14th January

FJ Williams Profile Picture
FJW 1955-2007
CH Williams Profile Picture
CHW 2015-
JC Williams Profile Picture
JCW 1897-1939
C Williams Profile Picture
CW 1940-1955

2025 – CHW

Acacia baileyana ‘Purpurea’ now properly out but not flowering much. The few flowers on A. baileyana are now over.

Acacia baileyana ‘Purpurea’
Acacia baileyana ‘Purpurea’
Another group of Camellia ‘Yuletide’ are only just starting to flower above the greenhouses while the other 2 plants on the drive are nearly over.
Camellia ‘Yuletide’
Camellia ‘Yuletide’
Loads of ripe seed on Vaccinium dunalianum var. megaphyllum.
Vaccinium dunalianum var. megaphyllum
Vaccinium dunalianum var. megaphyllum
Schefflera shweliensis (TH 3330) with good new growth.
Schefflera shweliensis (TH 3330)
Schefflera shweliensis (TH 3330)
Michelia laevifolia x Michelia maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’ with no velvet on its buds.
Michelia laevifolia x Michelia maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’
Michelia laevifolia x Michelia maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’
Michelia laevifolia x Michelia maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’
Michelia laevifolia x Michelia maudiae ‘Eternal Spring’
Schefflera trevesioides (BWJ 15158) has foliage on the top but is reshooting lower down. Cut it back or not? Decide in 6-9 months.
Schefflera trevesioides (BWJ 15158)
Schefflera trevesioides (BWJ 15158)
Schefflera trevesioides (BWJ 15158)
Schefflera trevesioides (BWJ 15158)

2024 – CHW

Colder and a north wind. Perhaps we are due some snow?

Camellia lutchuensis just coming out below Slip Rail. Not scented as yet but soon will be.

Camellia lutchuensis
Camellia lutchuensis
Camellia lutchuensis
Camellia lutchuensis
Camellia lutchuensis
Camellia lutchuensis
A pigeon’s nest now visible in a 2010 planted Prunus incisa in Kennel Close.
pigeon’s nest
pigeon’s nest
We have been watching Carpinus rankanensis for weeks to observe the late leaf fall. Still plenty of green leaves today on the 2010 planted tree.
Carpinus rankanensis
Carpinus rankanensis
Callicarpa pilosissima (NMWJ 14508) still fully evergreen.
Callicarpa pilosissima (NMWJ 14508)
Callicarpa pilosissima (NMWJ 14508)
Callicarpa (TH 2754) with its first berries on show.
Callicarpa (TH 2754)
Callicarpa (TH 2754)
Still the odd flower on Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’.
Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’
Eucryphia lucida ‘Pink Cloud’
The horrid remains of a drought starved rhododendron.
drought starved rhododendron
drought starved rhododendron

2023 – CHW
To the Top Lodge down to Red Linney to see which camellias are out here.Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’
Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’
Camellia japonica ‘Debutante’
Camellia x williamsii ‘Galaxy’
Camellia japonica ‘Carter’s Sunburnt’ – one battered flower only.
Camellia japonica ‘Carter’s Sunburnt’
Camellia japonica ‘Carter’s Sunburnt’
Camellia japonica ‘High Hat’
Camellia japonica ‘High Hat’
Camellia japonica ‘High Hat’
Camellia japonica ‘Alba Simplex’ a bit battered.
Camellia japonica ‘Alba Simplex’
Camellia japonica ‘Alba Simplex’
Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’ above OHN looking superb.
Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’
Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’
Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’
Camellia x williamsii ‘George Blandford’
Camellia ‘Cornish Spring’ with its early flowers hidden inside the bush. Earlier than usual.
Camellia ‘Cornish Spring’
Camellia ‘Cornish Spring’
Camellia ‘Cornish Spring’
Camellia ‘Cornish Spring’

2022 – CHW
The 1897 planted Magnolia stellata has once or twice come out in January. The buds are swelling nicely but I doubt that we will see colour this month.
Magnolia stellata
Magnolia stellata
Magnolia stellata
Magnolia stellata
The Spanish bluebells are now showing up vigorously.
Spanish bluebells
Spanish bluebells
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ has been battered by the rain but is now attempting to come out properly.
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’
Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’
Camellia ‘Yuletide’ almost over and rather battered too.
Camellia ‘Yuletide’
Camellia ‘Yuletide’
Massive flower drop under the record sized (unnamed) Camellia x williamsii outside the front arch. There will still be a few flowers left until April if it is a ‘normal’ spring.
Camellia x williamsii
Camellia x williamsii

2021 – CHW
A few more rogue flowers out on the Rhododendron davidsonianum hedge behind Donkey Shoe.

Rhododendron davidsonianum
Rhododendron davidsonianum
A large flowered Camellia reticulata which should probably have had a name hidden away near the new species of Rhederodendron. Predates the camellia planting just above/behind Donkey Shoe by the look of it. Before my time!
Camellia reticulata
Camellia reticulata
A young Schefflera aff. pauciflora from Crûg produces ripe berries for the first time. Never saw the flowers.
Schefflera aff. pauciflora
Schefflera aff. pauciflora
Then a viewing of the evergreen oaks above the greenhouse to marry up with those photographed recently above Crinodendron Hedge.
Lithocarpus corneus (label missing) Multi stemmed with bark much more like young Lithocarpus pachyphyllus.
Lithocarpus corneus
Lithocarpus corneus
Lithocarpus corneus
Lithocarpus corneus
Quercus wizlizenii with attractive bark. Planted 2007 and now 15-18ft tall. Similar to Quercus agrifolia in the Rookery.
Quercus wizlizenii
Quercus wizlizenii
Quercus wizlizenii
Quercus wizlizenii
Quercus wizlizenii
Quercus wizlizenii
Quercus unknown and not on the plan – annoying. More or less evergreen.
Quercus unknown
Quercus unknown
Quercus unknown
Quercus unknown
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus (CMBS 2003-1175). Planted 2009.
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus corneus with deer damage to the stem. Does not look quite the same as the ones photographed earlier but in more shelter.
Lithocarpus corneus
Lithocarpus corneus
Another larger Lithocarpus lepidocarpus which has had more shelter. Attractive bark again. Planted in 2009 and now 12ft or more.
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
A good show on Camellia x vernalis ‘Yuletide’.
Camellia x vernalis ‘Yuletide’
Camellia x vernalis ‘Yuletide’
Circa 1980 planted Acer kawakamii (syn. caudatifolium) is dying in the Auklandii Garden and the rotten branches cut out but the rest will die soon. Another infection of a snakebark maple. Tedious but now a regular occurrence in older snakebarks in many woodland gardens.
Acer kawakamii
Acer kawakamii
The supposedly record sized Pittosporum eugenoides ‘Variegatum’ in the Auklandii Garden. It is now crowding out a patch of once layered rhododendron hybrids of my father’s (taken from the Rookery) but we dare not cut it down now.
Pittosporum eugenoides ‘Variegatum’
Pittosporum eugenoides ‘Variegatum’
Lithocarpus species currently in the Caerhays collection:
L. cleistocarpus | One elderly original. One 40 years or so old from a cutting from the original.
L. hancei | Donkey Shoe – original introduction
L. pachyphyllus | Several of varying ages – some original
L. uvariifolius | Original
L. variolosus | Nigel Holman wild collected
L. edulis | A sucker from the original tree survives – identity has been queried
L. corneus | Alan Coombes. Identity needs checking – see New Trees.
L. lepidocarpus | Alan Coombes
L. glabratus | Crûg Farm or Pan Global but looks different to one at Rosemoor?Need to find:
L. kawakamii | Tregrehan have
L. densiflorus
L. dealbatus
L. henryi