Turpinia formosana from the Taiwan Forestry Institute with some new growth shoots.

Magnolia lotungensis still untouched.

Magnolia crassifolia (FMWJ 13163) which I think is wrongly named and possibly Magnolia foveolata (or M. insignis)?

Daphniphyllum oldhamii (CWJ 12351) with flowers.

Ternstroemia aff. chapaensis (WWJ 11918) deer nibbled but otherwise fine.

Our second attempt at the evergreen Disanthus ovatifolius (Uocodendron whartonii) planted in the same spot where the original died, after around 10 years, with several years of flowering.

Magnolia sieboldii ‘Genesis’ x M. virginiana is firmly evergreen.

2024 – CHW

Seeds (gingers) persist on Zanthoxylum armatum.

Several of the Crataegus species in our new collection are making good headway and becoming established plants.

Still some leaf on 2023 planted Crataegus cuneata which may or may not be normal?

A newly planted Euonymus carnosus appears to be evergreen.

Euonymus huangii would seem to be semi-evergreen but this is its first season in the ground.

Jaimie had dealt with another leylandii casualty from Storm Ciaran.

Carpinus rankanensis still with a fair amount of leaves. Carpinus caroliniana has finally shed all its leaves but only in the last week.

Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ still keeps all its berries and remains a good show.

While Callicarpa shirasawanum has lost all but a few stragglers and has little to offer.

A large bit of the record Laurus azorica has been blown over in the last couple of days. Looks like a root sucker.

Lots of branches broken off an ancient Abies grandis below Tin Garden.

The end of an elderly Magnolia salicifolia or kobus which was nearly dead anyway.

Just to prove that the largest Camellia x williamsii ‘Monica Dance’ has no hint of colour at all (mentioned yesterday).

The original 1932 Camellia reticulata ‘Mary Williams’ not yet out below Donkey Shoe but this Camellia reticulata seedling above the Aucklandii Garden is rather large and good. Well worth its position.

2023 – CHW
The last flowers on the ancient Camellia sasanqua ‘Narumigata’ on the top wall. Little sign of any pink in these now so I guess what we saw 2 days ago in the Rockery was also s. ‘Narumigata’.

The Hedychiums have been frosted and some have now collapsed back to their ground level rhizomes.

First flowers showing on Narcissus triandrus by the Dining Room window.

Camellia x vernalis ‘Dawn’ now full out. This plant has been heavily pruned over the years and is a thick bush with some leaf variegation.

Its neighbour is 15 feet tall and unpruned. A bit straggly in fact and the leaf variegation is less pronounced and more irregular on older growth.

The 1897 planted Magnolia stellata has shed the outer coating over its buds. In around 1906 it was out at Christmas in those ‘global warming’ years!

The 2 ancient Camellia x vernalis ‘Dawn’ and the, equally ancient, Magnolia stellata.

2022 – CHW
First flowers have been out about a week on Camellia x williamsii ‘Mary Jobson’ – a faint but pleasant smell.

First flower on Camellia ‘Lady Clare’ but not yet on the one on the castle wall.

Magnolia lacei (Michelia pachycarpa) is clearly an evergreen despite the rather un-Michelia-like shape of its leaves.

Magnolia ‘Bishop Peter’ is often one of the very first out but no real sign of the buds swelling yet.

Gorgeous scent on the first flowers of Camellia ‘Cinnamon Candy’.

Excellent pruning behind the largest Schefflera taiwaniana.

A few lower branches off the Quercus acuta to facilitate visitors underneath and to try to stabilise the tree from collapse due to the weight of its branches.

2021 – CHW
It has been dry enough this week to start to leaf blow the main paths in the garden and dig out the drains. We can open on time on 14th February as planned but only, according to the Lockdown 3 rules, for outdoor exercise around a historic house and not as a ‘leisure’ or ‘recreational’ activity. I read that as being free entry as things appear to stand at present. In other words a gesture to the local community and not for tourists or visitors from further afield. How do we stop visitors from further afield I wonder? If they paid to park at Porthluney Beach I suppose that would seem a fair deal all round.

Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ (as it is now called rather than Betula albosinensis) is getting established. The bark matures to coppery red after peeling to reveal creamy white bark flushed grey and pink. A little of all the bark forms is shown here.

We left this old yew tree in the Isla Rose Plantation to try to grow climbing roses up it. Two failures so far in dry summers. The bark has all dropped off and it looks a bit odd in the evening light.

Berberis xanthoclada has some good red winter colour on parts of the bush. A quick growing and robust species here in the teeth of the wind.

Another young beech tree now nicely pruned up to make a decent, upright shade and windbreak tree one day.

Azalea ‘Hoo’ with a few rogue flowers. ‘Hoo’ is pale pink with a white throat but these rogues are clearly pure white which is rather a surprise. Perhaps a branch or two have sported?

Cyclamen hederifolium foliage has a wonderful marbled appearance. Large clumps all over the bank now but the earlier autumn flowers were not as impressive. Perhaps our late grass cutting removed some of the blooms.