2026 – CHW
This water tank is already full with rain water from the gutters on the Tin Garden Shed.
Magnolia ‘Yakeo’ covered in flowers.
The Rhododendron ‘Moonstone’ clump is gradually dying after the drought.
Bladders ripening on Staphylea pinnata.
And on Staphylea colchica.
Amazingly Magnolia (laevifolia x M. champaca) x (M. Laevifolia x M. maudiae) is still out in flower (and full of bud) 3 months after it first came out in early summer. Only 3 years on from planting and already 6 feet tall. Thriving in the heat and an exceptional new plant for the Magnolia collection.
2025 – CHW
Another inspection and video of the fruiting Malus in the Old Kitchen Garden. Planted 2022 so all these trees are only 3 years in from going into the ground.
Another inspection and video of the fruiting Malus in the Old Kitchen Garden. Planted 2022 so all these trees are only 3 years in from going into the ground.
Malus x robusta ‘Red Sentinel’.
Malus ‘Comtesse de Paris’ fruiting better than I have ever seen it.
Malus ‘Professor Sprenger’ with branches bent down with fruit.
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’ – bright yellow fruits.
Malus ‘Donald Wyman’ – small bright red fruits.
Malus ‘Royal Raindrops’ – rather small red fruits contrast and with the darker foliage.
Malus ‘Jelly King’.
Malus ‘Butterball’ – today the variety with the most fruit.
2024 – CHW
A day looking at the progress with some of our newly planted and new to us Camellia species.Camellia edithae is going on nicely and making a decent shaped plant.
A day looking at the progress with some of our newly planted and new to us Camellia species.Camellia edithae is going on nicely and making a decent shaped plant.
Camellia yunnanensis is not at all compact but has very distinct new growth.
Camellia chekiangoleosa has good secondary new growth but is quite slow to get going.
Camellia trichocarpa is now well established.
Magnolia virginiana ‘Pink Halo’ has had a growth spurt this summer.
The last flower on Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’.
‘Polar Bear’ flowers being devoured by slugs.
Camellia forrestii only 1 year on from planting is getting going.
Viburnum henryi seed’s are as impressive as its flowers even if I have missed the best of them.
Camellia minutiflora is far from being a compact grower but is making floppy headway.
Camellia costei has tiny leaves and rather slow to get established.
2023 – CHW
To the Kitchen Garden to see how the Malus collection is performing after the drought in their first year after planting.Black fruits on Cornus walteri.
To the Kitchen Garden to see how the Malus collection is performing after the drought in their first year after planting.Black fruits on Cornus walteri.
Secondary flowers (and no fruit) on Malus ‘Dr Campbells’.
Malus ‘Red Sentinel’.
Malus x robusta ‘Fruitilicious’.
Malus ‘Comtesse de Paris’ which I have not seen fruiting before.
Malus ‘Golden Hornet’.
Malus ‘Neville Copeman’.
Malus hupehensis.
2022 – CHW
A pole cat caught in one of our squirrel traps in Old Park. Until 18 months ago pole cats had never been found at Caerhays. Sightings are now quite regular and we clearly have a large population which will inevitably impact on other species in the food chain. Rabbit numbers still to recover and this may well be one key reason as they are likely to be the primary prey. A farmers chicken coup of 30 birds wiped out last week not by a fox or badger but by a pole cat.
A pole cat caught in one of our squirrel traps in Old Park. Until 18 months ago pole cats had never been found at Caerhays. Sightings are now quite regular and we clearly have a large population which will inevitably impact on other species in the food chain. Rabbit numbers still to recover and this may well be one key reason as they are likely to be the primary prey. A farmers chicken coup of 30 birds wiped out last week not by a fox or badger but by a pole cat.
Two young roe grazing happily along the Main Ride and taking no notice of the quad bike.
A squirrel investigating one of our new box traps.
Hydrangea sp (5247 N.E. Vietnam) with its first decent flowers.
First berries ever seen (and only 3) on Ilex ficoides.
The trunk of a young Nothofagus which I pushed over today. Another drought casualty.
Eucryphia moorei full out high up, but going over lower down.
Acer henryi has now gone red all over in under a week.
Arundinaria vagans can be a nuisance and grow to a smothering 1½ – 2 feet tall but an annual strimming readily keeps it under control.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ with much smaller panicles of flowers in a drought year and a rather quicker change from white to pink.
2021 – CHW
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ just developing its pink tints.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ just developing its pink tints.
Hydrangea aspera (a gift from Lord Howick in 2018) about to make a good late show.
Early autumn colour as usual on Cladastris kentukea.
A few more x Cupyrocyparis leylandii (to give it its latest botanical name) got cut down in Kennel Close. The foliage goes to a supermarket foliage supplier so less to burn and some minor income.
The few hips on Crataegus aprica are still not ripe.
Callicarpa shirasawanum in full flower in Tin Garden.
A few more seedpods showing up now on Michelia doltsopa but not yet ripe.
Hand weeding around the base of newly planted trees most important at this time of the year. Sadly it has revealed a few deads smothered in grass.
Acers starting to show autumn colour above the greenhouse.
Pinkish and white pampas grass flowers in profusion on the lake.
