Yellow berries in small numbers only this year on Ilex aquifolium ‘Bacciflava’. Odd that most common hollies have berried well but not this one.

Still good colours today on Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Oconee’ below Sinogrande Walk.

Even better on Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Gum Ball’ above the same path. Both very rounded small trees or large shrubs which were planted in 2007.

Hilliers says that ‘Oconee’ has better colours that ‘Gum Ball’. This evidence would suggest the reverse. Interestingly ‘Red Star’ lost its leaves weeks ago but is perhaps more exposed to wind. More of a “red” than ‘Gum Ball’ which is, today, more purple here. Colours vary and Caerhays see little autumn colour of note as we well know.

Several flowers out now on the Camellia japonica ‘Adolphe Audusson’ on Quarry Path. Recorded one on the drive about 10 days or so ago.
Acacia baileyana is the first species to flower here this time around. Others are near but not quite yet. We have 6 species planted out. I remember a huge Acacia dealbata below the lawn but it died 50+ years ago.

2022 – CHW
Attached is the final list of Malus species and varieties to plant out shortly in the Old Kitchen Garden with approximate ultimate/ mature heights as far as I can identify them from John L Fiala’s 1994 published reference book on ‘Flowering Crabapples – The Genus Malus’ and Hilliers etc.

The planting plan (also attached) tries to take account of ultimate heights and spreads of each group of three trees in the context of the layout of the Old Kitchen Garden and how visitors will view these trees form above, beside and across the valley from the main paths.

By no means all the varieties are listed in Fiala’s book or, indeed, in more recent reference books so I have had to guess a bit about mature heights.

The basic rule of thumb for spacing the trees out for planting will be:-

– 4 metre spacing for smaller growing varieties – 12ft eventually and columnar
– 6 metre spacing for medium growing varieties –c. 20ft x 20ft eventually
– 7 metre spacing for tallest growing varieties – c. 30ft x 30ft eventually
– 6 metre spacing for weeping/ spreading growing varieties

There should be plenty of space to add more varieties than the 65 in the first wave of planting (180 trees). I have included a few Pyrus in the plan because of their close association to and similarities in flowering to Malus.

This is clearly a huge subject and there are scores if not hundreds more varieties to source over time. However, since most of the flowering Malus breeding has taken place in the US, we will not be able to source them from there. I dare say we may have a few duds in the collection already, which are not worth their place but the challenge of working towards a National Collection application one day well into the future will be entertaining and fun.

It should all be quite a spectacle quite quickly barring the usual horticultural disasters.

2021 – CHW

Rhododendron nobleanum now full out on the drive.

Jasminum nudiflorum on the stone faced earth bank outside Malvern House in the village.

Rhododendron lutescens nearly fully out by Red Linney.

First flowers on just one (as yet) of the larger Rhododendron ‘Winter Intruder’ on the drive.

Plenty of flowers on Lonicera fragrantissima above White Stiles top gate. A fine clump at Burncoose Nurseries entrance has larger flowers and, unlike here, holds some of its old leaves while flowering.

Plenty of flower on the hose-in-hose Azalea ‘Kirin’ as there usually are by now on two young (and deer nibbled) plants.

A decent young Abies grandis getting away below the larger fernery. Offsets its dark green colours nicely with the nearby Aucuba japonica ‘Crotonifolia’.

2020 – CHW
Blustery but less cold.Camellia x williamsii ‘Rosemary Williams’ has survived the gales.

Camellia cuspidata now full out in the Rookery. Only one plant. The rest are just starting.

A huge beech tree has split out above the Green Gate and fallen mainly downwards towards the castle squashing most of our new plantings along the way. Two good magnolias under the debris and several clumps of hydrangeas which may survive. We cannot clear this up until February if the shooting season does indeed continue without Lockdown 3. The fallen branches were full of pheasants drying off today. One branch fell a week ago and the big lot last night or the night before. Not perhaps odd that we did not hear it in the gales and thunder.

The London plane (Platanus x acerifolia) next to the fallen beech has survived with just a few missing smaller branches high up. Our only mature P. x acerifolia which Hillier’s now calls Platanus x hispanica I see. Another name change after a lifetime of calling it something different.

Camellia ‘Show Girl’ is full out and rather good despite the recent weather.

First flower on Camellia reticulata ‘Captain Rawes’ right at the top of the plant – 15-18ft.

Loads of primroses starting to appear and the leaf growth has been considerable in the last week despite the cold and sleet.

The fallen beech as seen from the front lawn. Hard to make out but a week’s work to clear up the huge mess I expect. Ought we to fell more of these elderly and over mature beeches (than we already have) to avoid more annual disasters like this?

2019 – CHW
An overcast but warmish day.First two primroses in flower opposite the front door. I had to look quite hard as a cock pheasant has been eating them.

Completely unnoticed and despite frequent checking Rhododendron mucronulatum has suddenly sprung into flower. A good dark colour this year in a frost free time. Wonderful show.

Camellia x hiemalis ‘Yuletide’ is also just out rather after the event itself. A brilliant red none the less.

More pictures of what we now think is Cotoneaster glabratus. Leaf undersides, berries, bark on trunk and mature bark on a sucker. A full set to prove it as far as I can see in the reference books.

2018 – CHW
Sophora japonica ‘Sun King’ has a fat crop of flower buds developing. We lost three of these in cold winds by the Playhouse in 2012 but this plant is well protected at the top of the garden.

First flower on Camellia ‘Salutation’ (Camellia reticulata x Camellia saluenensis) which was raised at Borde Hill whose gardens we plan to visit in early May.

First couple of flowers on Camellia ‘Mary Costa’ out today. Rather small and poor examples.

2017 – CHW
Reports of a ‘large’ tree blown over near the top lodge prove to be not that exciting. It is only yet another of our 10 to 12 year old specimen ilex oaks which has gone over in today’s filthy gales and rain.

Another ilex oak has been uprooted next door to it. Never plant large specimen trees for quick effect in such a windy north facing site!

The Camellia ‘Winton’ clump looks a bit battered but has survived the gales and hail.

Fortunately Rhododendron ‘Winter Intruder’ nearby is still in tight bud.