20th July

FJ Williams Profile Picture
FJW 1955-2007
CH Williams Profile Picture
CHW 2015-
JC Williams Profile Picture
JCW 1897-1939
C Williams Profile Picture
CW 1940-1955

2024 – CHW

In the garden here at Backstay, Seaview.

Hypericum ‘Hidcote’ nearly over.

Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
Hypericum ‘Hidcote’
The Caerhays raised Escallonia ‘Iveyi’.
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’ starting to climb up a drainpipe.
Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’
Fuchsia ‘Lady Boothby’
The ancient Pittosporum tenuifolium is very nearly dead. Several branches of have been removed in recent years but last years drought, and a gale which lifted the roots, have done the rest of the damage.
Pittosporum tenuifolium
Pittosporum tenuifolium

2023 – CHW

A visit to a garden in Bembridge which I know quite well. Superb news from Captain George in Cornwall that we had 4 inches of rain last week!

Cotinus coggygria in full flower – smothered by flower in fact. Seeds forming in the inflorescences.

Cotinus coggygria
Cotinus coggygria
Cotinus coggygria
Cotinus coggygria
Euonymus japonicus with late flowers.
Euonymus japonicus
Euonymus japonicus
Seed forming early on a large Parrotia persica.
Parrotia persica
Parrotia persica
Indigofera heterantha flowering sparsely in too much shade.
Indigofera heterantha
Indigofera heterantha
The rare Exbucklandia populnea which I identified last year has grown on fairly well.
Exbucklandia populnea
Exbucklandia populnea
Olearia paniculata growing well in a gap in the hedge.
Olearia paniculata
Olearia paniculata
The gardener complained that Eucalyptus make a lot of mess with peeling bark and old leaves falling onto the lawns. If only all gardening problems were so positive.
gardener complained that Eucalyptus make a lot of mess
gardener complained that Eucalyptus make a lot of mess
Hydrangea seemannii now growing well up a range of dead Cupressus macrocarpa after about 4 years to get going.
Hydrangea seemannii
Hydrangea seemannii
Olives beginning to form on an Olea europaea hedge.
Olives
Olives
More holly hocks of different colours.
holly hocks
holly hocks
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Exmouth’ with seed setting which is unusual in the UK except in the hottest areas.
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Exmouth’
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Exmouth’
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Exmouth’
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Exmouth’
The best Sollya heterophylla I have ever seen growing outside is still doing well.
Sollya heterophylla
Sollya heterophylla
Sollya heterophylla
Sollya heterophylla
A big rhododendron with little new growth this year is struggling
big rhododendron
big rhododendron

2022 – CHW

A decent thunderstorm breaks over Burncoose.

The Hemerocallis bed in all its glory.

Hemerocallis bed
Hemerocallis bed
Itea Illicifolia with its enormous tassles.
Itea Illicifolia
Itea Illicifolia
Itea Illicifolia
Itea Illicifolia
Vinca minor ‘Atropurpurea’ in full flower in July?
Vinca minor ‘Atropurpurea’
Vinca minor ‘Atropurpurea’
Fuchsia magellanica ‘Arauco’ was a new website entry in 2021 but I had not seen it in flower before.
Fuchsia magellanica ‘Arauco’
Fuchsia magellanica ‘Arauco’
Fuchsia magellanica ‘Arauco’
Fuchsia magellanica ‘Arauco’
The Hydrangea paniculata varieties just coming into flower.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’ looking very fine.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Skyfall’
The South African Erica cerinthoides is a new website entry shortly.
Erica cerinthoides
Erica cerinthoides
Euonymus grandiflora ‘Ruby Wine’ in flower.
Euonymus grandiflora ‘Ruby Wine’
Euonymus grandiflora ‘Ruby Wine’
The new defibrillator has now become operational at the Sales Point.
new defibrillator
new defibrillator
Romneya coulteri alongside the main packing shed.
Romneya coulteri
Romneya coulteri

2021 – CHW
A visit to the greenhouse to see what new was out.Digitalis sceptrum from Madeira nicely in flower. Well worth propagating. A woody (greenhouse) shrub. The second year it has flowered. A gift from Windsor.
Digitalis sceptrum
Digitalis sceptrum
Isoplexis canariensis is very similar in flower and ‘foxglove-like’.
Isoplexis canariensis
Isoplexis canariensis
Tibouchina rossa (BSWJ 10758) really is an exceptional colour. Easy to propagate from cuttings says Bleddyn so let us get at it.
Tibouchina rossa
Tibouchina rossa
Desmodium elegans in full flower. A delicate blue colour on a tall erect bush.
Desmodium elegans
Desmodium elegans
Dicentra scandens just out.
Dicentra scandens
Dicentra scandens
Hydrangea serrata ‘Garden House Beauty’ looking superb. Should it be blue?
Hydrangea serrata ‘Garden House Beauty’
Hydrangea serrata ‘Garden House Beauty’
Hydrangea serrata ‘Garden House Beauty’
Hydrangea serrata ‘Garden House Beauty’
Dichroa guizhou full out and an entirely new species to us. Looks tender but very gentle colours.
Dichroa guizhou
Dichroa guizhou
Dichroa guizhou
Dichroa guizhou
Calocedrus formosanus – the undersides of the leaves are silvery-white and the topsides dark green when developed.
Calocedrus formosanus
Calocedrus formosanus
Calocedrus formosanus
Calocedrus formosanus
Hydrangea aspera ‘Macrophylla’ (ex Crûg Farm) is not that different.
Hydrangea aspera ‘Macrophylla’
Hydrangea aspera ‘Macrophylla’
I was struck by the foliage of Crataegus thaenopyrum which is rather like Acer campestre – with thorns!
Crataegus thaenopyrum
Crataegus thaenopyrum
Crataegus thaenopyrum
Crataegus thaenopyrum
The elderly Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ cut down last winter for the umpteenth time have responded well as usual. Nearly dead at 10-12ft last August.
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’

2020 – CHW
A trip to Kennel Close to see what is new here.More deer nibbling on Sorbus meliosmifolia. The leaves are similar to Meliosma.
Sorbus meliosmifolia
Sorbus meliosmifolia
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Werrington’ with ripening seed pods.
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Werrington’
Magnolia mollicomata ‘Werrington’
Erethia thyrsiflora has started root suckering and has good secondary new growth.
Erethia thyrsiflora
Erethia thyrsiflora
Erethia thyrsiflora
Erethia thyrsiflora
Catalpa sechuanensis also with dark secondary new growth.
Catalpa sechuanensis
Catalpa sechuanensis
Seed heads forming on Paulownia kawakamii.
Paulownia kawakamii
Paulownia kawakamii
Sorbus gongashica with odd shaped fruits.
Sorbus gongashica
Sorbus gongashica
Sorbus gongashica
Sorbus gongashica
Populus purdomii with wonderfully veined secondary new growth.
Populus purdomii
Populus purdomii
Populus purdomii
Populus purdomii
Nyssa sinensis (FMWJ 13122) with exceptional leaf colouring already.
Nyssa sinensis
Nyssa sinensis
Nyssa sinensis
Nyssa sinensis
Fruit catkins colouring up on Carpinus japonica.
Carpinus japonica
Carpinus japonica
Picea brachytyla, the Sargent spruce, with excellent new growth.
Picea brachytyla
Picea brachytyla
Picea brachytyla
Picea brachytyla
Then several Crataegus species with fruits:
Crataegus wattiana performing well for the first time.
Crataegus wattiana
Crataegus wattiana
Crataegus wattiana
Crataegus wattiana
Crataegus ellwangeriana ‘Fire Ball’
Crataegus ellwangeriana ‘Fire Ball’
Crataegus ellwangeriana ‘Fire Ball’
Crataegus combyi – first fruits with us.
Crataegus combyi
Crataegus combyi
Crataegus aprica
Crataegus aprica
Crataegus aprica
Crataegus aprica
Crataegus aprica
Hoheria sextylosa ‘Snow White’ just coming out as a clump of three newish plants.
Hoheria sextylosa ‘Snow White’
Hoheria sextylosa ‘Snow White’
Hoheria sextylosa ‘Snow White’
Hoheria sextylosa ‘Snow White’
Malus x rockii with fruits forming. Tom’s identification seems correct.
Malus x rockii
Malus x rockii
Yet another form of Hydrangea aspera subsp. sargentiana at Donkey Shoe. One of three planted but the other two failed. An old Hydrangea villosa used to grow exactly here.
Hydrangea aspera subsp. sargentiana
Hydrangea aspera subsp. sargentiana
Hydrangea aspera subsp. sargentiana
Hydrangea aspera subsp. sargentiana

2019 – CHW
Penvergate grass now all cut for the year.

Penvergate
Penvergate
Clear otter footprints beside the Penvergate stream and a large animal at that.
otter footprints
otter footprints
otter footprints
otter footprints
A wild Convolvulus growing happily in the sand dunes between the beach car park and the shoreline. It might be Convolvulus althaeoides?
Convolvulus
Convolvulus
Forty Acres all now cut as well.
Forty Acres
Forty Acres
Forty Acres
Forty Acres
Forty Acres
Forty Acres
It is the time of the year when camellia galls become obvious but, other than being unsightly, they do little damage.
camellia galls
camellia galls

2018 – CHW
In our absence Jaimie has been recording events in the drought here.KPK have been doing an excellent job repairing the buttresses on the Top Wall in the heat. These were the walls whose construction finally bankrupted the Trevanion family in the 1820s and led them to flee to France in the 1840s. You can see why! Lots of repointing the holes and cracks plus relaying the slate slabs in cement on the top to follow.
repairing the buttresses
repairing the buttresses
repairing the buttresses
repairing the buttresses
A plethora of self-sown seedlings under the elderly Cornus kousas beside the drive. Asia will need to lift these carefully when the drought is over for potting. Thankfully Jaimie stopped spraying the sides of the drive just in time to keep most of them alive.
self-sown seedlings under the elderly Cornus kousas
self-sown seedlings under the elderly Cornus kousas
self-sown seedlings under the elderly Cornus kousas
self-sown seedlings under the elderly Cornus kousas
We had seed pods last year on Decaisnea fargesii but they are much larger this year probably because of the heat.
seed pods last year on Decaisnea fargesii
seed pods last year on Decaisnea fargesii

2017 – CHW

Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana. One with huge leaves and one with tiny ones. The smaller flowers look like Hydrangea villosa at first but not when you examine the flower more closely. The blue and light blue anthers are quite different too. Seven separate plants in two batches were planted here in 2008/9. Three survive!

Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Illicium majus has settled in over the last three years but has yet to flower here. Huge wrinkled leaves. Will it prove too tender for us? Time will tell.
Illicium majus
Illicium majus
Illicium majus
Illicium majus
Another, rather paler, young Hydrangea sargentiana at Donkey Shoe. Planted as a three but only one survives. One died because I stupidly cut it back thinking it was dead too early in the spring. There used to be an elderly clump of H. sargentiana here years ago which sprawled rather than being upright as this one is.
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Hydrangea sargentiana
Two very different forms of Hydrangea sargentiana
Hydrangea sargentiana
The old Magnolia macrophylla has one or two flowers out sitting high above a tall rhododendron so very hard to get a sightline to photograph it. The flowers last only a day or two.
Magnolia macrophylla
Magnolia macrophylla
Halesia macgregorii – I stupidly misnamed this as a rehderodendron last week but the new growth is still very fine! Did anyone notice the error?
Halesia macgregorii
Halesia macgregorii
Halesia macgregorii
Halesia macgregorii
A Melliodendron xylocarpum is hopefully finally on its way after two previous disasters. Planted this spring. Mice got the last one over winter in the greenhouse. They only eat the rarest and best things!
Melliodendron xylocarpum
Melliodendron xylocarpum
Styrax tonkinensis has, however, joined the dodo. I fear this new species may be too tender for us to grow even in Cornwall. Not the first of these to die but another bigger one in the frames to go out and try next year.
Styrax tonkinensis
Styrax tonkinensis
Stewartia serrata (2017 planted) seems to be on its way. Rather different shaped leaves to other species. Rather small serrations on the leaves but delicate new growth.
Stewartia serrata
Stewartia serrata
Stewartia serrata
Stewartia serrata

2016 – CHW
Camellia grisjii on the drive has startling red, I think, secondary new growth which makes it stand out from the rest of the camellia avenue.

Camellia grisjii
Camellia grisjii
Camellia grisjii
Camellia grisjii

A very early flowering variety with good scent. Attractive all year round.Agapanthus campanulatus ‘Rosewarne’ has large rounded flowers which are sky blue, fading a little later. When a single bulb produces a single flower the ‘flowerballs’ are even larger but here, in long established and crowded clumps which have been in the same spot for decades, they can be a bit smaller.

Agapanthus campanulatus ‘Rosewarne’
Agapanthus campanulatus ‘Rosewarne’
Agapanthus campanulatus ‘Rosewarne’
Agapanthus campanulatus ‘Rosewarne’
2015 – CHW
Hydrangea seemanii full out over the arch by the back yard. What a spectacle this self clinging evergreen climber actually makes. It first flowered in Cornwall 25 or so years ago at Trevarno where after dinner we once had a drunken inspection of the rather phallic buds.
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii
Hydrangea seemanii

1992 – FJW
A really good and much needed soak.

1923 – JCW
Buddleias are nice. Plagianthus lyalii some very good. No Discolor or Auriculatums. Romneya coulteri very good also American Pillars and violas.

1914 – JCW
Very little in flower. Cassia good. Violas nice. Buddleia good. Bulbs mostly moved. Six or seven species of rhodo open, R keysii amongst them.

1908 – JCW
Buddleias (blue) just opening. [Rose] Papa Gontier good and General T.

Hand written note attached to Garden Book page,undated.
From Werrington Park,
re 4238 of Ward and Meconopsis 25933 = Integrifolia.