Maclura pomifera with fruits (formerly Cudrania). A fairly nasty prickly little shrub!

Desmodium elegans flowering away on a hot bank.

The second brood of wagtails in the yard have now fledged.

Photinia integrifolia (HWJ 946) was planted in 2011. This is the first time I have seen it flowering. Velvety brown indumentum on the top of the leaves which are smooth and shiny underneath. Usually it’s the other way around!

Photinia villosa with the fruits just starting to turn orange. Three plants in the clump which are now multi-stemmed shurbs of 15-20 feet in height.

By a process of elimination this must, I think be Photinia glabra – one plant by George’s Hut and one plant growing out of the base of Photinia prionophylla. Minutely serrate leaves but rather different from the P. glabra which I looked at Trelissick. When measured in 1966 this tree was billed as P. serratifolia but it is surely nothing like serratifolia – new growth especially.

Photinia davidsoniae with its prickles on the new growth and on larger branches. Interesting bark on the tall upright trunks.

Seed heads on Photinia prionophylla and the huge evergreen tree which it is. Strangely none of our Photinia species seem to be featured in the Tree Register. I find it hard to believe that this is not at least a County Champion? Hilliers say it’s too tender for them to grow.

2024 – CHW
To Tregrehan to look at Cinnamomum species but, as usual, we were distracted onto Hydrangeas and Maurice Foster’s excellent new book on the subject. We took with us C. camphora, C. japonicum and C. glanduliferum as well as Maclura tricuspidata.Schizophragma integrifolium var. fauriei at its finest. Not particularly tyring to climb here and more of a shrubby habit.

Hypericum beanie (2858) was part of a recent trial of Hypericum at Wisley and, although not mainstream, it was commended.

Apple sized seed pods on Camellia trichocarpa.

Hydrangea chinensis – Wilson No. 7820.

Hypericum hookerianum had a cascading habit and a distinct leaf structure.

Cinnamomum chekiangensis from Taiwan. The reference books suggest this is the same thing as C. japonicum but who knows!

Carpinus rankanensis in maturity which our specimens are not yet.

Neolitsea acuminatissima (TFRI 0272).

Cinnamomum [?] from Taiwan.

Hydrangea angustipetala.

We had never seen Hydrangea arborescens ‘Radiata’ before.

The only original Wilson introduction of Hydrangea sargentiana which Tom had obtained. A very pale flower but growing in shade.

The most impressive Hydrangea we saw today has no specific names but it is from the Gongshan region of the Upper Salween in China.

Despite its appearance this is a form of Hydrangea villosa

Hydrangea longipes with its lengthy petioles.

Hydrangea indochinensis.

Magnolia sharpii is probably too tender to survive outside.

Quercus marlipoensis is virtually extinct in the wild. A very odd species which hardly looks like an oak.

Various forms of wild collected Hydrangea serrata raised by Maurice Foster.

Magnolia henryi with its very odd shaped petioles. Tom generously gave us a cutting grown plant but this is probably another semi-tropical species just for the conservatory.

Cathaya argyrophylla is an extremely rare conifer discovered only in 1955. It seems to be thriving at Tregrehan.

Dichroa guizhou has white buds and blue flowers. Here growing to around 3 feet x 5 feet. The flowers can be mauvish rather than blue if the soil is not sufficiently acidic.

Hydrangea longifolia with its globular buds. Slow growing.

Another different unnamed Hydrangea (from) Gongshan which self-seeds itself around and about in the walled garden although the seedlings are nowhere near as good as the original.

Didrangea ‘Cambridge Blue’ is a cross between Dichroa and Hydrangea. Tom gave us a plant. It is larger and more vigorous than I had expected. The other named hybrid is ‘Summer Skies’.

2023 – CHW

Orange new growth still showing on Podocarpus wangii.

Pleased to see we have another species of Carya coming on in Tin Garden. Carya cordiformis 7 (rather than 5) leaflets on each individual leaf.

A flower on Ilex aff. gagnepainiana (FMWJ 13168).

Our replacement Quercus engelmannii is getting going.

Tilia paucicostata killed by deer nibbling. All wire netting surrounds must now be taller.

Celtis sinensis with secondary new growth after the rain.

Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’ still has splendid show for the time of the year.

The newly planted Liriodendron tulipifera ‘Snow Bird’ only just survived the drought with a bit of watering. Die back at the top of the main stem which I cut out but hopefully the tree is away now.

Viburnum hoanglienense covered in swelling seed heads.

2022 – CHW

A trip to Bodmin Garden Centre which has made huge investments in state of the art multi-span tunnels in the last year since I last visited. They are now more of a growing nursery than a Garden Centre and we should be engaging with them for trade orders of herbaceous plants and for landscape deals.

Stand out plants included:-

Agapanthus ‘Dark Silk’ – very dark.

Echinacea ‘Green Twister’ – very odd.

Angelica gigas ‘Ebony’ – strange but a blackish flower covering rather than the green one I photographed yesterday in the nursery.

Kniphofia ‘Poco Orange’ -Burncoose stocks this miniature one now. Nice if you like small red hot pokers!

Leucanthemum ‘Goldfinch’ – I have seen this in Isle of Wight Garden Centres. Will be popular.

Then quickly into Treseders Nursery.

Prostanthera spinosa – and it was! Not very exciting flowers and decided not to buy. They have a great collection of Prostanthera species and varieties from Australia.

Cuphea ignea from Tresco. Larger flowers than seen on the same plant at Ventnor.

Dendroseris littoralis– the Juan Fernandez Cabbage Tree which was on the brink of extinction in the1980s. Semi-tropical very rare only growing in the wild on some small island off the African Coast but plenty of young plants doing nicely near Bodmin in Cornwall!

2021 – CHW
A visit to Newquay Garden Centre which is a long oblong site and not in Newquay at all; Quintrell Downs in reality. More gifts and café than plants but the plant area was well laid out with a reasonable range of more common plants. Of the local garden centres I have visited recently Bodmin garden centre was by far the best for plants.

Things we might consider for Burncoose included:

Cordyline australis ‘Salsa’ – nice but tender I assume.

Cordyline australis ‘Pink Passion’ – quite similar to one which we do stock.

Ilex aquifolium ‘Myrtifolia’ which would be a good hedging plant.

Forsythia ‘Fiesta’ – attractive leaf colouration even without the early season flowers.

Cistus ‘Gold Prize’ – vulgarly attractive with its largely yellow but three tone coloured leaves. A short lived plant I expect but a showstopper.

Leucanthemum ‘Ooh La Spider’ – silly name but a good ruffled flowered form.

Interested to see these willow creations which would look good in the right situation if pruned and maintained. Stupidly I forgot to look for a price.

Then on to the Roseland Plant Centre who used to be trade customers of the nursery when we once did van sales. It appeared to have become a bakery and tearooms with a huge yurt. A few tired bedding plants and not much else at all. Took not a single photograph!

2020 – CHW
The variegated leaved Buddleia ‘Harlequin’ has largely reverted to ‘Royal Red’ above the top wall but is still a magnet for butterflies. Many flowers are already over but a second flush now accompanies the latest rain induced growth.

Cornus drummondii ‘Sunshiny Drops’ is now in flower and a rather good yellow it is although the name refers to the subsequent berries.

Maakia amurensis has no obvious flowers today but the Maakia hupehensis which has such gorgeous blue spring new growth most definitely does. The small tree blew over years ago and has become a low mounded shrub which makes the flowers more reachable. John Marston’s excellent garden vlog this week made me go and have a look at our plant. Every week during lockdown I have found something new to covet on the walks in his garden.

Four Crataegus species with fruits have coloured up well in 10 days:

Crataegus ellwangeriana ‘Fire Ball’ – nearly ready for Asia to gather.

Crataegus combyi – likewise.

Crataegus aprica is only just turning.

Crataegus schraderiana in a similar state although it was the last of these four to actually flower this year.

2019 – CHW
The hydrangeas viewed from the top lodge looking down the drive – what a sight today.

2016 – CHW
Finally we hit the jackpot on the last day in Seaview. The brand new Eddington House Nursery is beside the church in Brading only two miles away. Brand new stock too and a startlingly good plant display with good growing display beds to ponder and everything excellently laid out. Lots of new things to consider here.Commelia colestis may well be a bit tender but it is a vivid blue and might be available from Kernock as a plug liner? We used to stock this once and it sold well. What else is blue in flower in August?

Sedum ‘Gold Mound’ may be dwarf and a rockery plant but it is still quite striking. No idea about its flowers.

Ligularia gigantea ‘Giant Scabious’ was living up to its name with white flowers. Five to six feet tall. Very difficult to grow in a pot!

Perouskia atriplicifolia ‘Little Spire’ grew to about 18 inches and had delicate but attractive flowers as you can see. Arguably nicer than Perouskia ‘Blue Spire’.

Then we get to some outstanding new agapanthus varieties all in full flower. We certainly need to add some of these to our catalogue (and to sell at Hampton Court) and drop some of the New Zealand varieties.

Agapanthus ‘Silver Moon’ – silver leaf edge variegation and much better than Agapanthus ‘Tinkerbell’.

Agapanthus ‘Windsor Grey’ – whitish grey in bud and tall growing. Quite excellent and arguably better than Agapanthus ‘Queen Mum’. A must get for Burncoose.

Agapanthus ‘Inkspots’ – dwarf to medium growing with dark buds opening darkish blue. Perhaps as good as Agapanthus inapertus ‘Graskop’.

Agapanthus ‘Sandringham’ – a very good sky blue – medium-tall growing.

Agapanthus ‘Bressingham Blue’ – taller growing and very floriferous. Not quite as dark as Agapanthus ‘Navy Blue’?

Agapanthus ‘Lavender Haze’ – lower growing and a gentle light blue.

Rudbeckia ‘Peking’ – very nice but perhaps not that different from others taken on this Isle of Wight trip?

Sisyrinchium ‘E K Balls’ – almost a rockery plant but striking blue flowers in profusion. We used to stock other dwarf sisyrinchium.

Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Fat Domino’ – a very striking red and not insipid like some of the other knotweeds especially Persicaria bistorta ‘Superba’. Grows to about two and a half feet, flowers to three and a half feet.

Coprosma ‘Pacific Dream’ – not that different but this is the one being sold everywhere in the Isle of Wight today.

2015 – CHWA quick trip up the drive to catch a few more hydrangeas:

Hydrangea ‘Tricolor’Rather an insipid plant especially when grown in a cold, hot, exposed position as here. The leaves have yellow and white on their edges and the lacecap is a weak colour. Needs to be grown in more shade and shelter. Planted 2002.

Hydrangea ‘Joseph Banks’At Burncoose on the drive the clump is still going strong 120 years after featuring in a picture in the RHS Journal. Nearly as old here I guess. Creamy white opening to a pale blue (on acid soil) and lasting to Christmas without frost. The commonest hydrangea seen in Cornish woodland garden drives but none the worse for that.

Hydrangea ‘Sheila’Not unlike ‘Love you Kiss’ once full out but this pink lacecap is one of the more improved and newer forms which stands out as being a bit different to the norm. This clump was planted in 2011 and has darkish new growth and early leaves.

Hydrangea aspera Villosa GroupVery variable and short lived especially if grown in full sun which this one is not. Some have flower heads remarkably similar, at least at a distance, to some smaller forms of Hydrangea sargentiana. I reckon about 30 years in full sun and 40 in the shade. The lovely peeling bark only appears in maturity on some forms after say 10 years. A popular hydrangea but I prefer larger leaved Hydrangea sargentiana.

A raven feeding a single youngster by the Top Lodge ominously near a young lamb which must be a ‘mistake’ at this time of the year. The most horrid and damaging of all the corvids.Swallows have bred well at the Hovel but, in the early mornings, the telephone wires are already full of martins and swallows thinking about migration or perhaps just more bad weather as the harvest is scheduled to start?

Three weddings this weekend at The Vean / Coastguards Hut. A new record for the estate and Luke, new Vean manager, formally appointed. Today’s party seems to involve a ‘Mr Wacky’ who appears at the front door when lost and I hope is here to entertain children at the wedding. Otherwise the staff are in for a shock!