2025 – CHW
Honey fungus on a dead Snakebark maple which has recently blown over.


I had been expecting to see flowers on Camellia japonica ‘Adelina Patti’ a month ago but I must have missed them during the laurel cutting.
Then to Penvergate.
Magnolia campbellii ‘Sidbury’ not blown away this year and looking as good as I have ever seen it.
Camellia hedges have made really good windbreaks in Penvergate.
An ancient Magnolia soulangeana lies on its side but is still going.
First flower buds on a Magnolia sprengeri ‘Westonbirt’.
The early autumn flowering Tilia henryana was smashed to the ground by a tree but has reshot successfully over the last 5 years.
Much evidence of squirrel damage in Penvergate.
The squirrel traps move from the main garden (which is now open to the public) to Penvergate.
2024 – CHW
To Burncoose on a very wet day.Boxes of liner sized plants which have just arrived from France and now need potting on.
To Burncoose on a very wet day.Boxes of liner sized plants which have just arrived from France and now need potting on.
A lot of Schefflera taiwaniana liners in the delivery.
Camellia ‘Pink Clouds’ in the sales point – a perfect bloom!
The scent from the various species and varieties of Sarcococca was overwhelming.
Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ with plenty of flower tassels in the nursery. Our mature plant at Caerhays has none this year as we saw a few days ago.
Our freshly potted roses are surging into leaf.
Hamamelis mollis ‘Brentry’ is an interesting yellow colour. Relatively new to the Burncoose website.
Nice plants of Beschorneria septentrionalis.
Flowers on Othonna cheirifolia which I had not seem out before.
Canarina canariensis is another new entry for this year which I need to look up. Looks at present rather like a nettle!
Amazingly a flower on Magnolia grandiflora ‘Kay Parris’.
2023 – CHW
Interesting to see what was out and looking good in the nursery today.Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’ stunning in the early morning sun. An under rated plant.
Interesting to see what was out and looking good in the nursery today.Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’ stunning in the early morning sun. An under rated plant.
Helleborus ‘Moondance’ – gorgeous leaves.
Pulmonaria ‘Opal’ – nice flower but poor foliage as yet.
Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’ – a startling blue for February.
The telehandler unloads a lorry – a busy day with 5 arctics in the morning alone.
Berries on Lonicera alseuosmoides which I have seen before.
Black berries on Lonicera crassifolia which I had not. Ripe and juicy!
Distylium myricoides ‘Blue Cascade’ – I had not seen this properly in flower before.
A gift from Margaret Miles of an unknown species of Eriobotrya collected originally in North Vietnam. Fully evergreen but not very like any of the other two species of Eriobotrya which we grow.
We are constantly urged by environmentalists to leave piles of deadwood to rot away and decay naturally. Here the insects, birds, fungi and bacteria are doing their stuff. This beech tree blew down, I guess, 10 or so years ago. The stump has nearly rotted away but honey fungus all around no doubt.
Lithocarpus harlandii getting away with high deer protection after planting a year ago.
Pittosporum glabratum has some recent secondary new growth and is also doing well so far.
First flowers out on a Pieris this this. This is Pieris ‘Dorothy Wykoff’ from memory.
First flowers full out on the American Oemleria cerasiformis.
The Camellia ‘Adelina Patti’ on the Main Ride has a few pure red flowers but, as yet, no pure white ones. It sports both colours on the same bush.
The yellowish Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’ is now properly out.
Below is a full list of the plants delivered via Burncoose earlier this week. Boring perhaps but this diary is a useful record.
Magnoliastore
Coates
Darkest Purple x Betty Jessel
First Love
cylindrica Hohman
J.C. Williams x Apollo
John Bond
Katja Landner
Lilac Chalice
virginiana Ludoviciana
Melon Sky
Peter Dummer
Purple Breeze
Purple Eye
Purple Star
Rose Marie
Rominas Pink
Sybille
dawsoniana Valley Splendour
stellata Wisley Stardust
R&G
Celtis sinensisPavia
Euonymus americanusAvaxa
1 Acer macrophyllum
1 Berberis jamesiana
1 Berberis kawakamii
1 Callicarpa dichotoma
1 Callicarpa membranacea
3 Hydrangea involucrata
3 Hydrangea serr. Mount Aso
1 Ilex pedunculosa
1 Mahonia sheridaniana
1 Myoporum laetum
1 Nothofagus cunninghamii
1 Stewartia Anne
1 Syringa protolaciniata
1 Syzygium aff. Griisii
1 Cryptomeria jap. AraucarioidesBurncoose stock
Prunus Shimidsu/Shogestsu x 2
Davidia Sonoma x 2. Requested one and billing for one. Sent two as small.
Abies concolor x 3 one needs replacing, I am aware. Not on attached list.
Carya ovata
Corylopsis pauciflora x 3
Hippophae Leikora
Hipophae Pollmix
Ilex Sunny Foster
Pittosporum napaulaensis
Pseudowintera Moulin Rouge
Rhus Tiger Eyese large
Ribes speciosum x 3
Sophora Dragon’s Gold
Sorbaria Sem x 3
Viburnum cinnamomifolium
Viburnum sieboldiiFrank Matthews
Prunus x per Spring Glow 125cm + bare-root
Malus Admiration (Adirondack) 7L container
Malus baccata 12L
Malus florentina 12L
Malus Prairie Fire® 12L
Malus tor Aros® 7L
Malus trilobata 12LLunaplant magnolia
Gorgeous C3 60/80
Illini Gold C7,5 120/140
Illini Moonlight C7,5
Bronwyne C7,5 100
Ian’s Cerise C20 250
Dark Shadow C3 60/80
Dennis Ledvina C3 60/80
Eternal Flames C3 100
Fire C7,5 120
Nancy C12 180
Pickard’s Schmetterling C7,5 140
Pink Pyramid C12 120/140
Romina’s Pink C3 60/80
Rose Quartz C3 60/80
Snow Goose C3 120
Spring Peppermint C20 140/160
Toro C20 160
Ula C7,5 160/180
Badenweiler C3 60/80
Flaming Heart C12 140
Romance C12 180
Miss Marble (fastigiate) C3 80/100
Nelly C3 80/100
Pink Butterfly C7,5 140
Summer Lady C7,5 120/140
April Melody C3 80/100
Avalon C3 60/80
Black Tulip x Ian’s Red #01 C3 80/100
Cassiopeia C12 100
Anne Leitner C12 200
Pink Flanell C3 100
Summer Rose C12 220
Vulcan’s Forge C12 160
Diana C12 160
Livia C3 100
Snowblood C20 180
Dimas Giant C3 60/80
Lesa Purple C3 100
Freya C3 100
Jost Wallis C3 100
Angels Landing C7,5 120
Tjebbe Talsma C3 80/100
Coates
Darkest Purple x Betty Jessel
First Love
cylindrica Hohman
J.C. Williams x Apollo
John Bond
Katja Landner
Lilac Chalice
virginiana Ludoviciana
Melon Sky
Peter Dummer
Purple Breeze
Purple Eye
Purple Star
Rose Marie
Rominas Pink
Sybille
dawsoniana Valley Splendour
stellata Wisley Stardust
R&G
Celtis sinensisPavia
Euonymus americanusAvaxa
1 Acer macrophyllum
1 Berberis jamesiana
1 Berberis kawakamii
1 Callicarpa dichotoma
1 Callicarpa membranacea
3 Hydrangea involucrata
3 Hydrangea serr. Mount Aso
1 Ilex pedunculosa
1 Mahonia sheridaniana
1 Myoporum laetum
1 Nothofagus cunninghamii
1 Stewartia Anne
1 Syringa protolaciniata
1 Syzygium aff. Griisii
1 Cryptomeria jap. AraucarioidesBurncoose stock
Prunus Shimidsu/Shogestsu x 2
Davidia Sonoma x 2. Requested one and billing for one. Sent two as small.
Abies concolor x 3 one needs replacing, I am aware. Not on attached list.
Carya ovata
Corylopsis pauciflora x 3
Hippophae Leikora
Hipophae Pollmix
Ilex Sunny Foster
Pittosporum napaulaensis
Pseudowintera Moulin Rouge
Rhus Tiger Eyese large
Ribes speciosum x 3
Sophora Dragon’s Gold
Sorbaria Sem x 3
Viburnum cinnamomifolium
Viburnum sieboldiiFrank Matthews
Prunus x per Spring Glow 125cm + bare-root
Malus Admiration (Adirondack) 7L container
Malus baccata 12L
Malus florentina 12L
Malus Prairie Fire® 12L
Malus tor Aros® 7L
Malus trilobata 12LLunaplant magnolia
Gorgeous C3 60/80
Illini Gold C7,5 120/140
Illini Moonlight C7,5
Bronwyne C7,5 100
Ian’s Cerise C20 250
Dark Shadow C3 60/80
Dennis Ledvina C3 60/80
Eternal Flames C3 100
Fire C7,5 120
Nancy C12 180
Pickard’s Schmetterling C7,5 140
Pink Pyramid C12 120/140
Romina’s Pink C3 60/80
Rose Quartz C3 60/80
Snow Goose C3 120
Spring Peppermint C20 140/160
Toro C20 160
Ula C7,5 160/180
Badenweiler C3 60/80
Flaming Heart C12 140
Romance C12 180
Miss Marble (fastigiate) C3 80/100
Nelly C3 80/100
Pink Butterfly C7,5 140
Summer Lady C7,5 120/140
April Melody C3 80/100
Avalon C3 60/80
Black Tulip x Ian’s Red #01 C3 80/100
Cassiopeia C12 100
Anne Leitner C12 200
Pink Flanell C3 100
Summer Rose C12 220
Vulcan’s Forge C12 160
Diana C12 160
Livia C3 100
Snowblood C20 180
Dimas Giant C3 60/80
Lesa Purple C3 100
Freya C3 100
Jost Wallis C3 100
Angels Landing C7,5 120
Tjebbe Talsma C3 80/100
2021 – CHW
Quite a bit of snow at Burncoose which, after two hours of plotting the planting programme in the garden, finally spurred me to go home for fear of the roads. Nearer Truro no snow at all but The Beast is with us and just as bad now as in March 2018. So strong is the east wind that it is totally unsafe in the garden this afternoon. Grim!
9am and a smattering of powdery snow through the nursery.
Even the euonymus in the tunnels are showing their displeasure.
Nevertheless lifting and despatching orders goes on apace.
I find a plant in the nursery which I have never heard of. Campylotropis macrocarpa. When I look it up it is a Chinese shrub with trifoliate leaves and long racemes of flowers which are purple to pinkish white. One goes in the car for Caerhays. I wonder where Clare, the nursery buyer, found this?
Amazingly a Kniphofia ‘Ice Queen’ is just coming into flower in a pot. I do not fancy its chances in the howling gale.
Pseudopanax laetus in the garden with its first flowers out in the snow. The flower buds and seed heads look much the same.
A quite well grown Ilex yunnanensis behind the pond. Totally un-holly-like leaves.
A fallen flower of Camellia ‘Little Bit’ on a snowy bench.
Rhododendron ‘Seta’ just showing by the tennis court. A short lived hybrid and on its last legs.
Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’ (pink form) just coming out. A few days ahead of ours here.
An elderly Rhododendron rirei on the drive just out. A very different colour to ours.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Gay Time’ on the drive.
Wonderful bark and masses of flower on Rhododendron barbatum by the lodge.