15th February 1897 – 2020 | The Garden Diary

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2020 – CHW
It rains for 24 hours as Storm Dennis does its worst. Severe flooding to come in the water meadows tomorrow but I manage a few pictures before the heavy rain arrives.

The yellow flowered Magnolia campbellii is now full out and undamaged by Storm Ciara. We have stupidly forgotten to take scions of this for grafting in the batches taken recently but we can still rectify this.

The record Magnolia campbellii is now full out and ‘Spring has Sprung’ at Caerhays in time for our opening to the public on Monday.

First colour showing on Magnolia ‘Philip Tregunna’ – blown out unfortunately.

Flowers blown open high up on one of the Michelia doltsopa.

First forsythia flowers out. We had some secondary flowering on this plant in the autumn as we saw then.

2019 – CHW
Off to David Knuckey’s funeral at Camborne crematorium. David was a founding partner of Burncoose Nurseries in 1984 together with his son Philip and my brother and I. David just made it to Dad’s funeral on 19th January but died a week later. Very sad! One of the greatest and most successful exhibitors at RHS and other shows. His show stands were admired by hundreds of thousands of people over at least four decades.This is Karol’s new ‘video blog’ kit which we refer to as ‘vlog’! You will see these weekly on the Caerhays site and perhaps in this blog too if that is technically possible?

The original 1913 Magnolia campbellii this time with some sun on its front.

Had a visit from ITV crew yesterday about a ‘Spring has sprung’ feature as part of the Cornwall Spring Story, see the report and news clip here.

2018 – CHW
The garden rushes out and hence the need to record today exactly what is out for the ongoing historic garden diary.

The new plant sales area is very nearly complete.

Lindera angustifolia still has a few of last year’s leaves in place at the end of its twigs above the Auklandii Garden. Not very recognisable as a Lindera?

Candelabra primulas coming out of the ground nearby. Mainly yellow forms.

Lindera tonkinensis appears evergreen. Planted only in 2016 as a new lindera species to us.

Magnolia sargentiana ‘Blood Moon’ (2016 planted also) has one bud at the apex of the young tree.

Oemleria cerasiformis nearly out in flower.

Likewise Rhododendron ‘Ostara’.

First two flowers on Camellia x williamsii ‘Brigadoon’.

I suspect this is not nearly pink enough to be labelled as Pieris ‘Valley Valentine’ (which it is) but quite nice today.

First flower out on a 2015 planted Michelia ‘Fairy White’. Plenty of bud to come on such an immature plant. Excellent value as a nursery purchase.

Michelia ‘Fairy Cream’ nearby is still in tight bud with rather less buds formed.

Camellia x williamsii ‘Jovey Carlyon’ may get flattened later this week as the half split huge abies tree above it gets felled for safety reasons.

Camellia grijsii is now full out and rather fine. Too windy for much scent today.

Camellia x williamsii ‘Caerhays’ full out on Burns Bank. The bush is at least 15ft tall with a similar spread.

Camellia ‘Bobs Tinsie’ by the Playhouse has its flowers mainly intact but blown onto the ground. A pity but a good early show none the less.

The seven dogs have enjoyed the walk and none have buggered off to the beach for spring sexual encounters. Hence I am not in the shit with Mrs W.

2017 – CHW
The huge Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ beyond the greenhouse is out early. BBC Spotlight get our press release about the naming of Rhododendron ‘Red Centurion’ and, typically, ring up wanting to do a piece on early rhododendrons. Red Centurion flowers in May!

Next to it the Rhododendron grande clump is just coming out. Pinkish as the bud opens then fading creamy white. Not a good flowering year for this species with relatively few flowers.

Rhododendron aureum is out in the greenhouse. This species is much mentioned in JCW’s garden diary notes but is not one I have ever seen before here. Short lived I guess and appears a dwarf for the Rockery soon.

Also in flower inside is Eurya japonica ‘Moutiers’. Compact growing and almost a hedging plant for a flower border. Looks nothing at all like our old tree Eurya japonica in the Rookery. Tiny flowers in profusion. New to the Burncoose catalogue this year. The foliage has a slightly silvery hue on the underside of the leaves

Sorbus hedlundii still has three huge yellow berries on it. A new species to us to plant out. Nice foliage too Asia says but I have not yet had the pleasure.

Magnolia ‘Todds Fortyniner’ is out in colour as I said a few days ago. Very good value in terms of flower numbers on a small plant.

The greenhouses are stacked high with new young plants and seedlings. We need to send a lot to Burncoose to make more space for potting on this spring. All excellent work by Asia.Magnolia grandiflora ‘Symons Select’ still has a good bud to come and three flowers currently out. Amazing!

This huge Camellia japonica, perhaps our largest japonica since it has never been pruned like the ones on the back yard walls, has hung above and over the top wall since I was a child. Always out early, but not quite as yearly as Camellia noblissima by the front door, it stands proud and full out today. JCW called it Camellia japonica ‘Sodekakushi’ although he often spelt it slightly wrong in the diary. Today the accepted name is Camellia ‘Gauntettii’. This plant must be well over 100 years old and may well date from the 1890s or even earlier. JCW would have been readily able to see it writing his diary from his desk as can I. Hillier’s says it has a ‘weak constitution’. However you would be pushed to find a larger hardier plant in the teeth of the wind here.

The Cyclamen coum have seeded themselves and expanded all over the bank by the front door in different colours. Fifty years ago they were only to be seen under the ilex trees above the middle path and never as now. Mixed with the snowdrops here too which were transplanted from The Vean 10 years ago before building work started

2016 – CHW
Barbara Oozeerally and her husband have just left after a weekend of viewing magnolias to paint for her second major pictorial book on the subject. Absurdly early but we did manage to find her some new subjects:F J Williams, Bishop Michael, campbellii ‘Werrington’, Bishop Peter, Suzannah van Veen, New Zealand form ‘Lanarth’, Hawk, Shirraz, True ‘Lanarth’, campbellii ‘Sidbury’, campbellii ‘Lamellyn Pink’, Red Lion, Delia Williams.She gave us the most beautiful original picture of Magnolia sprengeri ‘Burncoose’ which is quite outstanding and will go in pride of place when framed.

All the above have been photographed already and are in this diary over the last few days.

Caerhays Hybrids by Michelle Bennett-Oates

Barbara will need to come back again once or twice more this season if we are to move forward. She is the most accurate painter of magnolias of the three or four artists commissioned by us (with very different styles) over the last 30 years to paint Caerhays plants. Helen Hilliard, Michelle Bennett-Oates and one other.

2001 – FJW
Back yard Magnolia shows colour.2000 – FJW
Giddle Magnolia has several flowers.1972 – FJW
George Stoddart came to stay at the Barton.1964 – FJW
Mild and dry to date – not so advanced in flower as 1948.
All the Hamamelis species have flowered together.

1948 – CW
Rhodo’s praecox, barbatum, argenteum, moupinense, sutchuenense and its hybrids, some thomsonii x arboreum. About six Cam reticulata species opening. Also the Japonica hybrids very good. Unspoiled as a long mild spell. A few early wild daffodil. None in Tin Garden. Prunus pissardi and conradinae. Snowdrops, aconites and cyclamen for weeks, a few lapageria. Colour on Mag sargetiana and robusta, no others.

1933 – JCW
Rhodo’s open are Caucasicum, Praecox, Mucronulatum, Moupinense, Triflorum, Thomsonii x , Barbatum, Lutescens, Sutchuenense near sinogrande, Prunus conradinae – pissardi – p yunanense – p triflora. Snowdrops very good, no magnolias yet.

1901 – JCW
Cold has been on for sometime, a hard frost last night, nothing much moved since February 9th.

1899 – JCW
Rhodo praecox shows colour, snowdrops going back.