21st December | The Garden Diary

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW (images to follow)

The Christmas Wreath at the front door.

Spring opening signs up today.

A newly restored bench on the lawn and a new gate on the tower on the tower on the lawn. The last one destroyed in Storm Darragh.

Zanthoxylum armatum still covered in berries.

Here is a list of the new magnolias purchased from Magnoliastore recently:-
– Magnolia ‘Janet’ (Gallagher)
– Magnolia ‘Frank’s Masterpiece’ x ‘Werrington’ #01 ( Rombergpark)
– Magnolia ‘Picard’s Schmetterling’ x ‘Felix Jury’
– Magnolia ‘Deep Purple Dream’
– Magnolia ‘Coral Reef’
– Magnolia ‘Atlas’ x ‘Caerhays Belle’
– Magnolia (laevifolia x champaca) x (laevifolia x maudiae)
– Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x ‘Vairano’ (Marc)
– Magnolia ‘Insubria’ (‘Atlas’ x ‘Star Wars’ 2)
– Magnolia ‘Apollo’ x ‘Picard’s Ruby’ (WH) (Summer Lady)
– Magnolia ‘Summer Lady’ x ‘Genie’ (named ‘Summer Rose’)
– Magnolia ‘Eleanor May’
– Magnolia ‘John Congreve’
– Magnolia ‘Sundew’ x ‘Vulcan’ 1 (named ‘Loving Cup’)
– Magnolia sprengeri var. Diva Simpson form (NZ)

2023 – CHW

Camellia sasanqua ‘Sugar Dream’ is exceptional just above the two Magnolia veitchii.

Laurel cutting below the Main Ride and a good bonfire.

Laurel trimming and leaf blowing along the Main Ride. We cannot cut back too hard as the other side of the hedge is still very bare from last year’s hard pruning. East winds have been largely absent so far this winter.

Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’ at its very best. George and his son, Maurice’s ashes are underneath.

Styrax hookeri still in full leaf.

Tail end flowers now on the huge Camellia sasanqua ‘Hugh Evans’ clump.

Plenty of dropped flowers under our oldest Polyspora speciosa and many more buds to come out still.

Above and as part of the ‘Hugh Evans’ clump there is a single plant of the excellent Camellia sasanqua ‘Rosea Plena’ which I had not registered that we grew when I saw it looking so good at Tregothnan. 1950’s or early 1960 planting. I took cuttings at Tregothnan but need not have bothered!

2022 – CHW
Red sky over Porthluney Cove. This picture was taken by Jaimie from his garden in Rescassa one evening last week during the cold snap.

A rough sea today in a southerly gale.

The new water tanks in the garden are starting to fill.

2021 – CHW
A very dark and threatening sea on a cold day.

Hedychium maximum (BSWJ 8261a) is about to flower.

Seed heads now ripe on Hedychium spicatum ‘Liberty’ (BWJ 8116).

The last leaves hold on on the Magnolia dawsoniana outside the front fate. A week ago they were still green.

The Camellia x williamsii ‘J C Williams’ hedge around the Rockery is now well out and the tits have so far left the flowers alone.

2020 – CHW
The first primrose on the bank outside the front door. Not a record early appearance I suspect.

Erica arborea now full out having shown colour for a month. Here on the bank outside the Stable Flat.

My father’s Rhododendron ‘Winter Intruder’ now full out about a fortnight after Rhododendron nobleanum – both on the drive.

A smallish plant of Camellia ‘Winton’ now nicely out beside ‘Winter Intruder’.

These water tanks collect rainwater in the farmyard to water 200 overwintered cattle. After the downpours last week they are completely full! Why don’t more farmers save on the mains water?

The old stables in the farmyard are to be rebuilt as a new laundry and holiday let storage area in the spring

2019 – CHW
A young Sorbus hupehensis (now Sorbus pseudohupehensis ‘Pink Pagoda’ apparently) with a good late show of berries in Kennel Close. Very fine today.

As was the needle colour on the dwarf growing Pinus mugo ‘Zundert’. Very yellow needles in winter and its first cone on show inside the rabbit protection.

Camellia hiemalis ‘Dazzler’ now full out and an excellent red ‘sasasanqua’.

2018 – CHW
First flowers on the paler of the two original Camellia saluenensis by the ladies loo. A little later than last year but this needs checking.

Still the odd flower on the elderly Camellia sasanquas along the castle wall.

First flowers on Camellia x williamsii ‘Rosemary Williams’ on the castle wall. Not yet fully opened out and battered by the recent wind and rain. Not much different to ‘St Ewe’ at first sight.

2017 – CHW
Quite a few things out by the front door.Dahlia tenuicaulis finally has a decent flower. A single pinkish-purple which will grace Christmas Day.

The pink lapageria has another single flower and is growing furiously despite the time of year following its dung feed in September.

Decorations on the front door – battery lit.

Rather more sporting decorations on the side door!

Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ still not quite out yet.

Fuchsia exorticatica full out as usual when you look closely and loads of bud to come.

Passiflora caerulea ‘Constance Elliot’ still to come out.

Symphiocarpus albus with a fine show of white berries on the lawn.

2016 – CHW
The young Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’ – pink form has two flowers out on the drive today. The mature clump in the garden has yet to show.

Rhododendron nobleanum is now full out and splendid on the drive but slightly battered by wind and frost. Exactly on time I guess.

Opposite it Rhododendron ‘Emma Williams’ is demonstrating that it is semi-deciduous but laden with bud for next spring.

2015 – CHW

The darker form of the original Forrest Camellia saluenensis is now full out outside the ladies’ loo while its lighter counterpart next door has already shed most of its flush of flowers in the wind. Plenty of that in another drab week of gales, wind and no sun.

Soaked to the skin on a family day’s shooting. Wonderful day for those who could stick it out.

1932 – JCW
Fuchsias are nearly over from the wind. Hydrangeas are fair. Hamamelis mollis is very good indeed. 40-50 lapagerias under the bathroom window.

1927 – JCW
Our cold wind with zero in E and N England turned to S.W for the time. Flowers as above in 1920.

1920 – JCW
The frost left yesterday and Rho moupinense showed colour at once. Some lapagerias and Camellia sasanqua retain a few flowers.

1916 – JCW
A recent hard frost has cut away all kinds of blooms.

1914 – JCW
Some coums show, also some Cam sasanqua, lapagerias,. Rhodo’s lutescens, mucronulatum, nobleanum, keysii, thomsonii show bits of flowers.

1908 – JCW
Some coums, some polyanthus and blue primulas.

1903 – JCW
Coums begin to look well, three or four polyanthus daffs open, and have been some of them since October. Cam sasanqua just over, a few lapageria and some tame primrose.