5th December

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

2024 – CHW (images to follow)

2023 – CHW

Wreath making workshops at Burncoose and rather varying end results.

Wreath making workshops at Burncoose
Wreath making workshops at Burncoose
Wreath making workshops at Burncoose
Wreath making workshops at Burncoose
Fruits on Sorbus needhamii planted out in October.
Sorbus needhamii
Sorbus needhamii
Jaimie and Michael inspect their aerial layers on the newly registered Michelia ‘White Phantom’. Nothing showing yet by way of rooting but it is early days as the layers only date from July and may well have been done too late in the year.
aerial layers
aerial layers
aerial layers
aerial layers
aerial layers
aerial layers
aerial layers
aerial layers
Deutzia taiwanensis (CWJ 12443) was planted out below White Styles.
Deutzia taiwanensis (CWJ 12443)
Deutzia taiwanensis (CWJ 12443)
Deutzia taiwanensis (CWJ 12443)
Deutzia taiwanensis (CWJ 12443)
A gigantic Viburnum sargentii (BSWJ 8695) in the same place.
gigantic Viburnum sargentii (BSWJ 8695)
gigantic Viburnum sargentii (BSWJ 8695)

2022 – CHW
More seed clusters on Lithocarpus Pachyphyllus than might have been expected after a drought year. The larger seeds are viable.
Lithocarpus Pachyphyllus
Lithocarpus Pachyphyllus
Lithocarpus Pachyphyllus
Lithocarpus Pachyphyllus
A fine crop of tree fern seedlings in the quarry. Asia and Cressy need to dig these over the winter and take to Burncoose.
Tree Fern Seedlings
Tree Fern Seedlings
Schefflera pauciflora (WWJ 1199) with some ripe seeds nearly ready for collection.
Schefflera Pauciflora (WWJ 1199)
Schefflera Pauciflora (WWJ 1199)
Schefflera Pauciflora (WWJ 1199)
Schefflera Pauciflora (WWJ 1199)
First flowers now out on Aextoxicon punctatum. Pretty enough but not exactly a show stopper!
Aextoxicon punctatum
Aextoxicon punctatum
Aextoxicon punctatum
Aextoxicon punctatum
Aextoxicon punctatum
Aextoxicon punctatum
A few secondary flowers on Rhododendron ‘Tinner’s Blush’.
Rhododendron ‘Tinner's Blush’
Rhododendron ‘Tinner’s Blush’
Setting (but not yet ripe) seeds on a Rhododendron sinogrande which has thankfully survived the drought.
Rhododendron sinogrande
Rhododendron sinogrande

2021 – CHW

The newly installed fire hydrant at White Stiles to protect the two new converted barns and the two other dwellings has just been installed. The water source is the large tanks below the church which once supplied the castle as well.

fire hydrant
fire hydrant
A new seat at the Look Out for the public to enjoy the view from the coastal path. The seat was purchased by money leftover from the village hall social club when it closed some 25 or so years ago. The old bench had rotted away and this new one has been in store ever since.
seat
seat
Ardisia japonica ‘Ito Fukurin’ in flower at Burncoose Nurseries.
Ardisia japonica ‘Ito Fukurin’
Ardisia japonica ‘Ito Fukurin’
Three fungi found recently in Burncoose garden:
Bulgaria inquinans – ‘Black Bulgar’
Bulgaria inquinans – ‘Black Bulgar’
Bulgaria inquinans – ‘Black Bulgar’
Gymnopilus Junonius – ‘Laughing Jim’
Gymnopilus Junonius – ‘Laughing Jim’
Gymnopilus Junonius – ‘Laughing Jim’
Not identified as yet
Not identified as yet
Not identified as yet

2020 – CHW
Steve has photographed a fungus at the base of a yew tree at Burncoose. The closest I can get to it in the fungi book is an immature or young form of the Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum). It might be a Pestle Puffball but we will have to wait and see since the Common Puffball turns brown while the Pestle Puffball ‘explodes’ in maturity.
Lycoperdon perlatum
Lycoperdon perlatum

Leaf blowing and clearance at the sides of the drive is now nearly complete after a full week’s work.

drive
drive
drive
drive
drive
drive
Our vet found a peculiar fungus here one day in September. It was Devil’s Fingers (Clethrus archeri). Sadly no picture.

2019 – CHW
The problem of young grafted magnolias snapping off in strong winds because they hold their leaves so long into winter is a big one.

Looking at these two young plants with, as yet, unstraightened stems which are heavily staked one can clearly see why the problem arises.

young plants
young plants
young plants
young plants
young plants
young plants
young plants
young plants

The solution is, I think, if time permits, to literally cut off the remaining leaves in say late October. It will not harm the plant but might prevent this!Snapped off at around 18in from the base due to the weight of its leaves and seven years’ worth of growth wasted. It will probably reshoot; perhaps even from above the graft, but will then be a horrible multi stemmed shape and never make a decent tree.

Snapped off
Snapped off

2018 – CHW
The fallen champion Osmanthus yunnanense has now been cut up but the team were unable to upstand the remains. This will need a digger but is still well worth doing.
Osmanthus yunnanense
Osmanthus yunnanense

2017 – CHW
Cornus walteri was looking good in its yellow autumn robes but today rather drab with the best leaves blown off.
Cornus walteri
Cornus walteri
Cornus walteri
Cornus walteri
The first daffodil shoots by the fernery. I pictured these last year but perhaps a little earlier. Need to check. The frosts (minor) over the last few days may have had an impact.
first daffodil shoots
first daffodil shoots
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’ with perfect flowers and even emerging new flowers in December. I think I photographed flowers here last March. Quite an amazing performance for a hydrangea. Why does this plant set new flowers when the main crop of flowers are over and have turned greenish with red-purple tints?
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’
Hydrangea ‘Madame Mouilliere’
Visit Sheila to hear the good news about her successful cancer operation. The nasturtium flowers in her front garden look as well and jolly as she did!
nasturtium flowers
nasturtium flowers

2016 – CHW
Laurel cutting nearing completion above Rogers Quarry.
Laurel cutting
Laurel cutting
We have cut back hard one of the younger michelias encroaching over the Magnolia dealbata but I am not sure we have yet gone far enough. A pity to cut it but a question of priorities.
 younger michelias
younger michelias

2015 – CHW

The Camellia x williamsii ‘J C Williams’ hedge outside the Rockery has sprung out in the strong winds of the last 48 hours. Already blue tit damage can clearly be seen on some of the flowers.

Camellia x williamsii ‘J C Williams’ hedge
Camellia x williamsii ‘J C Williams’ hedge

Rhododendron mucronulatum is now full out at least a month early and perhaps the best show in the garden today.

Rhododendron mucronulatum
Rhododendron mucronulatum
Another very blustery day but still no rain. Forecasters wrong five days running.

1950 – CW
Took seedling Camellia from big quarry to R.H.S called November Pink – given an award. Out since October 1st flower – Taliensis no award. It is one of the most distinctive plants here and hardly anything better quality.

1933 – JCW
Some flowers on Prunus autumnalis, on caucasicum series not much. A very cold wind no real ice so far.

1929 – JCW
The worst wind smash in the New Planting we have ever known, in the big north end ⅓ to ½ of the conifers are uprooted and it will be long before we can clear it and see where we are. A further storm followed and brought more trees down in the Drive. We had about 14 inches of rain in the period of all Nov and 2 days of December. This rendered the trees weak in their roots.

1928 – JCW
Good lapagerias, fair Cam sasanquas. Blood red Arboreum x give us a bloom. The early blue stylosa is nice. Cotoneaster salicifolia is good. A few roses.

1925 – JCW
The east wind has gone for the first time, some lapagerias left but the pond was frozen over. I picked some Sutchuenense at the Engine House to open in water. Berberis polyantha is the only thing to talk about and the Stransvaesia fruit.

1917 – JCW
The plant of Moupinense is open.

1900 – JCW
Picked Stylosa alba and a Penzance briar, a big (record?) lot of rain for the last month.