20th December

FJ Williams Profile Picture
FJW 1955-2007
CH Williams Profile Picture
CHW 2015-
JC Williams Profile Picture
JCW 1897-1939
C Williams Profile Picture
CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW (images to follow)

2023 – CHW

Warm, muggy and drizzly in the run up to Christmas. No prospect of a white one!

Still a few buds to open on Magnolia delavayi.

Magnolia delavayi
Magnolia delavayi
Sarcococca wallichii in flower in the Aucklandii Garden. Nearly over in fact.
Sarcococca wallichii
Sarcococca wallichii
Ripening berries on Vaccinium dunalianum var. megaphyllum.
Vaccinium dunalianum var. megaphyllum
Vaccinium dunalianum var. megaphyllum
Vaccinium dunalianum var. megaphyllum
Vaccinium dunalianum var. megaphyllum
A slightly different leaf structure on Vaccinium dunalianum var. caudatifolium (NMWJ 14558) and no flowers or fruits yet. Planted only a year ago.
Vaccinium dunalianum var. caudatifolium (NMWJ 14558)
Vaccinium dunalianum var. caudatifolium (NMWJ 14558)
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gwavas’ with a few flowers in the Aucklandii.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gwavas’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gwavas’
Schefflera shweliensis with secondary new growth looking lush and good.
Schefflera shweliensis
Schefflera shweliensis
Plenty of buds on Magnolia laevifolia x M. maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’.
Magnolia laevifolia x M. maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’
Magnolia laevifolia x M. maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’
Schefflera trevesoides (BWJ 15158) showing recent frost damage on some of its new growth.
Schefflera trevesoides (BWJ 15158)
Schefflera trevesoides (BWJ 15158)

2022 – CHW
On a cold day the only thing to do is have a huge leylandii bonfire.The last of the old leyandii hedge gets burnt. Stumps out shortly and then ready for replanting.

Leylandii bonfire
Leylandii bonfire
Leylandii bonfire
Leylandii bonfire
Uplifting the beech tree shelter belt and the top of Kennel Close.
Beech uplifting
Beech uplifting
Beech uplifting
Beech uplifting
A stoat in a squirrel trap alongside a squirrel.
Stoat in trap
Stoat in trap
Tidying up a fallen pine.
Fallen pine
Fallen pine
Fallen pine
Fallen pine

2021 – CHW

The burnt remains of a dead Rhododendron ‘Mrs Butler’ behind the Camellia ‘George Blandford’.

Rhododendron 'Mrs Butler'
Rhododendron ‘Mrs Butler’
A fallen flower and opening buds on Polyspora longicarpa (WWJ11604)
Polyspora longicarpa
Polyspora longicarpa
Polyspora longicarpa
Polyspora longicarpa
Late colour still on Acer sikkimense.
Acer sikkimense
Acer sikkimense
A wind snapped branch on Rhododendron ‘Alison Johnstone’. Quite a bit more dead to remove. Planted in 1978 and running out of energy.
Rhododendron ‘Alison Johnstone’
Rhododendron ‘Alison Johnstone’
Trimming a nearby plant has however produced some regrowth from the base so there may still be hope.
Rhododendron ‘Alison Johnstone’
Rhododendron ‘Alison Johnstone’

2020 – CHW
Major flooding of the watermeadows for 3 days now after Wed/Fri extreme rain.However a visit today to Burncoose to view the cycads which we have purchased as part of a new South African garden design on behalf of a client. We had not expected to have to overwinter these very tender plants in Cornwall so have had to establish insulation and heating in two covered areas.This is an enormous Encephalartos transvenosus.
Encephalartos transvenosus
Encephalartos transvenosus
An equally enormous Encephalartos lebomboensis with a flower cone
Encephalartos lebomboensis
Encephalartos lebomboensis
Encephalartos lebomboensis
Encephalartos lebomboensis
A 10 foot tall banana
A 10 foot tall banana
A 10 foot tall banana
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos lebomboensis at a smaller size
Encephalartos lebomboensis
Encephalartos lebomboensis
Encephalartos horridus – the smallest but most expensive cycad of all
Encephalartos horridus
Encephalartos horridus
Encephalartos ferox with a vivid flower cone
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox also with a rather phallic flower cone
Encephalartos ferox
Encephalartos ferox
Valthemiena capensis coming into flower
Valthemiena capensis
Valthemiena capensis
Valthemiena capensis
Valthemiena capensis
Encephalartos nataleinsis
Encephalartos nataleinsis
Encephalartos nataleinsis
Amicia Zygomeris still with a flower out
Amicia Zygomeris
Amicia Zygomeris
The first Helleborus niger to come out into flower
Helleborus niger
Helleborus niger

2019 – CHW
As you will remember I am allergic to the smell of rotting quinces. Many of these fruits have now fallen onto the ground and, at first sight, nothing else seems to like eating them either. Badgers, squirrels and even pheasants seem to have left most of them alone. Just a couple show pheasants have pecked them or perhaps the gaggle of guinea fowl which roam about in Kennel Close.

quinces
quinces
quinces
quinces
quinces
quinces
quinces
quinces
Another bit of tidying up of a half fallen Pinus insignis which did not burn up completely in the incessant rain each day last week.
Pinus insignis
Pinus insignis

2018 – CHW
Leaf blowing now on the Main Ride. The drive is now all finished.
Leaf blowing
Leaf blowing
Lithocarpus hancei had produced some flower spikes but none have been fertilised and led to any seed production. The record tree however looks well.
Lithocarpus hancei
Lithocarpus hancei
Lithocarpus hancei
Lithocarpus hancei
Lithocarpus hancei
Lithocarpus hancei

2017 – CHW
The fitting of the new shop continues. The lighting is installed and so is the counter for the till. It has been made from a slab of Caerhays oak which now needs varnishing and polishing.
new shop
new shop

2016 – CHW
First flowers on the paler of the two original Camellia saluenensis by the ladies loo. The darker form is only a day or two away as well.
Camellia saluenensis
Camellia saluenensis
Camellia saluenensis
Camellia saluenensis
The erica by the Four in Hand has also shot out in the last week.
erica by the Four in Hand
erica by the Four in Hand
erica by the Four in Hand
erica by the Four in Hand
2015 – CHW
Dave and I take Dad to church for a private family service to dedicate a newly restored window to mum. Hell of a struggle to get the wheelchair into the church where Dad promptly falls asleep. No incidents except he calls Will Caws a ‘stupid bastard’ (and you know you are!) for catching his hand when lifting the wheel chair. Very jolly lunch afterwards.Azalea ‘Hinomayo’ is already out in parts which is not that unusual but this is a real flush tempered by some hail damage which has browned some flowers. To think we used to exhibit this azalea at Chealsea 25 to 30 years ago in May. Unthinkable today!
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’

1991 – FJW
Flowers on table opening white japonica – 2 weeks cold and dry – now mild and wettish.

1963 – FJW
Michael Williams [Lanarth] died.

1929 – JCW
I think this is nearly a duplicate of 1924. H mollis ¼ open. Veitch’s Camellia oleifera in flower. A few Thomsonii arboreum show blooms. Should get most of the faggots from the storm out of the New Planting in a week of working days. A very big mess for token staff.

1924 – JCW
Hamamelis mollis is open but has not set for bloom as in warmer seasons. No flowers on the white camellia, the land is damp and cold I think. R dahuricum is hardly out. A good lot of daffs up, only one of F’s 1924 hardwood seeds are up. The Parasoininga in the house.

1917 – JCW
Much as in 1914 on the other page. Hamamelis mollis is open in part. Hard frost for two or three days.