2019 – CHW
An IDS tour with 30 people. Wonderful trip with knowledgeable people from all round the world. Two and a half hours was not enough. Click here for their ‘Thank You’ email and photos.

Syringa microphylla ‘Superba’ just starting to flower by the front door.

Opposite Rhododendron fragrantissimum is nearly full out.

Tropaeolum ciliatum growing vigorously but no flowers as yet. Last year it was out by now.

Then on to Tregothnan for an evening tour.

Eucalyptus coccifera in full flower offsetting the peeling bark.

The camellia species I could not remember last time was Camellia glabsipetala. It is not in the Chinese camellia species book.Weinmannia trichosperma in full flower.

The first time I have seen the newish tree paeony collection in flower. There has been loads of hassle with the labelling and with the survival rate. As usual with Chinese suppliers many turned out initially not to be what they were supposed to be.Paeonia ‘Superb’

Paeonia ‘Duchess of Kent’

Paeonia ‘Delavayi’ – not the usual colour if correctly labelled?

Paeonia ‘Oukan’

Paeonia ‘Isononami’

Paeonia lutea var. ludlowii – a very fine large flowered form

Paeonia unnamed

Paeonia rockii Farfalla Grigia

A whole new subject to get into one day.

2018 – CHW
Off to the greenhouse to sort through seedling rhododendrons then to be grown on in the frames and others to the nursery bed in the Rookery. Asia has done a superb job in the last six months to get the production line of replacement plants going. So many species live only short lives that if you forget to propagate they are gone. With the closure of Glendoick nurseries, at least for mail order, where else in the UK can you actually now buy rhodo species in variety? Defra is probably to blame for turning all rhododendrons into invasive beings in the public perception.

On the way above the greenhouse is Magnolia ‘Sunsation’ with its very erect and upright habit. One of the better yellow mixtures but many of the Sunsomethings are very similar indeed.

A Clematis forsteri cutting with a few flowers.

Menziesia ciliicalyx var purpureum flowering in the greenhouse. These plants will eventually be for the Rockery as they are fairly dwarf in habit. Menziesia have only recently been added to the genus rhododendron rather than being on their own. Odd to understand how these flowers are rhododendron-like? Menziesia are now all Rhododendron multiflorum! More botanist bollocks!

Prunus ‘Shogetsu’ is pink as it opens then turning white. The natural shape of the tree is umbrella-like. Very fine in the sun today. Certainly as good as Prunus ‘Shirotae’ which has a similar habit.

The swan has decided to nest again in the same spot as last year where it hatched off only two cygnets from eleven eggs. Neither survived to maturity and the last one perished in late January when its parents drove it away.

The newly buried electric cables in Beach Meadow left us on the generator here for a day.

2017 – CHW
To Burncoose to finalise the 2017/8 budget and enjoy the unaudited year end figures to 31.3.17 which make happy reading yet again.

Rhododendron ‘Surrey Heath’ is another good yakusimanum hybrid which is one colour in bud and when first out but quite another when full out. You can see both outside the nursery entrance where some have had more full sun than others.

A fine clump of Hebe ‘Wiri Charm’ in flower in the nursery. Nearly over in fact.

Rhododendron radicans is a true rockery species with a short life and, as here, the flowers can be variable in colour.

Rhododendron ‘Graffito’ is a new introduction to the website. A tough old hybrid by the look of it but still only one bud today.

Rhododendron ‘Gartendirektor Rieger’ has faded a bit but nice red spots in the bells. Shy to flower in a pot and only one in the row has.

Magnolia acuminata var subcordata nicely in flower in a pot. This is a small growing form of the ‘cucumber tree’ and the one from which so many of the newer yellow magnolias have been bred. Not a huge flower and a variety of yellow hues as the flower develops.

The first time I have seen Magnolia ‘Jersey Belle’ in flower. A cross between Magnolia wilsonii and Magnolia sinensis but showing, in its anthers at least, more wilsonii than sinensis in terms of colour. The plants are grafted which is a surprise but the flowers are very fine. Sadly too early for Chelsea where it would have been a show stopper! Furry indumentum on the new growth too which is more sinensis than wilsonii.

What a show on the batch of specimen sized plants of Calycanthus raulstonii ‘Hartlage Wine’. Some held back in the cool for Chelsea.

Do not the Viburnum plicatum ‘Kilimanjaro Sunrise’ look a great batch too. This is the larger size. No pink yet in the flower but it will come.

The new clump of Rhododendron royalii flowering for the first time in the Burncoose garden. It died out at Caerhays years ago but was just as dark as these when in flower on the drive.

I went to hunt down Viburnum cinnamomifolium in the garden to compare it with the Viburnum cylindricum seen in Wales with berries but as yet no flowers. Seems I was nearly too late for the flowers here but the leaf is similar. New growth more like Viburnum odoratissimum. Three quite similar species if that is what they are?

This is a pure white form of Abutilon x suntense we think which Clare has acquired and hidden in the office for ‘safe keeping’. Hopefully it will go on to a happier life in the propagation house soon. Hilliers claim this as a chance seedling they found in 1975. In their nursery called ‘White Charm’. It does not look like a white Abutilon vitafolium but we could be wrong?

The Olearia scillionensis is full out beside the car park already. A bit too early for butterflies to enjoy it today!