Also three young Rhododendron schlippenbachii.

Aesculus glabra ‘April Wine’ with a conker.

Most of the Crataegus species are surviving the drought. Here C. chlorosarca.

Secondary flowers on Magnolia ‘Pink Pyramid’.

Crataegus ambigua.

2025 – CHW

Ross gets ready to start the clearing on the drive for new planting next spring. This is his access route down the slope.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ just starting to turn pink.

Fruits a plenty on Sorbus reducta.

Plenty of haws on Crataegus laevigata ‘Gireoudii’.

Hydrangeas feeling the drought by the Top Lodge despite yesterdays’s drizzle.

Acer shirasawanum ‘Aureum’ dead from the drought.

Some flower on Olearia solandri ‘Aurea’.

Good late new growth on Rhododendron ‘Tally Ho’.

Some flowers on Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’.

A parched castle front.

2024 – CHW
Wonderful wild flower meadows on the cliff at Tregavarras. We hope to harvest the seed next week with the Eden Project. The seed will be used to improve some 80ha of wild flower meadow restoration on the Home Farm under a Higher Tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

The red/ pink flowered Magnolia delavayi below the Kitchen Garden.

The second grass cut of the Malus collection in the Kitchen Garden. A rather better growing season than last year for both the grass and the Malus.

A week or so ago I visited at National Collection of walnuts in Glouctershire but, during the visit, we could not locate Juglans mandshurica which I had never seen in maturity. The owner kindly sent on these pictures. Very distinct bark.

A terrible year for brambles growing through shrubs that will have to be hand pulled during the second grass cut.

Secondary flowers on a Magnolia x loebneri. White in the spring but now a red flesh.

An unnamed (label gone and not on plan) Hydrangea quercifolia. Its probable ‘Alice’ as the flower heads are single.

2023 – CHW

Seed heads forming in profusion on Meliosma tenuis.

Lithocarpus kawakamii getting going slowly. Another gift from Tom Hudson.

Podocarpus chingianus also from Tregrehan.

An old Eucryphia x intermedia finally killed off in the drought.

Here an elderly Eucryphia lucida nearly dead from the drought. Another one by the greenhouse is only alive on a few lower branches.

Quercus rysophylla ‘Maya’ just reshooting from the main stem after drought damage.

A newly planted Magnolia yunnanensis x M. insignis has survived.

Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘George Graham’ was a purchase from Mark Bulk. A decent large flower but much the same as ‘Nymansay’ I would suggest.

Maddenia hypoleuca had flowered twice but I doubt it will survive this year’s drought.

After the rain this cut back clump of Rhododendron ‘Crossbill’ are now doing well.

Lush green growth where, a month ago, there was merely brown dead grass.

2022 – CHW

Every day the younger rhododendrons and things planted this spring look sicker in the drought. It’s not as bad as 1976 though, especially as regards the big leafed rhodos.

Eucryphia cordifolia just starting to show.

Fruits formed already on Mespilus germanica.

The silver variegated Liquidambar styraciflua is finally growing very well having sat doing nothing (with dieback) for 4-5 years.

Quercus laurifolia with its very pointed secondary new growth.

Odd new growth and some dieback from before on Magnolia ‘Crystal Tulip’.

Nyssa sinensis (FMWJ 13122) with its newer leaves already a stand out, reddish-purple.

Carpinus omeiensis omiense (Roundabarrow) with reddish, secondary new growth.

Carpinus polyneura doing the same.

Quercus ‘Belle d’Aquitaine’ making strong new growth.

Eleutherococcus (Acanthopanax) aff. sessilenis (ex Crug Farm) with what looks like male flowers surrounding a single female flower. However I have seen these turn into clusters of 5/7 black berries so I am probably wrong. Bees and flies all over the flowers. Planted 2011.

Ross has felled a small dead beech below Donkey Shoe.

2021 – CHW
Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ making a great show on Hovel Cart Road.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’ planted in 1996 and now in need of pruning back.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘White Lady’ – likewise.

Sorbus ‘Pearly Queen’ with berries forming.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ just turning colour.

Eucryphia x nymansensis ‘Nymansay’ now full out.

Catalpa bignonoides suddenly out.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’ starting to turn greenish.

Hydrangea paniculata ‘Polar Bear’ now full out.