13th August | The Garden Diary

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2020 – CHW

Cyrtanthus elatus, the Scarborough Lily, greets us at The Cottage in Yorkshire. Another tender South African lily of some note with scarlet flowers.

The field has not been cut for hay this year so even more wildflowers in evidence.

Trifolium fragiferum, Strawberry Clover.

Stachys officionalis, Betony, which had grown rather taller without the sheep nibbling.

Potentilla reptans, Creeping Cinquefoil, was much in evidence.

Knautia arvensis, Field Scabious, perhaps late into flower.

Campanula rotundifolia, Harebell, which were nearly over.

Centauria scabiosa, Greater Knapweed, which seems brown in bud unlike ours at Caerhays which has black surrounds to the bud. Perhaps this is Scabiosa jacea, Brown Knapweed?

Ranunculus acris, Meadow Buttercup, with a geranium like leaf.

2019 – CHW
A few wild flowers out on a dry south facing bank in a meadow at The Cottage in Yorkshire. The field had been ungrazed this year and was full of interest and colour. So many of these plants are sold by Burncoose as improved garden forms or different species of these fairly common wild plants.Betony, Stachys officinalis, which I had not seen before.

Harebell, Campanula rotundifolia, which you often see on moorland edges.

Field scabious, Knautia arvensis, which would be fine in a pot in the nursery.

Greater knapweed, Centaurea scabiosa (or more probably common knapweed), which grows well in full sun on the bank opposite the front door at Caerhays.

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium. The white forms which we sell are not so different.

Red clover, Trifolium pratense.

Hare’s foot clover, Trifolium arvense.

Common birds-foot-trefoil, Lotus corniculatus.

Meadow crane’s-bill, Geranium pratense.

A dead black rabbit hanging in a lilac tree.

2018 – CHW
The rare and tender Brachychiton populneus has done fairly well in the drought after being planted this spring. Quite a nice crop of new growth.

Firmania simplex has got away in the heat too although I fear it will be cut back to 4-6in from ground level again next winter. Only when it gets a woody trunk will it have a real chance. Not in a hot enough spot here perhaps.

A nasty orange fungal growth from the base of an elderly Quercus coccinea.

2017 – CHW
A big leafed young Rhododendron sinogrande grossly over seeding in Old Park. A good example of why the seeds need removing once flowering has finished. However we might as well harvest these in October and grow them on.

2016 – CHW
It may well not be a gardening holiday as such but you cannot help admiring Daphne’s Northumbrian garden which Burncoose supplied many plants for some 15 to 20 years ago when it was first started on the edge of Newbiggin Moor near Blanchland. The pond area was getting overrun with gunnera but these have been removed to good effect. This year the roses were in their prime which puts the garden two to three weeks later than in recent years when they were all going over. Despite all the rabbit fencing we were able to remove another three during our visit without the dogs racing through the borders.

2015 – CHW
No entry.

2000 – FJW
Heavy rain.

1983 – FJW
Harvest all in – very good yield – hotter than 1976?

1976 – FJW
Harvest all in – including Pencoose – very dry year.

1954 – CW
Still rain every day. Pinnatifolia nearly at best. A few on Nymansii. Whites good but some over also most of Auriculatum pink hybrids but a third not out of white. Mag delavayi on big wall over 160 flowers. Wall climbing hydrangea covered V.G. Our hay in but a lot out. A little corn cut on way to Truro. One lapageria out. Most dead.

1946 – CW
Very wet for long and now terrific storms. Auriculatum not out and also many of its hybrids. Eucryphia pinnatifolia at its best 2 days ago. Nymansii good. Pinnatifolia not yet all out. All magnolias, rhododendrons, and camellias grown well. Hardly any corn cut. First lapageria out.