I hear back from Trengwainton that their earliest ever flowering of Magnolia campbellii (in 25 years with them) was 21st January but no colour at all yet this year. Tregrehan also report back that they have no magnolias in flower. Caerhays is genuinely a front runner but in this week of frost not a ‘record’ which will probably last very long.

Rhododendron dauricum ‘Mid-Winter’ in a nursery bed.

Another interesting historical discovery.

2023 – CHW
Camellia japonica ‘Volunteer’ is out early with quite a variation in the colour of its flowers as you can see here. Some redder and some pinker. Pinker ones turn redder before dropping.

First flowers just showing on the yellow form of Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’.

Camellia japonica ‘Hatsusakur’a (‘Dewatairin’), a Higo camellia, now well out.

The first flower out on Camellia japonica ‘Adelina Patti’ is a single red sport but then I find also a white frilled pink flower which is the true form.

The back of the laurel hedge below the Main Ride nearly finished.

A rather battered and poor first flower or two on Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’.

First flowers out high up on Camellia ‘Fairy Blush’.

Camellia grijsii at its absolute best today and well scented. One side of the bush is a bit windblown but the other side perfect!

2022 – CHW
The sun has attracted large flocks of gulls of several species to enjoy the warmth. The swans seem unperturbed in their midst.

However a solitary Canada goose keeps its distance.

Camellia x williamsii ‘Rosemary Williams’ and Tropaeolum ciliatum still in full growth.

Acanthus mollis in full leaf with Daphne bholua ‘Gurkha’ in full flower above it in a border.

Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ can be smelt at, at least, 50 yards. Gorgeous today in the sun but Lizzie says she hates the smell which makes her sneeze. Hay fever in January – surely not!

2021 – CHW
A depressing overcast and drizzly day to match the depressed mood of everyone you speak to on the telephone or by email. Even harsher lockdowns still are threatened by the government which presumably means a curfew and even less people at work. I really do wonder if we will be able to open the gardens on 14th February. The National Garden Scheme have today closed and cancelled all their garden openings for a month at least. The end of this misery still seems a long way off.So a look at some leaves and bark on evergreen oaks above Crinodendron Hedge.This is one of Lady Anne Palmer or Alan Coombes’ Mexian evergreen oaks; or so I thought! Planted in 2008 with a very distinct habit and bark colourings. Large leathery leaves and when I look further into the plans it is actually a Schima wallichii which I had forgotten about. We do have four separate species of Schima (khasiana, argentea and superba).

Quercus morii (CMBS 249-2003-1091) has grown very slowly and has some scorching. Planted 2009.

Quercus stenophylloides also has interesting bark. 2008 planted and evergreen.

This appears to be Lithocarpus corneus (CMBS 640-2003-1122) and also has interesting bark. It is however a different leaf shape from the L. corneus above the greenhouse. Lithocarpus lepidocarpus (CMBS 2003-1115) beside it is still tiny and has hardly grown at all. Struggling! (No photograph)

A young Quercus acuta bought in with rather larger juvenile leaves than our older plants. Bought in from Holland. Doing well.

Lithocarpus glabrata came from Crûg Farm and was planted more recently but is making good progress.

Quercus gregii (also Alan Coombes) is making good headway as a multi stemmed evergreen oak.

A clump of my father’s camellia hybrids which we always forget about from the late 1950s or early 1960s. Need to revisit when properly out.

Illicium anisatum will be out quite soon. A very ancient small tree grown in too much shade today.

Magnolia ‘Plum Pudding’ has only a few buds this year. Frosted in flower last season.

Magnolia ‘Susanna van Veen’ is shedding its outer bud coverings.

Magnolia ‘Genie’ is covered in bud.

The pruning of Nothofagus fusca is complete.

Daphne bholua ‘Darjeeling’ now full out.

Daphne bholua ‘Limpsfield’ beside it also.

Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ still just coming.

2020 – CHW
We are now switching to using sunflower seeds in the squirrel traps as the maize is not attracting them any more.

A blackbird with white markings seen in the village.

This is a camellia gall at the tip of a twig and not a flower!

2019 – CHW
First flowers on Osmanthus yunnanensis. Only a few bits of the old pollarded tree survive.

Laurus azorica covered in bud.

Clematis cirrhosa var. balerica full out on the lawn. A bit later than last year I suspect. The reference books say C. var. balerica has pale yellow flowers. These are yellowish in bud but fading to white.

2018 – CHW
More evergreen azaleas out on the Main Ride. A clump of my father’s hybrids which are unnamed and quite dark in colour but not really that good.

Camellia ‘Reigyoku’ with its variegated foliage and single dark red flowers. Not to everyone’s taste but good today if you like your camellias a bit different. A good article in the yearbook of the International Camellia Society on camellias with variegated leaves this year.

Lindera triloba has suddenly ‘joined the dodo’. No obvious reason why after a good 15 years of growth here. No damage to the trunk at ground level and does not look like honey fungus. It was just starting to flower well.

Camellia champetre ‘Fairy Blush’ is nicely out but only just two years from planting.

Xanthocyparis vietnamensis looked yellow and sick in the summer but is now flourishing again. Typical of some of the more unusual conifers before the new growth emerges? Here the new growth is still happening but frost risks severe. Easy to root from cuttings.