2025 – CHW (images to follow)
A good show of unnamed Camellia x williamsii below Tin Garden.
Vivid red colours on Berberis xanthoclada although it is an evergreen.
First flowers out today on the Champion Camellia x williamsii (unnamed) through the arch.
Slip Rail laurel hedges now complete.
Liriodendron chinense splendid in the sun.
Enkianthus cernuus rubens.
Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Venus’ with masses of rather misshapen and wrongly coloured secondary flowers. We have never seen this before on any other Enkianthus.
A dead oak felled at Donkey Show and the camellias cut back.
This has exposed a small shrub. I have no idea what it is! Perhaps a Chimonanthus but only guessing.
2024 – CHW
The last Nerine outside the Dining Room Window.
And the last rose flower.
But also the first flowers on the camellia on the lawn (unnamed) outside the Carlton Club.
First flowers high up in bad light on the paler form of the original Camellia saluenensis by the ladies loos.
Only 2 flowers on Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’ this year.
A very good flesh red form of Lapageria rosea.
A very early unnamed Camellia japonica opposite the two Magnolia x veitchii.
Celtis sinensis still in more or less full leaf.
Calocedrus macrolepis var. formosana growing away well.
Here is a list of the new plants which have just arrived via Burncoose from Avaxa Plants.
– Alangium chinense
– Comptonia peregrina
– Daphniphyllum calycinum
– Disporum smithii
– Halesia car. Arnold Pink
– Halesia diptera magniflora
– Hovenia acerba
– Illicium parviflorum Forest Green
– Leitneria floridana
– Salix irrorate
– Sapium japonicum
– Zelkova serrata Variegata
– Comptonia peregrina
– Daphniphyllum calycinum
– Disporum smithii
– Halesia car. Arnold Pink
– Halesia diptera magniflora
– Hovenia acerba
– Illicium parviflorum Forest Green
– Leitneria floridana
– Salix irrorate
– Sapium japonicum
– Zelkova serrata Variegata
2023 – CHWAnother interesting old newspaper article from 1871 regarding what we know today as Tregenna Castle Hotel in St Ives.
The scalpings from the tarmac laying on the drive are spread over towards the double gates by Bottom Lodge.
Full out flowers on the original Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ on the top wall. I agree with John Bond that this plant is the true original with larger flowers and less pink markings than newer forms sold in the nursery trade today.
The Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Hilda’ in the heavy rain. Ran for cover rather than photographing the rest of the clump.
2022 – CHW
Autumn colour on Fagus sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’ by the 4-in-Hand.
Autumn colour on Fagus sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’ by the 4-in-Hand.
The base for the water tank at George’s Hut.
First flowers out on Peumus boldus.
Flowers on a young Rhododendron ‘Yellow Hammer’ in Tin Garden.
Sorbus wilsoniana now with good autumn colour to match the berries.
Liriodendron chinense starting to turn colour.
First flowers out on Camellia ‘Cornish Snow Michael’. This is the larger flowered form. The more conventional ‘Cornish Snow’ still far from out when I checked. Timing much as last year.
2021 – CHW
Stewartia monodelpha looking even better than a week ago.
Stewartia monodelpha looking even better than a week ago.
Quercus palustric ‘Flaming Suzy’ living up to its name.
Prunus ‘Beni-Yutaka’ turning a good dark red.
Cornus controversa with layers of different autumn colour now that the berries have dropped.
The new growth on Rhododendron bureavii in the sun. Stunning! Orange indumentum on the underside of the leaves quite something too!
First flowers on Camellia sasanqua ‘Snow Flurry’.
Secondary flowering on Rhododendron ‘Tinner’s Blush’.
Perhaps tawny funnel – Lepista flaccida? The underside looks correct.
2020 – CHW
Gales yesterday which have stripped much of the remaining autumn colour.However, surprisingly, the flowers on Magnolia delavayi protruding above the wall on the lawn have survived. A pretty good show for November!
Gales yesterday which have stripped much of the remaining autumn colour.However, surprisingly, the flowers on Magnolia delavayi protruding above the wall on the lawn have survived. A pretty good show for November!
A re-staked Berberis insigne on the drive which had blown over.
Acer palmatum ‘Atropurpureum’ still splendid at Red Linney.
Stachyurus praecox has very different colouring to Stachyurus chinensis seen a day to two ago.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Paradise Blush’ on the drive.
First flowers on Rhododendron nobleanum about on time as usual.
Liriodendron chinense is the best show today left in the garden. Planted in 1991.
Tilia kiusiana is not bad either. I have not seen it this good before.
And the two together – wonderful!
I had not seen autumn colour before on the prickly Cudranea tricuspidata (Maclura tricuspidata), the Chinese silk thorn.
The fruits on Malus rockii are still not really red as the yellow tints appear.
Magnolia x weisneri still in full leaf.
As is Magnolia decidua.
Ripe fruits on Cotoneaster ‘Inchmery’ which we forgot to gather on Wednesday.
Shrivelled blue/black seedpods on Decaisnea fargesii.
The leaf on Magnolia obovata ‘Pink Flush’ is just turning.
Acer palmatum ‘Scolopendriifolium’ was a picture last year but blown away before it got going properly this year.
Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Wallaby’ has just dropped too.
Yesterday’s gales brought down an ash tree on the drive which has made quite a mess!
2019 – CHW
More of the same.The young Turpinia ternata (CWJ 12360) has struggled. Severe dieback and now just one new shoot.
More of the same.The young Turpinia ternata (CWJ 12360) has struggled. Severe dieback and now just one new shoot.
Schefflera aff. myriocarpa with some flowers just finishing.
Alongside it Schefflera pauciflora with some (but by no means all) seeds juicy, ripe and black.
Rosa roxburgii with its autumn show just finishing.
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A rather good young Pistacea lentiscus with a dense shrubby habit and some attempts at secondary new growth.
Loads of huge fungi under the canopy of one of the largest Michelia doltsopas may or may not be good news. I check the other mature plants but no sign of these fungi under them although I think I have seen them here before in other years.
Another wind split laurel trunk.
2018 – CHW
Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ now has a few decent flowers lower down the huge tree that it is. The tits have yet to attack the flowers for their nectar.
Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ now has a few decent flowers lower down the huge tree that it is. The tits have yet to attack the flowers for their nectar.
We observed Neolitsea sericea in full flower in the nursery as small plants over a month ago. The younger plant here is around 15ft tall with a spread of 10-12ft. The flowers are just coming out.
This small leaved Acer palmatum variety is just turning colour nicely but sadly not on the planting plan.
2017 – CHW
Vandalism on the bridge over the River Luney outside the Bottom Lodge. Clearly someone objected to the no parking sign on this listed 1910 bridge. The council were themselves the last ones to reverse a lorry into the bridge and break off the same battlement some 20 years ago. A tractor had to haul it out of the river last week and then Mark Pheasey quickly restores it into position with his usual skill and ability. Not worth a claim on insurers but a load of hassle and hardly in the tourist season so another ‘friendly’ local one must assume.
2016 – CHW
On a fine and sunny Remembrance Sunday a few pictures of the estate showing that autumn has arrived and most of the leaves are off.
On a fine and sunny Remembrance Sunday a few pictures of the estate showing that autumn has arrived and most of the leaves are off.
Our new wedding venue site ‘Above Beach’ is greening up well and all the fencing looks settled in. Not sure if the kiosk will stay put in a strong gale?!
The sea was calm and just a single windsurfer somewhere in the centre of the bay.
Two happy swans and a cormorant!
2015 – CHW
A quick flip around the garden looking for colour in mid November.Aesculus wangii is only just shedding its leaves after a good first growing season. We have tried this £80 plus plant three times already but with abject failure. Tom Hudson believes it comes into leaf too early in the spring and is prone to frost. He has lost several semi mature trees but some have made it. A similar plant to the one pictured here is still to go out having featured at Chelsea this year.
A quick flip around the garden looking for colour in mid November.Aesculus wangii is only just shedding its leaves after a good first growing season. We have tried this £80 plus plant three times already but with abject failure. Tom Hudson believes it comes into leaf too early in the spring and is prone to frost. He has lost several semi mature trees but some have made it. A similar plant to the one pictured here is still to go out having featured at Chelsea this year.
Styrax japonicus ‘Pendula’ is starting to turn a nice yellow.
Despite it being mid November Magnolia ‘Star Wars’ still has full leaf and loads of flowers.
Rhododendron keysii is full out and not really a secondary flowering. This species has some flower on for most of the year.
Asimia triloba has nearly shed but remains a pale but attractive autumn display. I have tried this tree several times elsewhere and was unaware that this survivor still existed. ‘Must get out more often’ but this is one of the joys of a garden like Caerhays.
Jaimie has now finished the Donkey Shoe tidy up and pollarded the Rhododendron davidsonianum hedge. This is at least the third time this has been pruned back hard to reshoot.
A young and very special Magnolia campbellii yellow form originally a scion from Mount Congreve is in full leaf and looking very well two years from planting.
Jaimie told me that Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ was just showing colour on 5th November. I had not got to see it until today and there are plenty of good sized flowers now on this late 1920s planted hybrid. No other x williamsii are out yet but this is about on time for ‘November Pink’. We have seen it in October some years but it seldom fails to show in November.
2000 – FJW
Flowers on C November Pink.
1931 – JCW
Just as in 1929. Lapagerias good.
1929 – JCW
Heavy storms and it grows colder. Camellia sasanqua open. Hydrangeas are yet nice. Coums hardly show. Neapolitanums wane, hardly any rhodo but Caucasicum. A lapageria or two, several Magnolia grandiflora and two buds of Magnolia delavayi.
1903 – JCW
C sasanqua very good for a long while, some coums open, lapageria good, primroses moving. Hidalagoa[?] good. Iris alata and stylosa out.