2023 – CHW
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’ has been slow to come fully out into flower in Kennel Close.
2022 – CHW
A time of the year when deads show up – casualties of old age and drought or honey fungus.
The very rare Rhododendron monosematum with its very hairy stems (AC 5978) below the Engine House.
2021 – CHW
Jaimie’s cross of Rhododendron ‘Moser’s Maroon’ with Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ has a slight scent and is full out today. Nearby is a late flowering Rhododendron decorum and a Rhododendron maddenii just going over.
One outside the front gate.
2020 – CHW
Now that the knapweed is in full flower on the front bank you can clearly see that there are two species present. There is one patch of Common Knapweed or Centaurea nigra with much extended florets or floral rays around the flower. However most of the knapweed is the rarer Centaurea nigra ss. with much smaller tighter flower heads (Centaurea nigra subspecies is rare in Cornwall and largely confined to the Isles of Scilly).
First flowers out on Hoheria angustifolia.
A nice new thing in the greenhouse frame to go out next spring – Ailanthus altissima ‘Purple Dragon’.
Following the visit to Tregrehan earlier this week I had promised to compare photographs of our two Lithocarpus cleistocarpa (100+ and 50 years old) with the Tregrehan one planted in 1992 and viewed there.The comments I made during the visit were:1. The younger leaves and the leaves on some branches here were rounded rather than all pointed as on the Tregrehan tree. Examples here to make the point. Perhaps wind damage in the ‘Beast’?
More from Ventnor.Muehlenbeckia complexa completely covering and smothering an Olearia dartonii as you can see.
Ventnor Botanic Garden have acquired a few more plant labels since last year which is good. I have not visited in late July before and much that is new to me is out in the South African garden. Conversely the echiums seem to have taken over far too much, decimating a lovely bank of libertia and looking rather horrid now that they are all over.Several outstanding new plants to think about getting:This (I assume) is a cuphea species in the car park which is attractive.
Swathes of lavender in the herb garden were superb.
Pink watsonia – equally good.
Watsonia aletroides – a delicate orange-pink.
Crassula coccinea with striking red flowers. Much better than our Crassula sarcocaulis.
Olearia argophylla (musk wood) – dullish but a new species to me.
Olearia megalophylla (large leaf daisy brush) – ditto.
Eucalyptus globulus was setting seed heavily. I think I caught its white flowers last year.
Melaleuca gibbosa had little tufts of pinkish purple flowers.
Melaleuca hypericifolia was a much more impressive bottlebrush.
Went in search of an elusive late/last July camellia flower but nothing found today. Need to look for Camellia mathotiana varieties in full shade to have a chance but it has probably been just too hot in June/July this year. There is a chance if I have time at Burncoose on Thursday below the paddock.
The old original Hydrangea sargentiana struggles on. A rather insipid flower with few florets at the edge but very large. The slugs have done great work on the leaves after the weekend’s rain despite them being hairy, and you would have thought, unpalatable. Large snails perhaps?
The five Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’ in the old paeony bed have survived the heatwave and grown rather well in their first year of planting. Slug bait is essential to keep the first set of leaves undamaged on newly planted magnolias. Long may they last (as now)!Pheasant poult losses in Brownberry Wood are nearly 2,000 after the weekend’s torrential rain. Replacements impossible as now too late. Good job we did the four extra late hatch offs but we had better go steady on letting any more days and hope no disease hits us on top of the wet/cold disaster with eight week old birds. I fear a wet August after such a dry spring and summer. Thank heavens the rearing field is now only on gas heating after three power cuts on Saturday which would have caused chaos with the electric hens. Not lightening or thunder (apparently) but a transformer on fire somewhere.
2005 – FJW
Damp week – rain persistant – not heavy.
1929 – JCW
Rhodo ungernii, ungernii x auriculatum, decorum x auriculatum, Harrows crop and eriogynum all give flower, ungernii x in particular. ‘The last’ Coombe Wood auriculatum flowers well. American Pillars, Rosa brunonis are the best things with the Romneyas.
1908 – JCW
Buddleias good.
1906 – JCW
A few cyclamen. The R auriculatums have started well.
1903 – JCW
Several cyclamen, a lapageria or two. Roses and sweet peas nice. Bulbs and seeds all finished.
1901 – JCW
Just two cyclamen and one lapageria, some roses good in particular P Gontier, Princep, de Lagan, M Horte etc etc. Go north tomorrow. Lonicera henryi not open yet.