2023 – CHW
A cold southerly wind and another (as yet unnamed) storm on the way.
Sorbus dunnii still covered in fruits. Only planted a year or so ago.
Near frost overnight and North East wind.A start has been made on trimming the lower side of the laurel hedge on the Main Ride.
Camellia ‘Sugar Dream’ is now out and impressive.
Six buds for next spring are now visible on Jaimie’s new magnolia hybrid. Two this year which showed great promise. Uplifting the 15 year old tree to remove a few lower branches would be a help with more budding in the future as we have found with others at this stage.
Back in the main garden Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’ is now properly out. Camellia x williamsii ‘Caerhays’ which is similar but with less ‘reddishness’ in the opening flowers is not showing at all.
2018 – CHW
In the rain the record sized but unnamed Camellia x williamsii outside the front gate still looks splendid in full flower.
One or two excitements in the delivery from Crug Farm when I have time to examine it more closely. Euonymus porphyreus still has several bright pink star-like seed pods but no seeds still in them after the journey. An evergreen species new to us with a branching and spreading habit.
Magnolia ‘Betty Jessel’ still in full leaf in early December!
2015 – CHW
Strong southerly wind biting into the castle but mild. Sea thunderous.Camellia sasanqua ‘Winters Toughie’ is full out below the greenhouse. Clearly not so tough in a gale as in wind!
Camellia sasanqua ‘Polar Ice’ has just one flower alongside it and is really rather nice.
2000 – FJW
Very wet and stormy indeed.
1984 – FJW
Flash (19) died today – a great companion for Philip Tregunna and CHW in the garden. Nice lot of November Pink and Nobleanum begins.
1966 – FJW
Peter saw two deer in the Church Town Field. November Pink out some which Taliensis good. 2 trees down in gales of a week ago. Bad smash in Rookery.
1963 – FJW
Average flowering year to date. Picked a nice vase of November Pink. Earliest Camellia was the one outside the front gate – been out for two weeks. Oleifera quite good considering the hard winter last year. Just beginning to get flower on Nobleanums on Drive. Turning colder.
Hamamelis just showing colour just as in 1930.
1930 – JCW
One Maddeni at the brown gate, one Roylei picked. Hamamelis just show flowers. Some Neriiflorum open. Cam sasanqua give several flowers, also Camellia oleifera.
1927 – JCW
A cold spell started now and broke on Dec 20th. It touched zero in some places, I saw an untouched Decorum bud and an untouched Camellia speciosa at the end of it (20th).
1919 – JCW
The first Hamamelis and first Rho mucronulatum show colour. The Thomsonii x Arboreum also have flowers opening.
1913 – JCW
Good roses yet and so lapagerias. Rhodo micranthum good in 40 Acres. Cam sasanqua feels the wet, plenty of flowers if we had sun. Odd flowers of Rho lutescens and intricatum open.1908 – JCW
Coums starting, roses nice very, small scarlet border geranium as good as it ever is, a wonderful autumn.1907 – JCW
Cam sasanqua very good, coums coming on, roses are yet quite fair, no serious frost.1900 – JCW
I saw the first coum. sasanqua at its best.