‘Red Lion’ on Bond Street. Preferable in colour to its sister seedling M. ‘Star Wars’ as I have mentioned before.

Magnolia ‘Red Lion’
Magnolia ‘Red Lion’
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ still in bud. Rather darker than Dr Millard’s flower from yesterday but blown nearly out overnight. Not too far off in colour when open I suspect.
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’
A single poor/battered flower this year on Magnolia ‘Black Swan’. We have yet to see this flower properly here although the plant is growing well.
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’
Magnolia ‘Black Swan’
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ x Magnolia ‘JC Williams’ has promise.
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ x Magnolia ‘JC Williams’
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ x Magnolia ‘JC Williams’
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x Magnolia ‘JC Williams’ is now named as ‘Anne Leitner’. Excellent and very saleable.
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x Magnolia ‘JC Williams’
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x Magnolia ‘JC Williams’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Daisy Diva’ performing well although one wonders at it really being a sprengeri? Bred by Mike Robinson (M. sprengeri var. diva x M. x soulangeana ‘Lennei Alba’).
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Daisy Diva’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Daisy Diva’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Daisy Diva’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Daisy Diva’
Magnolia ‘Judy Carlson’ is definitely improving with age. Excellent in bud with the reddish flash.
Magnolia ‘Judy Carlson’
Magnolia ‘Judy Carlson’
Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’ battered and not yet out.
Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’
Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’
Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’ covered in flower as a young tree. Nothing exceptionally different but a good enough form.
Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’
Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’
A young Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’ – quite superb but the wind is ruining it.
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’
Magnolia ‘Plum Pudding’ (?) is a totally different colour to our other New Zealand plant which was a specific gift from Vance Hooper (so very likely to be correct). My picture (as here) is in the Eisenhut reference book (Page 282). Which is correct I wonder? This one has an Eisenhut 677 number.
Eisenhut reference book
Eisenhut reference book
Magnolia ‘Plum Pudding’
Magnolia ‘Plum Pudding’
Prunus ‘Collingwood Ingram’ is nearly as good a red as the P. campanulata ‘Felix Jury’ of a day or two ago.
Prunus ‘Collingwood Ingram’
Prunus ‘Collingwood Ingram’
Magnolia denudata ‘Double Diamond’ not yet open but with many flowers. A large tree now at Burncoose and called denudata ‘Dubbel’ originally I believe.
Magnolia denudata ‘Double Diamond’
Magnolia denudata ‘Double Diamond’
A newly planted Magnolia ‘Pink Pyramid’ with one small flower.
Magnolia ‘Pink Pyramid’
Magnolia ‘Pink Pyramid’
Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ has a cabbage-like flower and looks impressive.
Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’
Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’
Magnolia ‘Aphrodite’ (M. ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Deep Purple Dream’) not quite out yet.
Magnolia ‘Aphrodite’
Magnolia ‘Aphrodite’
Magnolia ‘Sir Harold Hillier’ has just a hint of pink but still absolutely excellent and full of flower today. Not quite the pure M. campbellii var. alba but never mind! Probably the best magnolia out today in the wind in Kennel Close.
Magnolia ‘Sir Harold Hillier’
Magnolia ‘Sir Harold Hillier’
Magnolia ‘Sir Harold Hillier’
Magnolia ‘Sir Harold Hillier’
Magnolia ‘Sir Harold Hillier’
Magnolia ‘Sir Harold Hillier’
Magnolia ‘Sweet Valentine’ with plenty of buds high up. A very columnar habit.
Magnolia ‘Sweet Valentine’
Magnolia ‘Sweet Valentine’
Magnolia ‘Hot Lips’ now at its best and thankfully planted right by the path.
Magnolia ‘Hot Lips’
Magnolia ‘Hot Lips’
Magnolia ‘Hot Lips’
Magnolia ‘Hot Lips’
Magnolia ‘Pink Sensation’ well worth its place as a pink campbellii type and covered in flower. This is an Ian Baldick hybrid which was originally known as ‘Ian’s Pink Giant’ according to the Magnolia Society International records.
Magnolia ‘Pink Sensation’
Magnolia ‘Pink Sensation’
Magnolia ‘Pink Sensation’
Magnolia ‘Pink Sensation’
Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chindit’ – not especially dawsoniana-like at least at this early stage in bud.
Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chindit’
Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chindit’
Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chindit’
Magnolia dawsoniana ‘Chindit’

2021 – CHW
Lockdown is a time for cleaning out old family paperwork and this amusing 1972 invoice for my mother’s automatic triumph dolomite car has emerged. £1,500 for a car 50 or so years on makes you think a bit about the value of money and inflation as we start to worry about inflation again. I drove this car in my teens, and I think my brother finally ran it into the ground in London after a few scrapes.Frost overnight has thankfully caught only the magnolias planted the lower side of the main drive where the cold air settles in the valley. Philip Tregunna always said that we should never plant magnolias below the drive for just this reason and he was right even if we have not entirely observed this rule.The Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’ on the lawn has caught it!
Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’
Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’
However, the magnolia on from the Rockery is not too bad.
magnolia on from the Rockery
magnolia on from the Rockery
Camellia reticulata ‘Lila Naff’ is just out.
Camellia reticulata ‘Lila Naff’
Camellia reticulata ‘Lila Naff’
The second plant of Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’ below Donkey Shoe has a couple of flowers out and the yellowing is more pronounced.
Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’
Already the New Zealand Magnolia ‘Lanarth’ is shedding tepals onto the ground.
Magnolia ‘Lanarth’
Magnolia ‘Lanarth’
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’ showing colour.
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’
As is the Magnolia sargentiana robusta in the ririei opening.
Magnolia sargentiana robusta
Magnolia sargentiana robusta
Another dead snakebark maple with fungal infection at the base.
dead snakebark maple
dead snakebark maple
Magnolia sprengeri var. elongata just coming.
Magnolia sprengeri var. elongata
Magnolia sprengeri var. elongata
Rhododendron barbatum (from Crûg) only now in flower. Rather late out!
Rhododendron barbatum
Rhododendron barbatum
A rhododendron labelled irroratum but without the darker eye. Need to check where this came from.
rhododendron labelled irroratum
rhododendron labelled irroratum
rhododendron labelled irroratum
rhododendron labelled irroratum
Then a wonderful surprise. Suddenly the young Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’ has several flowers out. A gift from Jim Gardiner and I must send him some pictures as this was from wild collected seed in China. Slight frosting overnight. What a colour and what a shape to the flower and on such a young plant.
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’
Magnolia sprengeri ‘Dusty Pink’
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x ‘F J Williams’ has a flower well reflecting its parentage. Has it been named yet? Need to check the lists.
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x ‘F J Williams’
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x ‘F J Williams’
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x ‘F J Williams’
Magnolia ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ x ‘F J Williams’
Tom Hudson’s gift of three Rhododendron ririei have never looked better.
Rhododendron ririei
Rhododendron ririei
Bluebells well up.
Bluebells
Bluebells
Narcissus cyclamineus looking very fine in the sun.
Narcissus cyclamineus
Narcissus cyclamineus

2020 – CHW
The new Heerdegen / Reto Eisenhut book on magnolias has just arrived. Loads of pictures and a wonderful reference book (especially for the newer magnolia crosses) even if it is all in German! Quite a lot of this garden diary and Burncoose pictures have been included with our permission. In fact many of the 2019 flowering Michelia and Manglietia here are included although I am not certain that all the naming is perfect.
book on magnolias
book on magnolias
book on magnolias
book on magnolias
The Eisenhut catalogue and sales system has always taken a while to get to grips with. They list alphabetically by species with named clones and some hybrids and then, secondly and again alphabetically, by clonal or hybrid names which meant most things have two reference numbers for the same plant. Thankfully most of this has been amalgamated into one list with tail end sections on New Zealand bred hybrids and on ‘crosses and new things’. The latter is of particular interest because we have quite a few of them now of flowering size here which are recorded as unnamed crosses with just the parentage on the original label. Subsequently many of these have been registered and given names which we had not quite caught up with although the pollen parents were our original Caerhays crosses.
For example:
‘Black Swan’ = Magnolia ‘Pickards Ruby’ x Magnolia ‘Caerhays Surprise’
‘Anne Leitner’ = Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘JC Williams’The book has my strongest recommendation for all magnolia breeders and collectors. I attach a copy of a sample page of the ‘crosses and new things’ to whet the appetite.Here are a few more real plants:
Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ just emerging.
Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’
Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’
Magnolia ‘Purple Sensation’ (this is Magnolia campbellii subsp. mollicomata ‘Lanarth’ x Magnolia liliiflora).
Magnolia ‘Purple Sensation’
Magnolia ‘Purple Sensation’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Wakehurst’ with three flowers full out. Very nice indeed!
Magnolia campbellii ‘Wakehurst’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Wakehurst’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Wakehurst’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Wakehurst’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’ – one of three plants we have in the collection. The other two still in tight bud.
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ – rather windblown.
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’
Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’
Magnolia ‘Shirazz’ (Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia denudata) nearly full out and very dark against a dark sky. Planted in 2006 and already 20ft x 15ft.
Magnolia ‘Shirazz’
Magnolia ‘Shirazz’
Magnolia ‘Shirazz’
Magnolia ‘Shirazz’
Magnolia ‘Shirazz’
Magnolia ‘Shirazz’
Michelia doltsopa just emerging high up on the big plant by Georges Hut.
Michelia doltsopa
Michelia doltsopa
The white form (alongside the pink form) of Rhododendron irroratum.
Rhododendron irroratum
Rhododendron irroratum
Rhododendron irroratum
Rhododendron irroratum
This sister seedling to the true Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’ resides on the drive. It is a small flowered imitation of the real thing but not too bad really.
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Leaf on a clump of Enkianthus in the first week of March. Things are rushing on despite a wettish week.
Enkianthus
Enkianthus
Jaimie planted a few magnolias in the 1992 post hurricane replanting at the top of Forty Acres Wood above Dry Walls. This wood is due to be thinned shortly so he took the opportunity to cut around them in case there was a disaster. This is a Magnolia ‘F J Williams’ seedling which is not bad and may one day give a glimpse of colour from miles away. We should plant more random seedlings in new woodland as we have along Bond Street where they show up well today.
Magnolia ‘F J Williams’ seedling
Magnolia ‘F J Williams’ seedling

2019 – CHW
More new magnolias to admire while the Tin Garden clearance nears completion. We decided to pollard the remaining Magnolia sprengeri seedling to 15-20ft to avoid the leggy branches splitting and falling onto the new planting. Now just raking, levelling and aerating the ground for planting to get rid of the impaction from heavy machinery.
Tin Garden clearance
Tin Garden clearance
Tin Garden clearance
Tin Garden clearance
Tin Garden clearance
Tin Garden clearance
Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’ – first flowering here
Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’
Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’
Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’
Magnolia ‘Antje Zandee’
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Purple Dream’ – first flowering here
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Purple Dream’
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Purple Dream’
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Purple Dream’
Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Purple Dream’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’ – first flowering here
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’
Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Vulcan’
Magnolia ‘Holywell’ – first flowering here
Magnolia ‘Holywell’
Magnolia ‘Holywell’
Magnolia ‘Holywell’
Magnolia ‘Holywell’
Magnolia ‘Amethyst Flame’ – first flowering here
Magnolia ‘Amethyst Flame’
Magnolia ‘Amethyst Flame’
Magnolia ‘Amethyst Flame’
Magnolia ‘Amethyst Flame’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Picards Ruby’ x ‘F J Williams’ – first flowering here
Magnolia ‘Picards Ruby’ x ‘F J Williams’
Magnolia ‘Picards Ruby’ x ‘F J Williams’
Magnolia ‘Leda’ – first flowering here
Magnolia ‘Leda’
Magnolia ‘Leda’
Magnolia ‘Hawk’ – very like sprengeri ‘Diva’ I think
Magnolia ‘Hawk’
Magnolia ‘Hawk’
Magnolia ‘Hawk’
Magnolia ‘Hawk’
Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’
Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’
Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’
Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’
Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’
Magnolia sinostellata with first flower. The Chinese form of Magnolia stellata which seems to be smaller with possibly more tepals than the one which we commonly know when it first opens up but, when fully open, I am not so sure. Just a hint of very pale pink on the outer tepals.
Magnolia sinostellata
Magnolia sinostellata
Various views of the splendid magnolia display in Old Park before they were blown in the gales. Quite the best in one go that I have ever seen at Old Park.
Magnolias in Old Park
Magnolias in Old Park
Magnolias in Old Park
Magnolias in Old Park
Magnolias in Old Park
Magnolias in Old Park
Magnolias in Old Park
Magnolias in Old Park

2018 – CHW
Off at last to the pleasant job of planting out some of our young rhododendrons from the outside frames. These were dug around and lifted before Storm Emma etc.Sparmannia africana by the greenhouse has joined the dodo. Not totally unexpected from -9oC but we have plenty of cuttings in the warm.
Sparmannia africana
Sparmannia africana
Sparmannia africana
Sparmannia africana
Sadly the excellent young Magnolia nitida which we looked at a few weeks ago has taken a hit in the wind. Partial defoliation but not enough to kill it totally? The new growth looks intact even if some more leaves may yet shrivel and die off. You cannot tell for a bit how much damage has actually been done to evergreens like this in the cold.
Magnolia nitida
Magnolia nitida
Magnolia nitida
Magnolia nitida
More to come.

2017 – CHW

A wet and drizzly day with a pleasant two hour tour for a magnolia enthusiast from Malmo in Sweden.

Rhododendron cilpinense just out at the cash point entrance to the garden. Not yet showing at Burncoose or on the main ride.

Rhododendron cilpinense
Rhododendron cilpinense
Rhododendron cilpinense
Rhododendron cilpinense
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’ starting to come out properly. Amazing to think that 20 years ago we used to exhibit this at Chelsea in late May.
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Elsie Jury’ just coming out nearby. A good double.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Elsie Jury’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Elsie Jury’
Rhododendron moupinense full out too by the cash point as it is on the drive.
Rhododendron moupinense
Rhododendron moupinense
Rhododendron moupinense
Rhododendron moupinense
Rhododendron moupinense
Rhododendron moupinense
A good plant for sale of Laureliopsis philippiana.
Laureliopsis philippiana
Laureliopsis philippiana
A camellia species grown from seed collected in Hong Kong in the 1960s by Colonel Toots Williams. No idea of the name and obviously tender.
A camellia species
A camellia species
A camellia species
A camellia species
First flower on Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’ in Kennel Close. Its second year of flowering. Strangely this excellent variety had not been planted here much earlier.
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
Magnolia ‘Felix Jury’
First flower showing on Magnolia ‘Apollo’. Early for this one to be showing.
Magnolia ‘Apollo’
Magnolia ‘Apollo’
Stachyurus lancifolius putting on a good show for the first time with no leaves. It lives up to its name!
Stachyurus lancifolius
Stachyurus lancifolius
Stachyurus lancifolius
Stachyurus lancifolius
Stachyurus lancifolius
Stachyurus lancifolius
First flowers on the newly registered Magnolia ‘Caerhays Philip’. Small and sparse this year against a drab sky.
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Philip’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Philip’
The first Michelia doltsopa just coming out. Note the greenish yellow at the base of the white flower (creamier in bud) which Forrest described 100 plus years ago in Szechuan.
Michelia doltsopa
Michelia doltsopa
Michelia doltsopa
Michelia doltsopa
Stachyurus salicifolius as labelled but the reference books do not say this is an evergreen which it clearly is? Stachyurus yunnanensis (which is evergreen) and Stachyurus himalaicus were once planted here but the deer have eaten most of the other two.
Stachyurus salicifolius
Stachyurus salicifolius
Stachyurus salicifolius
Stachyurus salicifolius
Plenty of magnolias showing up in Old Park from afar.
magnolias showing up in Old Park
magnolias showing up in Old Park
The view down to the drive in the gloom.
view down to the drive
view down to the drive
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’ is nearing its best and nearly fully out.
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’

2016 – CHW
Around the garden with John (Williams) after meetings at Tregaire and Newton about major building works on four derelict barns.Camellia reticulata ‘Captain Rawes’ is just coming out in the Auklandii Garden. This plant was propagated at Tregullow disproving the commonly held view that reticulatas will not root as cuttings.
Camellia reticulata ‘Captain Rawes’
Camellia reticulata ‘Captain Rawes’
Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’ is now at its zenith in the sun.
Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’
Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’
Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’
Magnolia ‘Mr Julian’
The mini digger has arrived and cleared the laurel stumps from a damp area above ‘Mr Julian’. Quite why the stumps are being burnt right in the middle of the new planting area was a question that had not been thought through. A tidy job nonetheless.
cleared the laurel stumps
cleared the laurel stumps
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Mary Williams’ also at its best with a blue sky behind it. This is a very good form out well before the other mollicomatas of a similar age.
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Mary Williams’
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Mary Williams’
Philip Tregunna’s cross, the recently registered Magnolia ‘Caerhays Philip’, at the top of the garden has a few flowers out. The colour is poor and nothing like it should be so wind blow is probably the culprit. Plenty more buds still to come out though and one to watch.
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Philip’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Philip’
The ‘Spring comes to Cornwall’ formal launch and party at The Nare hotel in the evening with lots of magnolias and a few press. The real launch was of course at No10 Downing Street on 10th February. Very nice chairman of the county council, Mary May, replies to my speech about the Great Gardens of Cornwall boosting Cornish business. She tells us she is a flower arranger living near Enys Estate. An unlikely councillor but charming albeit somewhat out of place! Lord St Levan and the editor of the Western Morning News have a wry chuckle.
2015 – CHW
CAMELLIA Lulu Belle
CAMELLIA ‘Lulu Belle’
CAMELLIA Pink Icicle
CAMELLIA ‘Pink Icicle’
CAMELLIA Mary Costa
CAMELLIA ‘Mary Costa’
'Mary Costa' quickly brown and hang on the bush
Browned ‘Mary Costa’

Too overcast really for photography but an attempt to sort out the naming of the newish camellias (ex Trehane) where the old ‘Red Admirals’ died by Donkey Shoe. Two groups planted in 1997 and 1998 but the plans now bear little resemblance to reality due to deaths and being planted too close together. ‘Lulu Belle’ is a good semi double white and ‘Pink Icicle’ early and very floriferous. Well worth propagating. ‘Mary Costa’ has a good shape but the flowers quickly brown and hang on the bush. Not a pretty sight! For some reason the camera is overexposing so all the pictures will have to be done again. Unamusing waste of time. A new species of stachyurus coming out by Tin Garden [ ]. Not very different to Stachyurus praecox or Stachyurus chinensis. Why do the roe deer so like stachyurus? Only two plants left from the collection of five planted above Crinodendron Hedge and these much nibbled.

STACHYRUS lancifolius
STACHYRUS lancifolius eaten by the roe deer!
STACHYRUS lancifolius
STACHYRUS lancifolius

1968 – FJW
Little movement with Magnolias – most flowers in Mr Gordon.1966 – FJW
First flower picked from Auklandii G white Campbellii – 10 inches across – very round petals – nine in number (Uncle George).

1913 – JCW
The first sort of Poet open and Mrs P Sydenham, some real white thorn in the ride.

1905 – JCW
Halleana (stellata) just open, Reticulata quite out, all G Spur, H Irving, much Maximus, many incomps, Caerhays are good, Dauntlep open, many Camellias out.

1903 – JCW
Picked the first Halleana (stellata), Prunus triloba shows colour and reticulata.

1902 – JCW
Many G Spur, H Irving, Caerhays and minor open, a few maximus, a great lot of rough seedlings in the Kitchen Garden, my first incomp in the Tin Garden where about 30 or 40 things are open.

1899 – JCW
First Horsfieldii and M Hume opening, picked flower of Halleana (stellata).

(Handwritten note attached to Garden Book page)
Evergreens for the Dinner March 1929

Gardenia axillaris
Hastia 24406
Ilex insignis
Ilex oldhamii
Lindera megaphylla
Michelia floribunda
Michelia excelsa
Olea excelsa
Photinia flavidiflora
Quercus acuta
2 Cleistocarpa
2 Cuspidata
2 Glabra
2 Spathulata
Schima khasiana