A huge Sycamore tree narrowly misses the Trevanion holy.

An ilex oak branch by the Fernery.

Camellia ‘Yuletide’ blown open.

Camellia flowers cover the ground.

Below is a list of plants recently arrived from Pavia for growing on and planting out.

– Corylus yunnanensis
– Corylus ferox var. tibetica
– Juglans nigra ‘Laciniata’
– Juglans microcarpa
– Quercus skinneri
– Quercus cuneata
– Quercus humboldtii
– Quercus mexicana
– Quercus toxicodendrifolia

2023 – CHW

Camellia grijsii is suddenly well out although I looked only 3 days ago. Too windy for any decent scent today.

First flowers showing on our best Camellia ‘Cornish Snow’ below Donkey Shoe which is a good fortnight later than Camellia ‘Cornish Snow Michael’. Michael also has slightly larger flowers.

Abies firma was planted in Donkey Shoe only in 2019 as replacement for a huge Abies grandis which split in half. Abies firma is doing extremely well.

Merrilliopanax alpinus (BSWJ 13939) still in full leaf in nearly mid-December. We have seen this before and its very vigorous growth rates since planting which result.

This is Camellia ‘Nobilissima’ by George’s Hut. Please compare to Camellia ‘Gauntlettii’ (‘Sodekakushi’) which I will again photograph shortly for you. A hint of frost or petal blight and not too many flowers in good order after many gales but look at the shape of the flowers.

Salix udensis ‘Golden Sunshine’ not bad at all as autumn colour in the sun, although we would normally grow it for spring and summer colour.

2022 – CHW
Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ and Camellia x williamsii – unnamed.

Camellia japonica ‘Lady Clare’ with its first flowers alongside Camellia japonica ‘Nobilissima’ by the front door. The ‘Lady Clare’ flower is high up on the bush.

Last couple of flowers still going low down on Lapageria rosea ‘Flesh Pink’. Near to dropping.

The track to the old park now clear of leaves.

2021 – CHW
A digger has removed the stumps on the felled leylandii hedge in Kennel Close. Lots of room for planting! New magnolia varieties due in from Germany shortly I hope.

Flower buds in December on Magnolia grandiflora ‘Symmes Select’.

Camellia japonica ‘Bokuhan’ just out by the Old Playhouse.

Camellia x williamsii ‘November Pink’ at its best in the Main Quarry. A huge plant by anyone’s standards but dare we cut it down to reshoot again?

2020 – CHW
A large amount of secondary new growth on Rhododendron griersonianum.

Still plenty of leaf on a young Magnolia campbellii ‘Alba’.

First and solitary flower on Camellia grijsii.

Acer palmatum ‘Mikawa yatsubusa’ is a very dwarf and slow growing plant but here with a hint of autumn colour.

First flowers high up on the smaller flowering form of Camellia ‘Cornish Snow’.

Still decent flowers on Camellia oleifera many weeks after we first saw them.

The Camellia x williamsii ‘St Ewe’ hedge is also just out high up.

Rhododendron ‘Veryan Bay’ is now near the end of its life at 12ft or more. We have just planted out new young plants of this dwarfish Caerhays bred hybrid which is still only 3ft x 4ft at Burncoose after 30+ years. This clump is nearer 50.

2019 – CHW
One of the posts from Slip Rail has nearly rotted out. You can see how the slip rails work.

The Magnolia sprengeri ‘Diva’ seedling in Tin Garden which we pollarded in February has made a bold leap to recovery and is still holding green leaves on the new young shoots in December.

Attached is my first draft of the text for the new signage to go up before we open in the Tin Garden shed.

2018 – CHW
A new problem with the squirrel traps. We have been catching a few recently but not enough. Mice are squeezing into the side of the bait boxes above the spring trap itself and removing the bait thereby making the traps useless unless restocked with bait (whole maize, peanuts and hazelnuts) more frequently. Perhaps we should put the traps higher up the trees to deter mice? Then we would need to carry round a ladder every day when they are inspected. I think the answer is to move the traps around from tree to tree more frequently so that mice do not hone in on them so easily.

2017 – CHW
I had been expecting to find Camellia ‘Cornish Snow’ out for a week or two but had missed these two elderly, gnarled and partly cut back plants below Slip Rail. Large flowers on the younger cut back new growth with blue tit damage obvious on some. A little browning from frost. Other plants elsewhere in the garden still to show.

Carpinus kawakamii proving yet again that it is an evergreen species with us. Reddish new growth already evident and not a hint of leaf turn or yellowing.

Good bit of ivy pruning on sycamore trees nearby and the right time of the year to catch up on this for the odd hour. Very satisfying to see the ground littered with green leaves and the dying process well underway. Plenty more to do nearby in Tin Garden but here I suppose it is actually breaking a bit of wind chill for the top of the garden.