19th January | The Garden Diary

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2025 – CHW

A young plant of Rhododendron ‘Winter Interlude’ just out.

A single early flower on Rhododendron ‘Bo Peep’ (Yellow form) on the drive.

A young and still flowerless Polyspora speciosa above the Hovel.

Pseudotaxus chienii above the Hovel.

2024 – CHW

The ground is frozen solid – about -5°c overnight and no thawing today.

The elderly Rhododendron mucronulatum is finally full out in time to almost get frosted. This is definitely late into flower this year despite odd flowers a few weeks ago.

The big clump of snowdrops above Bond Street are still not full out despite the cold snap. Probably our best clump.

Below 4-in-Hand yet more Aucuba dies from (so we are told) its own peculiar strain of Phytophthora.

A worrying fissure in the trunk of this snake bark maple. I fear it will turn into a bleeding cancer and the death of this tree as we have seen in so many others over the years.

As mature snake bark maples go this is one of the very best. This is Acer davidii ‘Karmen’ planted in 2007. One below 4-in-Hand and one below the main Fernery. I don’t see it in the 2024 Burncoose catalogue.

2023 – CHW

Trachycarpus wagnerianus putting on a good crop of new leaves after it got blown over last year and uprighted with a stake. The bare roots were also dug in on one side.

The ideal place for Tom Hudson’s Rhododendron kyawii.

Reversion in the white variegated form of Hoheria populnea by George’s Hut.

Camellia japonica ‘Mary Costa’ at its absolute best.

Ripe berries on Ilex kingiana. Normally we see those a bit later in the year.

2022 – CHW
Fuchsia excorticata out in flower or nearly so as usual.

A fallen sycamore below Donkey Shoe.

The end of an old clump of Rhododendron barbatum in the Ririei Opening.

A rather younger Rhododendron barbatum with its wonderful bark.

Camellia x williamsii ‘Debbie’ just out.

As is Camellia x williamsii ‘ Monica Dance’.

And Camellia ‘The Czar’.

2021 – CHW
The random Camellia saluenensis/sasanqua seedling which I found on 17th January looks very similar to the camellia I saw at Trewithen on 20th February 2018. Two pictures of the Trewithen plant called Camellia saluenensis ‘Isadora’ are repeated here. This was named and registered after one of Sam Galsworthy’s children although, like ours, simply a chance seedling originally. Both seem well worth a name or perhaps it is close enough to ‘Isadora’ to be called that too?

I then wrote to Gary Long, head gardener at Trewithen, and here is his reply in full:From: Gary Long [mailto:gary@trewithengardens.co.uk]
Sent: 20 January 2021 10:55
To: Charles Williams PA
Subject: RE: Camellia saluenensis ‘Isadora’Morning CharlesWe were just saying the other day how your prediction, during our visit last spring, you stating that this will be the last time we would all gather for a while came so true!C.’Isadora’ has yellow stamens. We have seedlings with the red stamens that we have tentatively, not registered, called C.’Rafe’ (we need to find an “Eddie” next for a full family!). Yours looks different enough not to be ‘Isadora’.See you “virtually” at the great gardens meeting.RegardsGaryGary LongHead of Trewithen Gardens and Parks
Truro
Cornwall
TR2 4DDInternational Camellia Society, DirectorGardens and Parks office: 01726 883750
Estate Office: 01726 883647
Mobile: 07743 470945
Email: gary@trewithengardens.co.ukwww.trewithengardens.co.uk
www.facebook.com/Trewithengardens
www.twitter.com/trewithengarden
www.instagram.com/trewithengardens/
www.linkedin.com/in/gary-long-b0054749/I am not sure that I agree with Gary just yet but need to take more photographs of our plant.Then to Burncoose where I could not resist a few more close up pictures of Hamamelis as most start to go over in a tunnel.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Aurora’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Aphrodite’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Feuerzauber’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Diane’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’

Hamamelis japonica ‘Brentry’

The new multi span tunnel is going up fast but, typically, Northern Polytunnels have not supplied all the bits.

George Williams’ plant boxes ready for a big despatch.

The messy site for a supplementary water tank.

And an equally messy borehole pump house which is being replaced.

The cycad seed has split still further.

Clivia miniata full out in the tearooms.

Sarcococca hookeriana ‘Winter Gem’ is a new one for the 2021 Burncoose catalogue. Here just coming out. The flower “buds” are dark red but will open white eventually.

View 19th January 1897 – 2020