2025 – CHW
One Pittosporum adaphniphylloides covered in seed heads. The other has none this year.
This seedling Camellia sasanqua growing in a holly above Roger’s Quarry is well worth naming even if this flower has been bashed about.
Quercus chapensis (seed from China and a gift from Margaret Miles) is doing well.
The older Embothrium above Roger’s Quarry is virtually dead as I had feared.
Michelia laevifolia ‘White Caviar’ is still way off flowering too.
Osmanthus suavis looking fit but no flower.
Viburnum taitoense in flower.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Les Jury’ with one battered flower.
2024 – CHW
Despite a week of coldish east winds and a little frost in the valley bottoms, very little damage to the camellias. At last it is dry.
Camellia x williamsii ‘Donation’ suddenly out by George’s Hut and unharmed as yet.
A week on and the 2 flowers on Magnolia campbellii ‘Strybing White’ are intact and have opened as you can just see on a drab day. Remarkable!
Leaf blowing on the main paths virtually complete a month before we open to the public.
The other Magnolia campbellii by Tin Garden now has a very few open flowers. Very pale pink and fairly unremarkable in one sense but absurd to see this in mid-January.
Only when leafless can you see how twisted the main stem on Ehretia dicksonii. A very gnarled habit.
The podocarps on a female Podocarpus matudae are suddenly ripe and now dropping as they turn from red to black.
2023 – CHW
Daphniphyllum teysmannii is doing well at Donkey Shoe.
The ancient Lindera communis is regenerating well from the base after being cut down completely. A rare tree which was once a Champion.
Camellia japonica ‘Takanini’ glowing red in front of the bare orange twigs of Tilia sordata ‘Winter Orange’.
Quince’s showing up well but no flowers out yet. Nothing wants to eat quinces. Small wonder when you smell them – revolting! Who would eat quince jam?
Liverwort and ivy on an old oak tree in Old Park. Remarkable how the liverwort has survived the summer drought.
2022 – CHW
Tom Hudson sends me this pictures of his Meliosma rigida which has started to exhibit its colourful bark splitting and resultant coloured patination. Not a species of Meliosma which we grow or know here.
Tom Hudson sends me this pictures of his Meliosma rigida which has started to exhibit its colourful bark splitting and resultant coloured patination. Not a species of Meliosma which we grow or know here.
Still unfrosted Echium pininana and Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’ in full flower.
Garrya elliptica flowers in their full tasselated glory. Very intricate when you look closely at individual flowers.
The large clump of narcissi are full out and scenting the cold air today in front of the Dining Room.
Clematis armandii now has its first true flowers out. What we saw in the autumn was the odd secondary or speculative one.
Camellia x vernalis ‘Dawn’ with Cytisus ‘Porlock’ (Genista ‘Porlock’).
Camellia x vernalis ‘Dawn’ at its very best.
Camellia x vernalis ‘Dawn’ with irregular chlorotic/variegated leaves, as is normal, nearer ground level.
2021 – CHW
The first snowdrops really are out.
The first snowdrops really are out.
The Trevanion holly on the drive is shedding a lot of green leaves. We have seen this before on common hollies in damp wet periods in winter. Another Phytophthora which seems to harm, but not kill, holly trees. They end up with dead lower branches. I have not seen much of this this year but it would be sad to lose this historic plant which must be 200 years old.
Then to Burncoose – facemasks now and the nursery is shut to the public to show pandemic solidarity but also to prepare for the spring rush and get the place tidy without customers.
The new lorry loading and EU plant quarantine shed by the main packing shed is now finished and the concrete dry. A great achievement by the landscape team and nursery staff.
Newly potted herbaceous plants outside now fill half the long bed to start the season off again in earnest.
The Musa basjoo (banana) has not enjoyed the recent cold.
A huge seedpod fell off a cycad during unloading and ripe seeds are starting to pop out. Not sure which species this was from.
Lots of Hamamelis looking splendid:Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Copper Beauty’ (syn. ‘Jelena’)
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Aphrodite’
Hamamelis japonica ‘Brentry’
Hamamelis mollis ‘Coombe Wood’
Hamamelis mollis ‘Jermyn’s Gold’
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Firecracker’ (syn. ‘Magic Fire’ or ‘Feuerzauber’)
The Northern Polytunnels lorry unloads our new multi span tunnel.
The Pittosporum tunnel all tidied and ready for spring.
Similarly the Yuccas, Cordyline and Phormium.
Acacia rhetinodes just coming out.
Ribes sanguineum ‘White Icicle’ just out but frosted.
