2026 – CHW (images to follow)
To Loxley for a trip to Edgbaston where England are resoundingly beaten by the Indians.
Hosta ‘September Sun’ in flower.
Hosta undulata albomarginata.
Hosta undulata albomarginata and Euonymus japonicus ‘Microphyllus Aureus’.
A Cornus controversa ‘Variegata’ (Wedding Cake Tree) planted for Daisy & Ree’s wedding.
Viburnum opulus with fruit forming.
Euonymus japonicus ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ and Buxus sempervirens.
Juglans nigra with fruits forming.
2025 – CHW
Iris foetida with ripening seed heads in the St Helens Churchyard car park where at least there is a phone signal that is usable.
Tamarix ramosissima ‘Pink Cascade’ flowering brilliantly directly on the seafront car park at Seaview. Only just coming out as T. ramosissima only flowers July – September. I think this is ‘Pink Cascade’ rather than ‘Rosea’ but I could be wrong. Covered in bees and flies as the flowers open. We grow the white flowering form of T. ramosissima at home in Kennel Close.
The government announces today that 16 and 17 year olds will be entitled to vote in the next general election. Naked self-interest by politicians as usual. Unemployment also well up we hear today. Surprise surprise as we rush for growth, growth, growth under Reeves and Starmer.
2024 – CHW
A check up of how things look mainly on the drive now that all the grass here has been cut.Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki with a good show of flowers for the first time. This quick growing, dense, and large leaved form of V. odoratissimum has only had a single previous flower that I have seen. André Gayraud’s book on Viburnum argues that V. awabuki is a separate species in its own right.
A check up of how things look mainly on the drive now that all the grass here has been cut.Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki with a good show of flowers for the first time. This quick growing, dense, and large leaved form of V. odoratissimum has only had a single previous flower that I have seen. André Gayraud’s book on Viburnum argues that V. awabuki is a separate species in its own right.
Cornus ‘Gloria Birkett’ below Red Linney (and next to Sorbus folgneri ‘Emiel’ ) is a cross between C. capitata and C. kousa as you can readily see here.
Hydrangea aspera ‘Macrophylla’ just coming out.
Davidia involucrata ‘Sonoma’ struggling slightly but only planted in the spring.
Hydrangea ‘Taube’ just colouring up.
As is Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’.
Robinia x slavinii ‘Hillieri’ is finally dead. The shoots at the base are from a nearby elm tree. This split out a few years ago as Robinia so often do. The reshooting would probably have been fine but for the 2 years of droughts.
Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ and Hydrangea ‘Generale Vicomtesse de Vibraye’ look good together.
2023 – CHW
A marvellous garden hidden away at the back of Seaview.
Palms and Dasylirion.
A fine Tertapanax papyrifer ‘Rex’.
Acer palmatum ‘Crippsii’ is not common at all.
A fine Parrotia persica
Rather more than a wild flower meadow and absolutely stunning!
Better and better – a very carefully though through planting plan to give a long flowering season.
Plenty of variation in the planting.
I do not know what this plant with clover flowers is?
Agave angustifolia.
Black tomatoes.
A perfect row of Olive trees.
2022 – CHW
Last year’s female seed cone on Araucaria bidwillii gets ever larger but remains green. It now is so huge that it drags the twig down.
Last year’s female seed cone on Araucaria bidwillii gets ever larger but remains green. It now is so huge that it drags the twig down.
Hoheria ‘Glory of Amlwch’ full out and beautiful in Kennel Close.
Secondary new growth on Liquidamber acalycina again a stand out bronze-purple-red.
Secondary new growth on Betula fansipanensis’ also a pleasant bronze at first.
A secondary flower on Magnolia ‘Sweet Sixteen’.
The Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids on Horel Cart Road from above.
In the Main quarry Rhododendron fortunei ssp discolor is making a good show. Perhaps a little later than usual.
2021 – CHW
A nursery catchup visit today.
The new seed propagation house is taking shape.
As is the cutting preparation shed by the mist houses.
The old tree lines being cleared to make way for new water tanks and water storage.
The new multi span now all levelled after the Guernsey order has gone. We intend to fill this with herbaceous plants once autumn sets in rather than leaving them to overwinter outside.
The acers have just arrived from the New Zealand autumn as bare root plants. We have always had to pay import duty on these shipments.
A quick visit to Roseland House garden to buy a few unusual greenhouse climbers for our show tunnel. There I find the climbing herbaceous plant Malvastrum lateritium.
I also see Osmanthus yunnanensis in the garden with berries forming.
Lilium regale and an unknown dwarf holly with a crinkly and barbed leaf edge.
Two days on and the cut flower of Manglietia insignis is about over.
