24th January

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

Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’ in Kennel Close has escaped the frost. One dead flower from natural causes.

Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’
Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’
Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’
Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’
Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’
Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’
Camellia ‘Fairy Blush’ (a C. lutchuensis cross) now rather specially good in several places in the garden and totally unfrosted. The first flowers showed about 3 weeks ago.
Camellia ‘Fairy Blush’
Camellia ‘Fairy Blush’
Camellia ‘Fairy Blush’
Camellia ‘Fairy Blush’
Camellia ‘Fairy Blush’
Camellia ‘Fairy Blush’
Camellia grijsii has been out for 2 months already but still very fine today by Donkey Shoe. Some signs of frost damage but plenty of new buds opening.
Camellia grijsii
Camellia grijsii
Camellia grijsii
Camellia grijsii
Camellia grijsii
Camellia grijsii

2023 – CHW
Pheasant hits Range Rover windscreen!
Range Rover windscreen!
Range Rover windscreen!
Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’ now full out.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ coming out properly.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’
Frosted flowers and orange buds on Michelia ‘Fairy White’.
Michelia ‘Fairy White’
Michelia ‘Fairy White’
One of the new Crataegus species with new growth.
Crataegus
Crataegus
Chaenomeles flower and fruits.
Chaenomeles flower and fruits
Chaenomeles flower and fruits
Podocarpus matudae with ripe fruit.
Podocarpus matudae
Podocarpus matudae

2022 – CHW
First flowers out on a leafless Rhododendron ‘Chink’ – usually semi-deciduous.

Rhododendron ‘Chink’
Rhododendron ‘Chink’
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’ (yellow form) at its best.
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’
Rookery Path laurel all pruned and tidied.
laurel
laurel
First flower on Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomeum.
Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomeum
Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomeum
A week on and Magnolia ‘Todd’s Fortyniner’ is progressing well with no frost damage.
Magnolia ‘Todd’s Fortyniner’
Magnolia ‘Todd’s Fortyniner’
Magnolia ‘Todd’s Fortyniner’
Magnolia ‘Todd’s Fortyniner’
Rhododendron ‘Christmas Cheer’ now at its best a month too late.
Rhododendron ‘Christmas Cheer’
Rhododendron ‘Christmas Cheer’
Early garlic shooting in the Auklandii Garden.
garlic
garlic
Plenty of early and scattered individual flowers as usual on Azalea ‘Hinomayo’.
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’
Azalea ‘Hinomayo’

2021 – CHW
Underneath a few elderly and moss covered oak trees something is pecking off chunks of moss and leaving a carpet under the tree. It is happening and being added to daily. Even after a night of rain there are fresh bits on the ground. Is this pigeons looking for grubs in the moss, jackdaws looking for early nesting materials or squirrels doing either or both of these?
chunks of moss
chunks of moss
Still prominent seed heads on Stewartia pteropetiolata.
Stewartia pteropetiolata
Stewartia pteropetiolata
A good set of well rooted layers of Rhododendron falconeri soon to be moved to a new location nearby to grow on.
Rhododendron falconeri
Rhododendron falconeri
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans Aurea’ is a wonderful windbreak and attractive with the sun catching the top of this bulging multi stemmed ‘feathery’ small tree.
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans Aurea’
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans Aurea’
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans Aurea’
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Elegans Aurea’

Three snakebark maple stems in the late January sun. All planted in 2007.

Acer rufinerve?

Acer rufinerve?
Acer rufinerve?
Acer rufinerve?
Acer rufinerve?
Acer rufinerve ‘Erythrocladum’
Acer rufinerve ‘Erythrocladum’
Acer rufinerve ‘Erythrocladum’
Acer rufinerve ‘Erythrocladum’
Acer rufinerve ‘Erythrocladum’
Acer tegmentosum has an ominous black fungal circle near its base and will shortly be another casualty to go with several others. Enjoy the bark while you can.
Acer tegmentosum
Acer tegmentosum
Acer tegmentosum
Acer tegmentosum
Acer tegmentosum
Acer tegmentosum
Then to the 1950s clumps of my father’s Camellia x williamsii hybrids. His near white one is not out yet. I am not sure of a name for this but it is between ‘Donation’ and ‘Caerhays’ in flower form. Tucked away out of sight but most floriferous and impressive today. Worth naming or has it already been? To research. Similar to ‘Gwarvas’ perhaps?
Camellia x williamsii hybrids
Camellia x williamsii hybrids
Camellia x williamsii hybrids
Camellia x williamsii hybrids
Camellia x williamsii hybrids
Camellia x williamsii hybrids
The next one has leaves which suggest a cross with a small leaved species (sasanqua?). Nothing that special but a large flower which is light pink.
cross with a small leaved species (sasanqua?)
cross with a small leaved species (sasanqua?)
cross with a small leaved species (sasanqua?)
cross with a small leaved species (sasanqua?)
cross with a small leaved species (sasanqua?)
cross with a small leaved species (sasanqua?)
Amid a hailstorm a brief glimpse of Rhododendron arboreum subsp. delavayi.
Rhododendron arboreum subsp. delavayi
Rhododendron arboreum subsp. delavayi

2020 – CHW
Over the course of the last four months I have regularly photographed the seed heads on Magnolia rostrata which was planted in 1999. In previous years the seed heads looked to be developing but turned out to be sterile with no actual seeds in them when they fell. This year is rather different as you can see. Probably the result of two dry summers and now a multitude of seeds emerging from each seed head. The seeds are a dull orange in colour and very tightly packed; quite different to the colour of ripe Magnolia campbellii or Magnolia mollicomata seeds. They are also thin and flattened, not rounded like most other magnolia seeds. Something for Asia to have a go at now.

Magnolia rostrata
Magnolia rostrata
Magnolia rostrata
Magnolia rostrata

2019 – CHW
More trees down into the road by Battery Walk after a strong northerly gale and a bit of a rush to clear them so the school bus can get past.

trees down
trees down

2018 – CHW
First colour on Magnolia ‘Todds Fortyniner’ above the greenhouse. Not quite the first out this year unlike the last two years.

Magnolia ‘Todds Fortyniner’
Magnolia ‘Todds Fortyniner’
Camellia ‘California Sunset’ flowering for the first time with us. Planted two years ago and imported from France. An odd name for a camellia flowering in January but quite a nice large flower. Huge central stamens.
Camellia ‘California Sunset’
Camellia ‘California Sunset’
Camellia ‘California Sunset’
Camellia ‘California Sunset’

2017 – CHW
First flower on Rhododendron moupinense below Donkey Shoe. About on par with last year?
Rhododendron moupinense
Rhododendron moupinense

2016 – CHW
Frost has caught what I thought from a distance was another Rhododendron ‘Christmas Cheer’ which was full out. According to the 2008 planting plan it is an FJW hybrid between decorum and ‘Winter Intruder’ which seems improbable. Only one of the three in the clump is out and I do not think we have ever seen this one in flower before. Nothing to write home about anyway.
hybrid between decorum and ‘Winter Intruder’
hybrid between decorum and ‘Winter Intruder’


2004 – FJW
Snowdrops fully out. First daffs out on the drive. Williamsii and Wild Reticulatas at their best. Rhodo’s very much as 1943.1965 – FJW
Winston Churchill died.

1943 – CW

(Typed note attached in Garden Book)
Rhododendrons in flower at Caerhays on Jan 24th 1943
Species
Moupiense in good flower
Rerii “ “
Irroratum “ “
Pink Arboreum “ “
Barbatum “ “
Lutescens “ “

Mucronulatum nearly over
Decorum odd late flower

Argenteum * I could fill a show vase, rest odd flowers.
Aemulorum*
Davidsonianum*
Praecox
Leucaspis
Parvifolium*
Rubiginosum*
Stewartianum*
Racemosum* (Oleifolium)
Primulinum

Hybrids
Blood Red Arboreum x Thompsonii all well out
Sutchenense x Arboreum “ “
Burmanicum x Moupiense “ “
Lutescens x Moupiense “ “
Also several bits of Azalea Amoena and Kurume

Grande full out at Trewidden (handwritten note)
Signed C.W.

1925 – JCW
Some way behind the above. No sign of Argenteum, Keiskii, longistylum but the others show signs. Camellia speciosa very nice. Erica darleyense far and away the best thing and always is at this time.

1920 – JCW
18 species of Rhodoⁿ are open or opening mucronulatum, lutescens, piacenosum, primulinum, moupinense, irroratum, barbatum, ciliatum, scabrifolium, neriiflorum, Indicaforma, Dahuricum semperivens, longistylum, keiskii, argenteum, sutchuenense, Pink arboreum, Blood red Arboreum.

1898 – JCW
Picked a seedling Maximus fully open, several Minor open.

1897 – JCW
Ice on pond but rather tops frost.