2026 – CHW
HRH Princess Anne visits Hook Norton Brewery to open the stable block which was burnt in a major fire two years ago. Her last visit was in 1999 when she opened the Visitor Centre.
A sweltering day with the children of Hook Norton lining the Brewery here with flags and the Hook Norton band playing away in their sweaty uniforms. No cameras allowed!
John Williams and Daniel Clarke await HRH.
2025 – CHW
I do not think I have ever seen Euonymus japonicus flowering quite so well or obviously. Absolutely spot on for Euonymus flowers but one seldom looks for or notices this very common coastal hedging plant.
Hibiscus ‘Hamabo’ in Seaview absolutely covered in flowers and enjoying this sort of heatwave. Far larger flowers and far better than anything I have seen in the nursery. The owner of this garden not keen on photos so I have to be quick and will return.
By comparison this is the rather pathetic and tiny flowered Hibiscus ‘Blue Bird’ in Lizzy’s garden. Only one branch has any flowers and event the Hibiscus is struggling in the drought.
2024 – CHW
Styrax japonicus ‘Fragrant Fountain’ is really getting going as well as a weeping form.
Styrax japonicus ‘Fragrant Fountain’ is really getting going as well as a weeping form.
The huge new water tank is in place but not yet connected to the old disused private water reservoir below the church. I doubt there is any rush this year with so much rain again this week. We were very lucky to have got 1300 bales of hay in this year in the brief dry periods.
A dead Tsuga heterophylla beside a live one. Another drought casualty.
One more oak to fell and Ross will have finished the new clearing above the old dog kennels.
Fuchsia magellanica ‘Lady Bacon’ is easily the best of the magellanica varieties sold by Burncoose. Below the tower here it is now 5 feet tall and a tremendous show today.
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks Blue’ just showing in the shade.
One of the camellias moved and cut back in March is now shooting well.
Rhododendron keysii still covered in secondary flower.
Euonymus oxyphyllus (BSWJ 10815) with very red tinting in its leaves.
Cyclocarya paliurus (SCH 1784) is making good growth in the Rireii opening.
2023 – CHW
Now to Honnor and Jeffery Garden Centre which, unexpectedly, had the best stock and was the only one of the 3 garden centres visited which had a full car park and a queue at the till. A partial change of ownership since last year?
I really don’t like Mangaves! ‘Mission to Mars’ indeed? Bollocks!
Mangave ‘Moonglow’ likewise.
Lonicera periclymenum ‘Red Gables’ wasn’t bad although not that different.
Trachelospermum ‘Star of Milano’ was another one with a pink flower and variegated leaves. Better than ‘Star of Toscane’ which Burncoose does stock I think.
Potentilla fruticosa ‘Mango Tango’ clearly a late flowerer – not bad.
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ was discovered and raised by Mr Ivey, a gardener at Caerhays.
Liriope ‘John Burch’ unusual but not that different really.
Erica x williamsii ‘Ken Wilson’ in full flower. I need to do more research at home on Erica x williamsii as I know that Lanarth, P.D. Williams and, his son Michael, were breeders of heathers as well as daffodils.
2022 – CHW
More inspections of the new plantings above Higher Quarry Nursery.Missing website and care article pictures of the South African Halleria lucida so here are our two plants put in side by side and going ahead well. One has been in a few years. The other added in the spring.
More inspections of the new plantings above Higher Quarry Nursery.Missing website and care article pictures of the South African Halleria lucida so here are our two plants put in side by side and going ahead well. One has been in a few years. The other added in the spring.
Viburnum taiwanianum with its first rather impressive flower. A species well worth growing.
Huodendron tibeticum making good growth after a slow start. We have lost several Huodendrons as young plants but now have decent plants of both species getting going.
Viburnum calvum with seed heads. I have missed the flowers themselves. Huge leathery leaves.
A second plant of Parastyrax species nova (BWJ 15185) making good progress in a hot dry spot where it was planted last autumn. The other one above the Auklandii, planted three or four years ago, is much the same size.
2021 – CHW
At least 40 different varieties of agapanthus on sale at Eddington’s nursery but only about a third are in flower as yet:Agapanthus ‘Ever Sapphire’
At least 40 different varieties of agapanthus on sale at Eddington’s nursery but only about a third are in flower as yet:Agapanthus ‘Ever Sapphire’
Agapanthus ‘Arctic Star’
Agapanthus ‘Lapis Lazuli’
Agapanthus ‘Charlotte’
Then a few that we stock ourselves which are just as good as the ones listed above:Agapanthus ‘Streamline’
Agapanthus ‘Strawberry Ice’
Agapanthus ‘Silver Moon’ with both green and variegated foliage but no flowers as yet.
Two other plants which we ought to stock:Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ – wonderful foliage.
Sedum spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’ now just coming out.
