15th August

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

2023 – CHW

A greenhouse trip to see new things and start to plan the autumn planting.

Corylus chinensis with enormous hazel leaves.

Corylus chinensis
Corylus chinensis
Calycanthus ‘Venus’.
Calycanthus ‘Venus’
Calycanthus ‘Venus’
Mahonia eurybracteata with its first flowers.
Mahonia eurybracteata
Mahonia eurybracteata
We saw this Lysionotus pauciflorus (BSWJ 335) in flower for the first time last year.
Lysionotus pauciflorus (BSWJ 335)
Lysionotus pauciflorus (BSWJ 335)
Magnolia (M. laevifolia x M. championii) x (M. laevifolia x M. maudiae). This gift from Raf in February is suddenly covered in flowers. Its leaves do look a bit like M. laevifolia although larger as are the flowers themselves. What a bizarre cross?
Magnolia (M. laevifolia x M. championii) x (M. laevifolia x M. maudiae)
Magnolia (M. laevifolia x M. championii) x (M. laevifolia x M. maudiae)
Buddleja limitanea in flower.
Buddleja limitanea
Buddleja limitanea
Crinum x powellii ‘Album’ flowering its heart out beside the greenhouse.
Crinum x powellii ‘Album’
Crinum x powellii ‘Album’

2022 – CHW

28°C as we hit the second heatwave and real deaths now.

Out best blue mophead hydrangeas shrivel before our eyes.

blue mophead hydrangeas
blue mophead hydrangeas
Clethra tomentosa ‘Cottondale’ now full out and enjoying the heat.
Clethra tomentosa ‘Cottondale’
Clethra tomentosa ‘Cottondale’
Just 2 seed heads left standing on Magnolia campbellii ‘Darjeeling’.
Magnolia campbellii ‘Darjeeling’
Magnolia campbellii ‘Darjeeling’
Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’ looking at its best.
Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’
Clethra alnifolia ‘Ruby Spice’
Dead Rhododendrons.
Dead Rhododendrons
Dead Rhododendrons
Dead Rhododendrons
Dead Rhododendrons
This big leaf has collapsed in the last 2 days.
big leaf has collapsed
big leaf has collapsed
First casualty in a bed of young Rhododendron burmanicum.
Rhododendron burmanicum
Rhododendron burmanicum
New growth collapsing on Rhododendron ‘Fragrantissimum’ in full shade.
Rhododendron ‘Fragrantissimum’
Rhododendron ‘Fragrantissimum’
This was not dead 2 days ago.
Rhododendron ‘Fragrantissimum’
Rhododendron ‘Fragrantissimum’
A Magnolia sieboldii frying with its leaves being progressively burnt off by the sun – the other half of the plant already dead.
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii

2021 – CHW
Bell heather (Erica cinerea) on Wolsingham Moor which was already nearly over.
Erica cinerea
Erica cinerea
The Cottage in the evening sun.
The Cottage
The Cottage

2020 – CHW
Daphne’s garden at Newbiggin in all its glory which she photographed a week or two ago.
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin
Newbiggin

2019 – CHW
Daphne Scott-Harden’s wonderful garden at Newbiggin near Blanchland had suffered in the rain as well. The roses were shattered and the herbaceous borders nearly over but the new growth on everything was impressive even without the colour. A year ago the garden was full out.A couple of fine potfulls of Agapanthus ‘Streamline’ (I think?) nevertheless.
Agapanthus ‘Streamline’
Agapanthus ‘Streamline’
Agapanthus ‘Streamline’
Agapanthus ‘Streamline’
Tropaeolum speciosum growing in a Banksian rose.
Tropaeolum speciosum growing in a Banksian rose
Tropaeolum speciosum growing in a Banksian rose
Tropaeolum speciosum growing in a Banksian rose
Tropaeolum speciosum growing in a Banksian rose
And through a clipped yew with nearly ripe fruits.
clipped yew
clipped yew
clipped yew
clipped yew
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and Gentiana asclepiadea were a gorgeous colour contrast. We need to stock this tall growing 3-4ft herbaceous gentian.
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and Gentiana asclepiadea
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and Gentiana asclepiadea
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and Gentiana asclepiadea
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and Gentiana asclepiadea
A fine display of mistletoe on a young apple tree with berries forming early.
mistletoe
mistletoe
mistletoe
mistletoe
Aconitum ‘Sparks Variety’ growing 5-6ft tall here is a wonderful herbaceous border plant. It never looks much in a pot in the nursery.
Aconitum ‘Sparks Variety’
Aconitum ‘Sparks Variety’
Aconitum ‘Sparks Variety’
Aconitum ‘Sparks Variety’

2018 – CHW
Sorbus wilsoniana with three clusters of berries ripening away on a young plant planted only in 2013.
Sorbus wilsoniana
Sorbus wilsoniana
Sorbus wilsoniana
Sorbus wilsoniana
Acanthopanax aff. sessiflorus (now eleutherococcus presumably) we saw last autumn with clusters of black fruits but we did not see these extraordinary flowers in spherical heads. Quite bizarre really.
Acanthopanax aff. sessiflorus
Acanthopanax aff. sessiflorus
Acanthopanax aff. sessiflorus
Acanthopanax aff. sessiflorus

2017 – CHW
A new syringa species to us flowering for the first time in August. Syringa reticulata looks much like Heptacodium miconoides but the scent is rather nicer!
Syringa reticulata
Syringa reticulata
Syringa reticulata
Syringa reticulata

2016 – CHW
No entry.
2015 – CHW
No entry.

1903 – JCW
Woodwardias [ferns] in the quarry are our best thing, then Wilson’s poppies. Some roses of sorts, a good gladiolus or two, and good bananas. We have shifted nearly all our bulbs and some (2) seedlings (Polyanthus) have come up again.