First flowers on Rhododendron davidsonianum.

And on Rhododendron ‘Countess of Haddington’.

Rhododendron impeditum ‘J.C. Williams’ full out.

Rhododendron edgeworthii.

The secondary laurel hedge goes in beside Tin Garden where the big machine has cut back the laurel on the other side of the park.

Magnolia ‘Ula’ will no doubt get even better and larger with age. An Ian Baldick introduction from NZ. (M. ‘Caerhays Belle’ x M. x soulangeana ‘Alba’).

Magnolia ‘Starburst’ (M. cylindrica x M. ‘Genie’) with smallish first flowers but you would expect small flowers anyway from the this cross. (Plant Breeders Rights in Europe).

Magnolia ‘Melon Sky’ flowering in a pot. When larger this will be very good. Lunaplant introduction. (M. ‘Pickard’s Sundew’ x M. brooklynensis ‘Titan’).

Michelia laevifolia ‘Honey Velvet’ finally out in flower.

This is labelled Magnolia ‘Green Diamond’ but the register say this an incorrect name for M. ‘Lv Xing’ (i.e. a form of M. cylindrica and sometimes also incorrectly called M. ‘Sunset’).

Malus ‘Red Obelisk’ is the first to show in the Kitchen Garden planting.

Magnolia ‘Fukuju’ is a form of M. soulangeana introduced by Nakamura, Japan, in the early 1990’s. First flowering here.

Magnolia ‘Serenade’ (M. soulangeana ‘Lennei’ x M. ‘Jon Jon’) was bred by August Kerr, N. Carolina, 1996. Quite nice in flower with a spreading habit in Old Park.

Magnolia Laevifolia x M. maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’ in the Aucklandii Garden is making a good tree now and full of flower. Amazing deciduous scent. I told Lizzie the best thing in the garden today.

Chaenomeles speciosa ‘Geisha Girl’ on the lawn.

2024 – CHW
Another major storm last night. Was it a named storm? No idea. It started as a cold southerly and then turned round on itself to become a northerly.A photograph of Paulownia kawakamii at Kew taken by Tony Kirkham who was judging at the CGS show. Tony introduced P. kawakamii into UK cultivation from seed he collected in Taiwan. At the show Tregothnan had what they called P. kawakamii in one of their exhibits. It was nothing like this! Tony Kirkham and I both agree that, in fact, Tregothnan showed Paulownia tomentosa ‘Lilacina’. This does flower in early April whereas P. kawakamii only flowers in late May or early June. Much friendly banter!

Is this Acer pentaphyllum? Not in leaf as yet and not on planting plan. Having watched the IDS lecture on this Acer, and its rarity today in the wild due to the building of new dams, I rather hope so.

Rhododendron ‘Damaris’ just coming out.

Despite the wet conditions Frankie is tidying up on Rookery Path.

Camellia japonica ‘Look Away’ nearly over.

Magnolia ‘Yuchelia’ just out high up.

Ribes longeracemosa living up to its name.

Rhododendron xichangense is listed as rarely in cultivation or of doubtful provenance in the Pocket Handbook. In the triflora series. What were 3 tiny plants not long ago have grown quickly into decent bushes.

2023 – CHW
A fine Easter weekend. I saw the first bluebell in flower at Burncoose 3 days ago but it was raining and my camera does not like the rain!This is a 1998 rhododendron cross made by Jaimie. His cross No. 12 which we need to look up. Attractive striping as it first opens and, perhaps, well worth naming. Perhaps Rh. calophytum is one of the parents?

Then onto the new 1 year old Amelanchier collection to finish a film on Amelanchiers which I started a year ago. Last year I was too late to film the larger trees which were over.