2025 – CHW
The former garage where visitors watch Caerhays videos on a large screen has been revamped this spring. The Royal Institute/ Royal Cornwall Museum was chucking out its mineral cabinets and we rescued a couple and rebuilt them to house a new George Forrest Exhibition. The papers and maps on display look original but they are in fact copes which Sian has cleverly stained to age them. She, Joanna, and the team have done a great job in creating something new. Great Uncle Charles’ cart and the old fire engine have been repositioned.
The planting pile for Rookery and ‘special’ plants.
Magnolias for 40 Acres.
The pile for Old Park.
Drive & Kennel Close.
The piles for Aucklandii Garden and Crinodendum hedge.
Styrax area and Isla Rose.
2024 – CHW
The view towards the arch gets better every day.
The view towards the arch gets better every day.
The sister seedling to Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’ outside the arch is at its best.
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’ (Pink) full out on the drive.
Fallen camellia petal on the track to White Styles.
Removing all the tree ties from the double row of 24 Matsumae cherries planted 3 year ago in 2 rows below White Styles field. The cherries have rooted out firmly now and the stakes may be rubbing on the bark of the trunks. Although the tree ties can be loosened as the tree trunk expands it is better to remove them altogether to avoid future problems if we were to forget to loosen them and they were to cut into the trunk. The rabbit and roe deer guards remain in place.
Magnolia ‘Bishops Michael’ just starting in Rogers Quary.
Magnolia campbellii in a very brief sunny moment today.
The view from the Back Yard up into the Aucklandii Garden.
Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’ has sprung open today on the lawn.
The view above the front door today – Magnolia Mania is here again today.
Another snippet from the Daily Bristol Ties and Mirror dates 16th February 1870 and another shipwreck at Porth Luney.
2023 – CHW
Burncoose on a sunny but cold day. Few camellias in flower yet on the main sales beds. A few things out in flower here and there but still not much. A later spring season than for a few years which is good news.
Camellia ‘White Swan’ with the odd flower.
The camellia sales beds – full with good healthy plants.
Genista ‘Porlock’ just starting to flower as normal.
Kalmia angustifolia ‘Rubra’ still showing its dislike of the recent cold weather with droopy leaves. It will soon pick up.
Cercis chinensis ‘Avondale’ in flower rather unexpectedly early.
As usual Pseudocydonia sinensis with extremely early new growth.
The Pittosporum and Ceanothus beds well stocked and looking good for spring sales.
Nandina domestica ‘Firepower’ still with good red tints.
Nandina domestica ‘Woods Dwarf’ not quite as good.
Syzygium paniculatum ‘Newport’ with minor frost damage. Trim out with no problem.
Leptospermum scoparium ‘Pink Cascade’ with a few errant flowers now.
Coronilla glauca ‘Variegata’ is normally out now.
Clematis armandii nearly in flower – again a bit later than normal.
Azalea ‘Salmon Kirin’ out at the garden entrance. ‘Kirin’ was out here just after Christmas.
2022 – CHW
Storm Dudley was a non-event in Cornwall yesterday but today we face Storm Eunice.
On my return from Cheshire Jaimie had prepared vases of things which have come out while I have been away. These pictures do not do them justice.
Michelia martinii – over the last four years the odd few single flowers but, this year, the first proper full flowering beside Bramble Field track. A good yellow and much larger flowers than ever before.
Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid is stunning even if blown open a little early. This is its third year of flowering and, now, one can see its full potential. Registration comes closer and I hope to get more pictures of the tree itself. We need to think about a name.
A vase of Magnolia ‘F J Williams’, Magnolia ‘Philip Tregunna’ and Magnolia ‘Bishop Peter’.
Removing the potholes from the Porthluney beach car park perhaps prematurely before Storm Eunice.
Corylus avellana with the catkins fully extended. One sees these all along the motorway verges.
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Werrington’ now full out.
Camellia reticulata ‘Dr Clifford Parks’
Work moves on apace in the Kitchen Garden and Frankie has got through to the top bit and burnt the infestation of Lonicera nitida.
2021 – CHW
Planting the yellow magnolia collection (Phase 1) and a few specimen trees in Tunnel Field (two acres) at Burncoose. It does not look a big pile but there are 60 different yellow magnolias here! In 20 years’ time quite an addition to the woodland garden if we can keep the deer and rabbits away from the plants for a bit.
Planting the yellow magnolia collection (Phase 1) and a few specimen trees in Tunnel Field (two acres) at Burncoose. It does not look a big pile but there are 60 different yellow magnolias here! In 20 years’ time quite an addition to the woodland garden if we can keep the deer and rabbits away from the plants for a bit.
Plenty of space for Phase 2 – more yellow magnolias, deciduous azaleas, Matsumae cherries and other taller shrubs. Rhododendrons will have to wait. Specimen camellias in the autumn. At least we have made a start on a dry day.
This camellia hedge was bought from the nursery 10 to 12 years ago. It now shields this property on both sides of the entrance in Perranwell. A very good advert for Burncoose and camellias as a windbreak hedge.
Acacia dealbata in full flower as a hedgerow tree also in Perranwell. Flowering away despite the Beast in the last week and about 25ft in height. Absolutely stunning and I had to stop and photograph it despite having to make a detour to do so as the road was closed in Frogpool.
Another holly which I had hoped might be the true Ilex dipyrena but, so defoliated is this plant, that I am not at all convinced. The purple colouring on the new growth looks, perhaps, more like Ilex x meserveae ‘Blue Prince’ or ‘Blue Princess’?
A 50 year old Lithocarpus pachyphyllus had lower branches removed a couple of years ago and is now suckering from the base.
A newly planted Polyspora speciosa (KWJ 12204) has gorgeous red new growth and veining but, sadly, the one flower has been destroyed in the Beast.
While planting here we suddenly notice dripping white sap running down the trunk of a 20ft tall self-sown Abies grandis. A branch high up had snapped in the wind and hence this sap deluge. I have seen this before in moderation from sawn off lower branches but never as much energy as this being wasted.
I am looking for a specimen of Mahonia Bealei
Also, importantly, can you supply to Northern Ireland?