3rd February | The Garden Diary

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CONTRIBUTORS:

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW

The first garden tour of the year with Raf and his Belgian & French gardening friends.

Camellia reticulata ‘Captain Rawes’ just out in the Aucklandii Garden. This is the Tregullow form.

First flowers blown open on the 1912 planted Magnolia campbellii.

Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomeum already full out.

First flowering of a young Polyspora on Rookery Path.

Brassaiopsis dumicola (KWJ 12217) totally unfrosted which is unexpected.

Rhododendron ‘Crossbill’ already full out below the Engine House.

Camellia reticulata ‘Royalty’ just out on the Main Ride.

Carpinus rankanensis has finally shed all its leaves.

2023 – CHW
A large numbers of rhododendrons are now dying as a result of the drought. Not just the big leaved species but many younger smaller leaved species too.

First flowers out on the sport of ‘Donation’ called Camellia x williamsii ‘Celebration’ by George’s Hut.

A dead branch in a clump of Rhododendron ‘Royal Flush’.

A last fallen flower under Magnolia delavayi which had just about survived the frost.

Polyspora longicarpa in flower despite wind damage to the foliage.

Another dead.

A drought hit Rhododendron barbatum. Half dead.

Polyspora axillaris aff. tonkinensis has suddenly died. Drought, cold (unlikely) or honey fungus? No sign of rotting from honey fungus at the base.

And a certain dead!

Another Rhododendron ririei just opening.

Half dead again – this one a scented variety.

2022 – CHW
A fallen leaf under Magnolia dealbata with its silvery underside. The last leaves fell only in mid-December.

Lomatia tinctoria had a few seeds but they have shed and we have missed them.

A perfect flower on Rhododendron ‘Red Admiral’.

Another laurel hedge cut back before the start of the opening season. This one below Engine House.

Flowers on Rhododendron ririei now properly out. Note the different colour on the tight buds.

First flower half out only on Rhododendron ‘Mrs J C Williams’.

Camellia ‘Cornish Spring’ full out but it rather hides its flowers inside the bush. A good thing with a tight rounded habit.

A fine flower on Camellia x williamsii ‘Caerhays’.

Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’ and Camellia ‘Alba Simplex’ above the greenhouse.

The fourth magnolia to flower here this year is a Magnolia ‘Lanarth’. A graft from the original plant at Lanarth at the top of the lawn there and earlier into flower than all our other plants. At Lanarth it is often out in mid to late January so clearly a very early form. There are five or six original ‘Lanarth’ still surviving at Lanarth and all this shape of flower with slight colour variations.

2021 – CHW
The mystery picture which we did not think was actually taken here between 1907 and 1914 or, perhaps, in 1921 has now been inverted as you can see.

This is indeed the second building at the other end of the top wall by the greenhouse. It does not have a chimney today but the remains of the internal brick chimney are visible inside the building.

The pink Rhododendron arboreums in the picture still exist at least 100 years on but, as you can see today, they are nearing the end of their lives. The tree heathers and large clump of Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ are still there.

Rhododendron arboreum subsp. cinnamomium

If you use a magnifying glass you can just see a greenhouse behind the seat. A larger and more modern one is there today. The orchid house and galvanised potting shed are also just visible and are still there.On another similar tack Jaimie has been sent a 1925 picture (postcard) of the castle and Porthluney Beach. The former boathouse is visible and there seem to be more walls and structures on the left of the beach than remain today.

The erosion of the cliffs has been dramatic along the coastline shown here in the last 95 years.Two odd bits of history!

Here is a short film of the flooded road from Penvergate to Rescassa taken on Sunday afternoon. The worst flooding in the water meadows since spring 2014 we think and far worse than pre-Christmas this year.

2020 – CHW
The rather insipid coloured Magnolia campbellii up by Tin Garden is now more or less full out.

Likewise the Magnolia campbellii ‘Strybing White’ towards Georges Hut.

2019 – CHW
The squirrels caught in the garden in 2018 totalled 115 using these Kania 2000 traps. In the last month, and using the newly legal automated New Zealand traps, we have managed another 15 as conditions have got colder and the availability of natural seeds and berries has declined. Of these nearly every one has been female. Despite the cull there has still been some serious squirrel damage to immature trees in the garden as we have seen in the past few months. It is clear that squirrels migrate from hedgerows around corn and maize fields after harvest and recolonise woodland areas with over mature trees (ie holes) and existing dreys. On sunny days when going around the garden you can still frequently see squirrels foraging far and wide exploring new territories and resettling in them. This is an ongoing battle which we are unlikely ever to win completely. Up to six years ago poison hoppers did a far better and more effective job of squirrel control before supplies ran out and the Swedish company which had the European patent declined to renew it on the grounds of cost. It is generally believed that the poison was made illegal but this is something of a fallacy as it can still be used to control squirrels in grain barns or attics or so I believe.

2018 – CHW
Plenty of early new growth on Fuchsia gracilis confirming a frost free winter.

Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ with its gigantic tassels of flowers is superb today. What a plant!

The scented narcissii by the Dining Room window are nearly over.

Clematis cirrhosa var balerica is full out on the wall. The speckles of red or pink are on the insides of the petals and not readily visible as the flowers hang here.

A huge crop of Echium pininana seedlings have emerged below this year’s flowering spikes which have now been removed.

And several of these biennial plants well on to flower by or before Chelsea time this year.

2017 – CHW
Another magnolia is just coming out – Magnolia sprengeri ‘Copeland Court’. It is a bit battered and blown open early but the colour is good even if the flowers are small. Colour varies. Those blown open early are too pale but some are a good dark colour as they should be.

2016 – CHW
Here is something peculiar! A well established self sown Thuja plicata growing happily on the fallen trunk of one of its parents in Brownberry Wood. Actually Jaimie Parsons took this picture while beating last week so I can claim no credit for unearthing this horticultural curiosity for you. The trunk of the parent is still alive so the sapling may or may not triumph eventually.

2005 – FJW
Magnolia flower can be seen from the front door.1992 – FJW
A little rain fell.1990 – FJW
A fresh flower on original Mag sprengeri diva (Michael Lear saw it yesterday) – Bishop Peter shows colour.1969 – FJW
Trewidden Grande very good.1962 – FJW
St Ewe hedge very good. Too mild – cut back by Lord Headford and Plagianthus. 2 nice flowers of early Sutch. Arb. hybrid.

1929 – JCW
Much as in 1918 but no big coloured Rhodo’s show flower, a late season.

1926 – JCW
No daffs in the Tin Garden, Irroratum, Moupinense, blood red Arboreum and blood red [?] show flower, Barbatum open and Scabrifolium is very good, also several Primroses are open and E. hybrida is very good.

1922 – JCW
Nearly 20 species of Rhodo are open a bit, perhaps Irroratum and Scabrifolium are the best. Erica darlyense is very fine this year.

1920 – JCW
There are 21 species of Rhodo showing some flower Lutescens – Scabrifolium and Sutchunense are good, Praecox is the best thing open.

1916 – JCW
Rhodo’ species in flower Lutescens, Sutchuenense, Flavidum, Intricatum, Oleifolium, Barbatum, Arboreum (pink), Longistylum, Moupinense, Ciliatum and Argenteum.

1904 – JCW
Picked five seedling trumpets half open, one of them a Cyc X.