9th April

…‘Titan’). Magnolia ‘Melon Sky’ Magnolia ‘Melon Sky’ Michelia laevifolia ‘Honey Velvet’ finally out in flower. Michelia laevifolia ‘Honey Velvet’ Michelia laevifolia ‘Honey Velvet’ This is labelled Magnolia ‘Green Diamond’ but…

23rd May

…bought from Millais Nurseries Rhododendron ‘Glendoick Velvet’ Rhododendron ‘Glendoick Velvet’ Rhododendron ‘Glendoick Velvet’ – plastered, but not my colour. Rhododendron ‘Norfolk Candy’ Rhododendron ‘Norfolk Candy’ Rhododendron ‘Norfolk Candy’ – Millais….

26th March 1897 – 2020

…surprising white with, I admit, a blackish velvety stem. Wrongly named? No idea as it is entirely new to me and not in any reference book. Magnolia ‘Black Velvet’ Magnolia…

25th May

Velvet’ Rhododendron ‘Glendoick Velvet’ Reevsia sinica has shed what was left of its old leaves after the ‘Beast’ and is thankfully producing attractive red new growth. An unexpected survival. Reevsia…

14th April

…providing you catch the flowers as they just emerge from the very black buds and ahead of the leaves. Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’ Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Black Beauty’ Magnolia…

14th August

…the blackberries were sparse, undeveloped and with tiny fruits. blackberries blackberries The elders mainly had very few seed heads and these too were sparse and underdeveloped for the time of…

20th May

Velvet’ out on Burns Bank. Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Red Velvet’ Acer pycnanthum – a dullish rarity. The Japanese counterpart to the North American Acer rubrum as its leaves show. A slow…

8th July

Velvet’ is quite stunning today. Agapanthus ‘Royal Velvet’ Hydrangeas lined up for customers by the sales point. Hydrangeas Agapanthus ‘Windsor Grey’ really is grey! Agapanthus ‘Windsor Grey’ This batch, supposedly,…

24th July

…to the ground and reseeded each year. wild flower meadow wild flower meadow Eryngium bourgatii ‘Picos Blue’ very fine. Eryngium bourgatii ‘Picos Blue’ Agapanthus ‘Royal Velvet’ and Achillea ‘Cerise Queen’….

7th March

‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ – this appears now to be called Olav Kalleberg. Above Crinodendron Hedge. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’…

28th March

‘black’ which it isn’t! (There are other black magnolias – e.g. ‘Black Beauty’). Magnolia ‘Black Swan’ Back at Caerhays Bramble Field track has now been splendidly cleared by the cut…

26th March

…called M. denudata ‘Dubbel’. Magnolia denudata ‘Double Diamond’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’ Magnolia…

10th May

…for us. Sorbus matsumurana Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ looking as its name would have you believe. Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ Staphylea colchica ‘Black Beauty’ Sapium sebiferum very late into leaf…

28th May

…haematodes. This is a replacement for long dead originals. Wisteria ‘Black Dragon’ Wisteria ‘Black Dragon’ Wisteria ‘Black Dragon’ on the gents’ loo just going over. The flowers tend to be…

8th March

‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. liliiflora ‘Holland Red’ Magnolia ‘Bishop Michael’ nearing its best. Magnolia…

1st May

…flower buds. Maddenia hypoleuca Staphylea colchica ‘Black Jack’ is also now flowering properly. Staphylea colchica ‘Black Jack’ Staphylea colchica ‘Black Jack’ 2024 – CHW Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Hattie Carthan’ on…

16th March

…yet another new name to us. Magnolia ‘Summer Rose’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. campbellii ‘Darjeeling’ is excellent. Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. campbellii ‘Darjeeling’ Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M….

29th January

…growing buddleia but the US bred ‘Buzz’ varieties are smaller growing, more dwarf, and have larger flowers. Buddleia ‘Black Knight’ and ‘Empire Blue’ have been superseded by ‘Buzz Indigo’ /…

11th April

…Paler than ‘Black Tulip’ as you would expect but with a rounded Black Tulip shape. Magnolia ‘Rose Marie’ x ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Rose Marie’ x ‘Black Tulip’ Rhododendron irroratum ‘Polka…

27th February

…Purple Dream’) Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’. No specific name as far as I know. Rounded flower. Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ Magnolia ‘Vulcan’ x Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’…