2021 – CHW
A nursery catchup visit today.
The new seed propagation house is taking shape.

The flowers from Serena’s wedding still look good at the front door.
Two quite different forms of Hydrangea aspera subsp. sargentiana (as we have to call them now) outside the front gates.The larger flowering form.
The RHS have just given AGMs to 17 or 19 new varieties of Agapanthus. Here are a few new names to me from Eddington House Nursery. No idea if any of these are on the list? Raining hard so a short visit.Agapanthus ‘Double Diamond’ – squat growing and double white flowers
A visit to view the garden at Seagrove House which had been open to the public on behalf of the NCCPG last Sunday. A formal and newly landscaped back garden and a traditional village front garden.
Then on to Busy Bee Garden Centre which was much improved after a major revamp of the outdoor plant display area. New plants seen were:Digitalis ‘Cherry Brandy’ – growing to about 18’’ in a pot.
A garden tour with some South Africans who live in the UK for painfully obvious reasons.A plant of Rhododendron sinonuttallii is out and nearly over below Slip Rail. Our other plants finished flowering five to six weeks ago. The huge plant which used to live in the Burncoose conservatory was normally out in late July. Come to think of it these flowers are much larger than those which flowered earlier. Is Rhododendron nuttallii different from Rh. sinonuttallii? I guess this rather proves it!
2016 – CHW
Twitter followers very excited by the listing of Porthluney Beach as a nudist beach (article from westbriton.co.uk), which is not really what we want! A family beach for children to enjoy themselves without jet skis, outboard motors or boats. The nudist beach is actually below the Lookout between Porthluney and Portholland coves and you can only get there down the cliff using a rope. Nudists would do well to keep their clothes on for this bit as the nettles and brambles are bad here.Jaimie and Michael have finished the second grass cut in Kennel Close.
2015 – CHW
Styrax serrulatus is just going over now having been well out for three or more weeks. Planted in 1991 it is now 12 feet tall and as much across. Just as floriferous as Styrax japonicus and rather more so than Styrax hemsleyanus or Styrax wilsonii who hide their flowers in the foliage.

The best thing in the garden today is Rhododendron sinonuttallii. One of three separate clumps which all flower very late but by no means all at the same time. This group were planted by the Rhododendron megacalyx which have now died of old age and need replacing.


1993 – FJW
Only dry spell has been Wimbledon (21st June – 4th July). Since then very wet.
1971 – FJW
Charles cut the big bramble in the Drive Azalea – avoided like the plague by us all for decades.
1921 – JCW
Perhaps there are 500 flowers on the Romneya coulteri. There is not much else. It is very hot and dry and is about the record.
1916 – JCW
The first Lapageria is open, and the last Azalea viscosum, I have crossed it with Lanarth azalea.
1897 – JCW
I saw the first cyclamen in flower.