27th 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

2023 – CHW

A hydrangea tour for the Friends of Burnoose this afternoon. Two hours with a slight drizzle.

Cleyera japonica in full flower and nicely scented at the cash point. I am not sure I have ever seen it performing as well as this. When the plants arrived here from Holland years ago they were labelled Michelia compressa and we mistakenly sold them as that. This was a leftover from the show tunnel. There are two in the garden at Caerhays – the best in Old Park.

Cleyera japonica
Cleyera japonica
Cleyera japonica
Cleyera japonica
Cleyera japonica
Cleyera japonica
Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Planet Griotte’ in perfect flower by the till.
Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Planet Griotte’
Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Planet Griotte’
Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’ almost out in flower! Peculiar!
Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’
Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Charles Lamont’
Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’ in full flower.
Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’
Euonymus grandiflorus ‘Ruby Wine’
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks Blue’ excellent on the drive.
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks Blue’
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks Blue’
Hydrangea ‘Sunset’ looking good down opposite the lodge.
Hydrangea ‘Sunset’
Hydrangea ‘Sunset’
Hydrangea ‘Selma’ quite superb by the nursery entrance.
Hydrangea ‘Selma’
Hydrangea ‘Selma’
Hydrangea ‘Magical Revolution Blue’ a strange and erratic bicolour thing.
Hydrangea ‘Magical Revolution Blue’
Hydrangea ‘Magical Revolution Blue’
The best thing in the Burncoose garden today was Hydrangea aspera ‘Villosa Group’ by the lawn.
Hydrangea aspera ‘Villosa Group’
Hydrangea aspera ‘Villosa Group’
Maturing seeds on Meliosma veitchiorum.
Meliosma veitchiorum
Meliosma veitchiorum

2022 – CHW

A wonderful show from Aesculus parviflora below Slip Rail.

Aesculus parviflora
Aesculus parviflora
A secondary set of flower catkins on Salix fargesii which seems to have been stimulated into action by Asia taking cuttings fairly recently as you can see.
Salix fargesii
Salix fargesii
Salix fargesii
Salix fargesii
Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’ with a bit of slug damage to the flower.
Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’
Calycanthus ‘Aphrodite’
Callicarpa bodinieri’ ‘Profusion’ flowers both in bud and long over. A lengthy flowering season.
Callicarpa bodinieri
Callicarpa bodinieri
Callicarpa bodinieri
Callicarpa bodinieri
Myrcia laurotteana var. paraguayensis in full flower. Very much a ‘myrtle’ and I suspect the name.
Myrcia laurotteana var. paraguayensis
Myrcia laurotteana var. paraguayensis
Myrcia laurotteana var. paraguayensis
Myrcia laurotteana var. paraguayensis

2021 – CHW
A young and newly planted clump of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Wim’s Red’ just out – no red as yet.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Wim’s Red’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Wim’s Red’
Magnolia delavayi full out under the wall.
Magnolia delavayi
Magnolia delavayi
Magnolia delavayi
Magnolia delavayi
Hydrangea serrata ‘Crug Cobalt’ not very exciting so far.
Hydrangea serrata ‘Crug Cobalt’
Hydrangea serrata ‘Crug Cobalt’
A closeup of a flower on Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’.
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
Rhododendron ‘Harrow Hybrids’
This tree was bought for us by Trevor Wright at the end of a Royal Cornwall Show. I had always thought it was Tilia henryana but knew for years that its identification was wrong. For the first time I see flower tassels and this, together with the reddish new growth, fits the description of Carpinus henryana. Whether I or Duchy Nurseries had mislabelled it initially we will never now know.
Carpinus henryana
Carpinus henryana
Carpinus henryana
Carpinus henryana
Euonymus morrisonensis covered in flowers and copulating red winged insects in large numbers. Also a few large flies and wasps. A great display for a Euonymus.
Euonymus morrisonensis
Euonymus morrisonensis
Euonymus morrisonensis
Euonymus morrisonensis
Euonymus morrisonensis
Euonymus morrisonensis
Still flowers on Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’.
Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’
Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’
Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’
Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’
A tail ender on Magnolia wilsonii.
Magnolia wilsonii
Magnolia wilsonii
And an even later tail end flower on Michelia ‘Touch of Pink’.
Michelia ‘Touch of Pink’
Michelia ‘Touch of Pink’
Seeds well established on Magnolia globosa as the last two flowers fade.
Magnolia globosa
Magnolia globosa
Magnolia globosa
Magnolia globosa

2020 – CHW

Only one seed head on the young Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’ which flowered so well for the first time this year.

Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
A carpet of Knapweed in flower on the banks.
Knapweed
Knapweed
Very large flower heads on Rubus ichangensis. Last year the fruit was only ripe in November.
Rubus ichangensis
Rubus ichangensis
Vaccinum megaphyllum (HWS 515) from Rob White flowering well with one flower cluster.
Vaccinum megaphyllum
Vaccinum megaphyllum
Vaccinum megaphyllum
Vaccinum megaphyllum
Acer henryi developing autumn colours.
Acer henryi
Acer henryi
Rhododendron pachysanthum with its attractive new growth.
Rhododendron pachysanthum
Rhododendron pachysanthum
Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’ has turned a deeper orange colour in only 10 days.
Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’
Acer palmatum ‘Sango kaku’
Fruit on Cornus alternifolia and a secondary flower on Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Evamaria’.
Cornus alternifolia and a secondary flower on Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Evamaria’
Cornus alternifolia and a secondary flower on Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Evamaria’
The second flower on Magnolia tamaulipana is nearly out.
Magnolia tamaulipana
Magnolia tamaulipana
Flowers and seedpods forming on Hoheria glabrata.
Hoheria glabrata
Hoheria glabrata
Hoheria glabrata
Hoheria glabrata
The mature stem on Catalpa bungei Duclouxii Group is splitting and fissuring at the base.
Catalpa bungei Duclouxii Group
Catalpa bungei Duclouxii Group
Last flowers on Magnolia x foggii ‘Jack Fogg’.
Magnolia x foggii ‘Jack Fogg’
Magnolia x foggii ‘Jack Fogg’
And on Magnolia x foggii ‘Allspice’.
Magnolia x foggii ‘Allspice’
Magnolia x foggii ‘Allspice’
Annoyingly I find our plant of Callicarpa formosana (NMWJ 14553) in the Isla Rose area. I supposedly saw this for the first time yesterday at Tregrehan.
Callicarpa formosana
Callicarpa formosana
Plenty of secondary flowers on the old wisteria by the playhouse. Many more and a much better colour than last year.
wisteria
wisteria
wisteria
wisteria

2019 – CHW
Fuchsia ‘Lady Bacon’ below the tower.
Fuchsia ‘Lady Bacon’
Fuchsia ‘Lady Bacon’
Fuchsia ‘Lady Bacon’
Fuchsia ‘Lady Bacon’
Seed heads on Dipteronia sinensis. This is the first year that any of our young plants have actually flowered.
Dipteronia sinensis
Dipteronia sinensis
Dipteronia sinensis
Dipteronia sinensis
Various suddenly dead rhododendrons in the drought. The last one is the elderly Rhododendron sinogrande which nearly died last summer and has featured quite a bit in the diary since. It flowered this spring but there were hardly any new leaves from last season and its demise was inevitable sadly.
Rhododendron sinogrande
Rhododendron sinogrande
Rhododendron sinogrande
Rhododendron sinogrande
Rhododendron sinogrande
Rhododendron sinogrande
This is another Cornus hongkongensis with very much larger individual flower bracts than the other and more yellow in the flowers too. Neither of our youngish plants have the bronzy new growth which I saw on the plant at Exbury in May. I wonder if this is actually true to name?
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
An elderly and now very dead Rhododendron weyrichii.
Rhododendron weyrichii
Rhododendron weyrichii
Twig debris and old cones under a Cunninghamia lanceolata tree in Old Park. This is a tree which is prone to shedding twigs and branches in strong winds.
Cunninghamia lanceolata
Cunninghamia lanceolata
Cunninghamia lanceolata
Cunninghamia lanceolata
Cunninghamia lanceolata
Cunninghamia lanceolata

2018 – CHW
Some new plants in the nursery today for next year’s catalogue. Around 30, mainly herbaceous, plants now ‘in the bag’.Lagunaria pattersonii. This is probably too tender to really grow outside but a most unusual flower and a welcome addition to our ‘exotica’!
Lagunaria pattersonii
Lagunaria pattersonii
Lagunaria pattersonii
Lagunaria pattersonii
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rhapsody in Pink’ flowering better in this dry summer than I have ever seen it perform before. Nice contrast between the pink flowers and the dark leaves.
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rhapsody in Pink’
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rhapsody in Pink’
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rhapsody in Pink’
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rhapsody in Pink’
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rhapsody in Pink’
Lagerstroemia indica ‘Rhapsody in Pink’
Lonicera ‘Rhubarb and Custard’ – a silly name for a new plant which is not that different in flower really and did not sell well in the intense heat of Hampton Court Show.
Lonicera ‘Rhubarb and Custard’
Lonicera ‘Rhubarb and Custard’
Lonicera ‘Rhubarb and Custard’
Lonicera ‘Rhubarb and Custard’
Lonicera henryi (evergreen) seems a better plant to me and was performing well in the tunnels.
Lonicera henryi
Lonicera henryi
Lonicera henryi
Lonicera henryi
Lobelia excelsa will become popular – a very odd flowering habit. It would grow much taller than this in a border.
Lobelia excelsa
Lobelia excelsa
Lobelia excelsa
Lobelia excelsa

2017 – CHW
First trip to Ventnor Botanic Gardens.

Rudbeckia maxima full out and rather better than in the nursery seen earlier.

Rudbeckia maxima
Rudbeckia maxima
Pistacia lentiscus showing new growth and last year’s seed heads.
Pistacia lentiscus
Pistacia lentiscus
Pistacia lentiscus
Pistacia lentiscus
Pistacia lentiscus
Pistacia lentiscus
This Ficus ‘Brown Turkey’ grows over a trellis. It is absolutely enormous.
This Ficus ‘Brown Turkey’
This Ficus ‘Brown Turkey’
This Ficus ‘Brown Turkey’
This Ficus ‘Brown Turkey’
Clerodendron bungei suckering up here and there as a shrub.
Clerodendron bungei
Clerodendron bungei
Clerodendron bungei
Clerodendron bungei
Clerodendron bungei
Clerodendron bungei

An amazing display of agapanthus.

agapanthus
agapanthus
A huge clump of Crinum powellii in full sun showing the usual slug damage and looking slightly scruffy. The flowers are never quite all out together.
Crinum powellii
Crinum powellii
Crinum powellii
Crinum powellii
Crinum powellii
Crinum powellii
Crassula coccinea full out. Rather better than the species which we stock.
Crassula coccinea
Crassula coccinea
Crassula coccinea
Crassula coccinea
Puya chilensis flower stalks. We have missed them and the seeds are setting. Note the size the plants have to be to generate a flower stalk. The seeds we pinched here last year have germinated well.
Puya chilensis
Puya chilensis
Puya chilensis
Puya chilensis
Puya chilensis
Puya chilensis
Colletia hystrix growing as large as I have ever seen it.
Colletia hystrix
Colletia hystrix
Colletia hystrix
Colletia hystrix
Peumus boldus as a large evergreen tree with flower panicles coming.
Peumus boldus
Peumus boldus
Peumus boldus
Peumus boldus
Peumus boldus
Peumus boldus
A 12ft tall Phormium tenax with a 20ft tall flower stalk. Only in Ventnor!
Phormium tenax
Phormium tenax
Phormium tenax
Phormium tenax
Phormium tenax
Phormium tenax
Odd tassels of seed heads on Sophora ?microphylla or similar.
Sophora ?microphylla
Sophora ?microphylla
Sophora ?microphylla
Sophora ?microphylla

2016 – CHW
Off today to Springwood Nurseries which sits alongside Springwood funeral parlour and cemetery. Not much life in the nursery either but at least it actually grows something – mainly summer bedding and veg plants. Cyclamen for Christmas just potted with the winter pansies. The very elderly owner will not have far to travel!Then to the absurdly named Jubilee Nurseries which was even more funerial. Most plants were windblown and unsaleable like ours in the summer in the old days before Andrew took over. Most looked even worse than they were last year but, even amongst a pile of crap like this, there were a few photos to take. I was the only ‘customer’ for half an hour but none of the three staff made any verbal contact. Walking dead indeed. Doubt they will be there next year like the Seaview flamingo etc park which has closed up. We miss hearing the geese and peacocks.A few more new plant offerings to consider for 2017:Helenium ‘Red Army’ – a bit taller growing than our Helenium ‘Ruby Tuesday’ but one red helenium is probably enough.
Helenium ‘Red Army’
Helenium ‘Red Army’
Helenium ‘Red Army’
Helenium ‘Red Army’

Red Admiral butterflies on buddleia flowers but the little buggers kept shutting their wings.

Red Admiral butterflies
Red Admiral butterflies
Red Admiral butterflies
Red Admiral butterflies
One always forgets how wonderful hollyhocks (alcea) can be but never in wetter parts of the country where, unless in a very dry spot on the coast, they always get rust and slug damage. Here, in Townsend GC, some very nice double ones and performing even in pots.
hollyhocks (alcea)
hollyhocks (alcea)
hollyhocks (alcea)
hollyhocks (alcea)
hollyhocks (alcea)
hollyhocks (alcea)
Liriope muscari ‘Money Maker’ was especially floriferous and full out. Seemed taller growing than usual?
Liriope muscari ‘Money Maker’
Liriope muscari ‘Money Maker’
Liriope muscari ‘Money Maker’
Liriope muscari ‘Money Maker’
Salvia patens was once in the catalogue and we sold seed of it at Chelsea. Well worth returning to the list I think.
Salvia patens
Salvia patens
Seeing bulrushes reminded me to remember to get them sprayed on the pond at home before they form a major clump.
bulrushes
bulrushes
Sanquisorba officinale has smaller flowers and is more dwarf than our Sanquisorba menziesii. Quite nice but do we need two sorts and does this sell? Need to check.
Sanquisorba officinale
Sanquisorba officinale
Sanquisorba officinale
Sanquisorba officinale
A new abelia; Abelia ‘Sunshine Daydream’ with pink buds, white flowers and an odd foliage colour combination. Strong growing shrub by the look of it but do we need another Abelia x grandiflora or is this one better than the ones we list?
Abelia ‘Sunshine Daydream’
Abelia ‘Sunshine Daydream’
Abelia ‘Sunshine Daydream’
Abelia ‘Sunshine Daydream’
Hebe ‘Rosie’ looking nice here. Once sold well. Time for a comeback or is it still patented?
Hebe ‘Rosie’
Hebe ‘Rosie’
Hebe ‘Rosie’
Hebe ‘Rosie’
While I always think stocking hebes is a huge risk with botrytis etc and while we have traditionally ‘skipped’ more than we have sold this dwarf one with blue flowers, Hebe ‘Margaret’, looks good here today.

2015 – CHW
Rain overnight and looking bad first thing but I managed a few newish hydrangeas at the Green Gate where the ponticum was cleared a few years ago. A good new Magnolia x veitchii and a ‘Sweet Merlot’ have taken hold.

Row of HYDRANGEAS
Row of HYDRANGEAS

The absurdly named Hydrangea ‘Love you Kiss’ was an early forerunner of a swathe of ‘new’ picotee edged hydrangeas which have saturated Hampton Court show for several years now. They all have silly names but this one is quite nice although the early picotee edge has faded here.

Hydrangea ‘Love you Kiss’
Hydrangea ‘Love you Kiss’
Hydrangea ‘Love you Kiss’
Hydrangea ‘Love you Kiss’
Hydrangea ‘Love you Kiss’
Hydrangea ‘Love you Kiss’
A good clump of Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ blue too but the ‘Fireworks’ pink are flowering blue too. The older hydrangeas below the new planting were cut down in the spring and are reshooting well but this area has always grown superb blue hydrangeas and must be highly acidic. Interestingly the 2013 planting of the red Hydrangea ‘Heinrich Siedel’ have died.
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ blue
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ blue
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ blue
Hydrangea ‘Fireworks’ blue
Proved indeed by the superb colour of the lacecap Hydrangea Taube at the top of the bank.
Hydrangea Taube
Hydrangea Taube
Hydrangea Taube
Hydrangea Taube
Hydrangea Taube
Hydrangea Taube
Below it a good blue mophead in the form of Hydrangea Enziandom. A very different blue.
Hydrangea Enziandom
Hydrangea Enziandom
Hydrangea Enziandom
Hydrangea Enziandom
Hydrangea Enziandom
Hydrangea Enziandom
Hydrangea Enziandom
Hydrangea Enziandom
Hydrangea Madame E Mouillere is perhaps the best known white lacecap. These plants are at least 70 years old and have been frequently reinvigorated by being cut to the ground every 15 to 20 years or so.
Hydrangea Madame E Mouillere
Hydrangea Madame E Mouillere
Hydrangea Madame E Mouillere
Hydrangea Madame E Mouillere
Hydrangea Madame E Mouillere
Hydrangea Madame E Mouillere

1989 – FJW
The garden is suffering from drought as badly as I have seen it. It is becoming very serious. Rhodo’s worst off.

1918 – JCW
Buddleias fair, Romneyas too. also R ungernii. Daff moving in arrears from want of labour and too much rain. Plagianthus are just over.

1916 – JCW
Buddleias goodish. Romneya at its best. Plagianthus at its best. R ungernii fair. Daffs big and small are about sorted out.

1914 – JCW
Buddleias going over.

1898 – JCW
There have been a few lapagerias opening.

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