31st August | The Garden Diary

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View 31st August 1897 – 2020

CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2026 – CHW

The drought is officially over although the battle scars will be with us for months and years. We had approximately half an inch of rain overnight with more light rain to come. North Cornwall and North Devon has had treble this but the east wind has sent the rain up the Bristol Channel. At last a day when there was some pleasure going around the garden.

Big leafs now in survival mode after rain and watering.

Too late for this one and many other severely stressed which will die later.

This one looked dead a week ago. Now it has a chance. If rain had come three weeks ago the problem of 70 days drought would have gone away.

Two big Rhododendrons crassum have not made it.

The Rhododendron griersonianum clump now not too bad.

Magnolia rostrata leafless with seed heads.

Probably too late for this Rhododendron thompsonii layer.

The cut back Rhododendron wilsonii should make it.

Lithocarpus variolosus is shooting from the base but half the leaves on the tree have fallen.

Severe fresh deer damage to Cornus pumila.

Fat leaf buds but little leaf left on several birches.

Rhododendron suoilenhense looks to be reviving until one sees the leaf drop below it.

This small Clethra now has a sporting chance.

These Rhododendron grande do not.

Even the worst drought stricken Hydrangea clump looks not too bad today.

2025 – CHW

To the Rookery to check on the new plantings of spring/ autumn 2024/5. Inevitably a couple of nearly dead rhododendrons but otherwise largely good news.

Two small plants of Rhododendron canadense. One still green in more shade and one with early drought induced autumn colour in more sun.

Acer nikoense to replace the old plant that grew here with good new growth on long stalks.

Celtis tetrandra doing well in the heatwave and looks to have been in place for serval years but it is only, in fact, one.

Sorbus needhamii with fruits.

Magnolia opira (Raf Lenaerts) doing well.

Ternstroemia aff. luteoflora (FMWJ 13360) struggling but with some late new growth.

Magnolia (laevifolia x champaca) x M. (laevifolia x maudiae) from Raf with several flowers and buds. Unexpected at this time of the year but perhaps M. champaca in flower now? (M. champaca has orange flowers).

Magnolua yunnanensis x M. insignis, also from Raf, doing well.

Persea indica (BSWJ 12535) has enjoyed the summer with minor die back.

Meliosma dentata from Mexico (TH 2022) – a gift from Tom struggling but surviving so far.

Neolitsea sericea (CWJ 12800) settled in well with minor dieback and now flower buds. The autumn plantings win yet again.

The N. American Lindera benzoin has enjoyed the drought rather less but spring planted.

Nothofagus moorei going away well. Autumn planted again.

Meliosma parviflora, a gift from Nantes Botanical Gardens, looks unsettled but alive. Spring planted.

2024 – CHW
A few more Magnolias in flower for the second time.Sorbus gonggashanica leafless already but covered in fruit.

Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x M. ‘Pickard’s Ruby’.

Sorbus wardii with not many berries this year and still green.

Tilia tomentosa ‘Petiolaris’ with plenty of seed heads forming.

Bronzy secondary growth on Betula insignis ‘Fansipanensis’.

Interesting bark now as well.

Magnolia ‘Cleopatra’ and Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda.

Cornus pumila is romping away.

A single secondary flower on a very ancient Magnolia salicifolia.

Magnolia denudata ‘Fragrant Cloud’ has just one flower.

Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’ now nearly out.

Cotoneaster cordifolius ‘Ogisu’ with berries rapidly turning red. Well worth Asia or Cressy collecting these quite soon.

2023 – CHW
A tail end flower on Rhododendron maddenii – scent still gorgeous.

Jaimie & Michael mark out the site for a new 10,000 litre water tank beside the Orchid House Nursery. This would be connected to the old church supply and gravity fed. With a suck and blow pump and a water carrier holding 600 litres we could then cope with garden watering much more speedily than at present.

Ripe walnuts on Juglans ailantifolia. Only 2 now on each flower stalk although we saw more than this forming in June.

Rookery clearing from above now complete. The timber all going for firewood.

Cupressus cashmeriana planted in 2005. We ought to propagate vigorously. What a fine drooping pyramidical tree this is making.

2022 – CHW
Hedychium densiflorum ‘Assam Orange’ is really over already outside my window. The flowers lasted only a few days.

Lapageria rosea looks sickly in the drought but plenty of flowers. I need to check but I suspect it is out much earlier this year.

Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’ also looks tatty and only 2 flowers this year. One had faded to near white.

Lapageria rosea ‘Picotee’ is only just starting into flower. Unlike last year not much of a show.

Aristolochia sempervirens looking lush and green with large seeds forming, which I have not seen before on this plant.

The two original Camellia sasanqua cut down in May have produced a remarkable crop of new growth, but the plants have been regularly watered in the drought.

2021 – CHW
Secondary flowers on Berberis wilsonae.

The numerous seeds on Magnolia sargentiana robusta are almost ripe.

Multiple flowerheads on Schefflera delavayi. Much earlier than last year.

Eucryphia cordifolia nearly over again for this year.

Another (third) set of flowers on the playhouse wisteria.

View 31st August 1897 – 2020