Plenty of ripening seed on the second (white) Camellia sasanqua next door to it.

The Lapageria rosea in the Camellia sasanqua is actually the ‘Picotee’ form as I can now see as the flowers are fully open. An unusual and very rare form.

The Dutch have offered us 40 Lapageria rosea plants at €42.00 each which means that after transport and VAT we will be selling at around £100 each. I have no doubt that they will sell at any price even if only in 1.5-2 litre pots.

Mushrooms coming up all over the lawn.

The Cyclamen under the yew trees on the lawn have survived the lawn mower.

Plenty of bud on the Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’ on the lawn.

After the drought Tropaeolum speciosum is regrowing in the ancient Camellia ‘Lady Clare’ by the Library.

Leslie Baker tells me his Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ is out in his garden in St. Austell. I had better go and look at ours.

2025 – CHW

Rain all week and the garden is recovering. In the nick of time for many things. A large ash tree across the road above Treluckey Mill.

Loads of fruit on the quince below Slip Rail.

I have nearly missed the flowers on Schima superba. Blown off in the wind.

The very first of the ancient Camellia sasanquas out just as early as last year.

The older Photinia nussia with plenty of spines from the trunk.

Deads from the drought:-

Pittosporum heterophyllum.

Maddenia hypoleuca.

Podocarpus forrestii – TH 4833.

A young Photinia nussia with spines which are covered in leaves initially.

Photinia villosa var. coreana with a staggering good show.

Photinia villosa with berries turning red at the top of the multi-stemmed shrub.

2024 – CHW
To Belvoir Castle to look at some planting plans for next spring with the new Head Gardener.

Yet again falling trees have opened up a new glade in the Japanese Garden.

Large Gunnera to go here.

Our planting below the Hermits Walk really is getting going now.

The castle preparing for an Amy Whitehouse (look alike) pop concert.

The David Austin rose garden has been completely replanted.

The new roses nicely underplanted with other things to give early autumn colour.

A huge planter with a snakebark maple.

Yew berries just very occasional on the multitude of formal yew hedging.

An early morning view over the Vale of Belvoir towards Grantham.

2023 – CHW
The 2014 planted Sorbus prattii is again loaded with white berries but only a small growing shrub.

First flowers now just out on Vitex agnus – castus.

A bigger crop of seed heads than ever before on Magnolia obovata ‘Pink Flush’. Nowhere near ripe yet.

Magnolia ‘Yakeo’ was good last week but now even better in the current humid heatwave. Unusually the flowers have even opened properly.

Hydrangea robusta ‘Titania’ (TH 3154) (N.W. Vietnam). Only one of three plants has survived the droughts. Fades to pink when over but the seed heads are already swelling and Asia could well try them soon (Veitchii area).

First mushrooms on the lawn this year. After the rain we expect a good crop.

Pink and white forms of Cyclamen hederifolium on the lawn. There are letters in the Plant Review this month saying these flowers have been appearing elsewhere earlier and earlier in late June and July. Ours are appearing at the normal time and have been showing for a fortnight.

2022 – CHW
Just a few unripe seeds on Torreya taxifolia above Hovel Cart Road to complete our review of Torreya seeding for the year.

Premature leaf drop on a magnolia outside the Back Yard.

Minimal new growth, no seeds set and just a few buds for next spring.

A decent Sorbus (ex Trevor Green) by the lower staff car park but no name.

Very few conkers in a drought year. This is the best that I have seen.

Seed tassels on Pterocarya fraxinifolia noticeably shortened this year.

Euonymus fortunei ‘Wolong Ghost’ is finally starting to climb up a mature Copper Beech after doing nothing for 3 years.

After drought the expected button mushrooms.

Cyclamen already showing up over the grass cut only a week ago on the banks outside the front door.

First time flowering for another fine Hedychium species but, again, the label has vanished.

2021 – CHW
A nursery visit for meetings and autumn ‘move inside for the winter’ lists to sort out.Hoya lanceolata subsp. bella in flower.

Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lemont’ out already.

Tetradium daniellii showing autumn colours.

Quercus imbricata with nice tints too.

Arbutus unedo ‘Rubra’ nearly over with most flowers already dropped.

The New Zealand acers only arrived here dormant and leafless in the first week of August but already impressive new growth.

I have no idea what this plant is but nasty prickles. A South African plant I guess? [Now confirmed as Carissa macrocarpa!]

Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ (Escallonia bifida x Escallonia exoniensis). Very similar to E. bifida which we saw last week at Caerhays in flower.

Asimina triloba with its ghostly autumn appearance already.

Platycrater arguta nicely out.

Euonymus phellomanus with pink seed capsules already.