30th 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

An inspection of the Hoheria species and varieties today. Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Pendula’ and Hoheria populnea flower here in September but forms of H. sexstylosa are out already. Made a decent video for the Burncoose website.

Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’ – upright habit and very floriferous.

Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Stardust’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’ – not yet out.
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’
Hoheria sexstylosa ‘Crataegifolia’
Hoheria ‘Glory of Amlwch’ (H. glabrata x H. sexstylosa)
Hoheria ‘Glory of Amlwch’
Hoheria ‘Glory of Amlwch’
Hoheria ‘Borde Hill’ (H. angustifolia x H. sexstylosa) – just as good as ‘Stardust’ or even better?
Hoheria 'Borde Hill'
Hoheria ‘Borde Hill’
Hoheria 'Borde Hill'
Hoheria ‘Borde Hill’
Hoheria 'Borde Hill'
Hoheria ‘Borde Hill’
Hoheria angustifolia – the smallest flower of any of the 5 species of Hoheria but the volume of flowers on this 30 year old tree is prodigious.
Hoheria angustifolia
Hoheria angustifolia
Hoheria angustifolia
Hoheria angustifolia

2022 – CHW

Visited a garden near Sidbury today with a view to putting together a planting plan for a newly cleared woodland garden area.

A superb Berberidopsis corallina trained on a back wall of the house.

Berberidopsis corallina
Berberidopsis corallina
Phlox and early flowering dahlias.
Phlox and early flowering dahlias
Phlox and early flowering dahlias
Phlox and early flowering dahlias
Phlox and early flowering dahlias
White Wisteria still in flower. I think Wisteria brachybotrys ‘Shiro-Kapitan’ but may be wrong? A hint of pink in the flowers and the leaves hairy.
Wisteria brachybotrys ‘Shiro-Kapitan’
Wisteria brachybotrys ‘Shiro-Kapitan’
Alchemilla mollis and Erysimum ‘Apricot Twist’.
Alchemilla mollis
Alchemilla mollis
A fine display of Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’.
Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’
Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’
An early seed head on Arum italicum in a bed of ivy.
Arum italicum
Arum italicum

2021 – CHW
The siege of the film crew making part of yet another film from one of Rosamunde Pilcher’s books for the German TV market is thankfully now over. During the week they have filmed a burial at the church, turned the tearooms into a prison and done heaven knows what in the library and drawing room. I guess about 100 people at times including the crowd extras for the funeral and the stewards/caterers etc. The church will get a decent income in a year when fundraising has been impossible until recently but the stipend still supposedly has to be paid (about £80 per head for each of 75 parishioners). The excellent part time vicar’s contract may be up shortly or so we all fear. The diocese and bishop demand the money for their ever expanding bureaucracy while the parishes still have to pay in a lockdown year.A few interesting things in the nursery today as we prepare for tonight’s gales.I do not know that I have ever seen a flower on Mitchella repens before but I have seen its ‘Partridge Berries’.
Mitchella repens
Mitchella repens
Viburnum cylindricum just coming into flower. Similar to Viburnum odoratissimum and Viburnum cinnamomifolium in leaf and flower?
Viburnum cylindricum
Viburnum cylindricum
Our next crop of Musa basjoo looking particularly healthy.
Musa basjoo
Musa basjoo
Stachyurus praecox ‘Devon Purple’ really is striking.
Stachyurus praecox ‘Devon Purple’
Stachyurus praecox ‘Devon Purple’
A few flowers on a batch of young Chitalpa tashkentensis ‘Pink Dawn’.
Catalpa duclouxii
Catalpa duclouxii
Fruits already on Aronia melanocarpa ‘Autumn Magic’. Nearly, but not quite, edible.
Aronia melanocarpa ‘Autumn Magic’
Aronia melanocarpa ‘Autumn Magic’
As fine a show of flower on Hosta fortunei ‘Aureomarginata’ as I can remember on any Hosta group.
Hosta fortunei ‘Aureomarginata’
Hosta fortunei ‘Aureomarginata’
At the nursery entrance Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ and Buddleia ‘Black Knight’ looking good together.
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ and Buddleia ‘Black Knight’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ and Buddleia ‘Black Knight’

2020 – CHW
An old clump of Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’ on the drive.
Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’
Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’
Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’
Hydrangea ‘Blue Wave’
The Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’ are now a huge clump above the drive.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’
The clump of Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kyushu’ is not as large growing.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kyushu’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kyushu’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kyushu’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Kyushu’
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’ always gets a bit wind scorched in an exposed position but it is flowering very well this year. You readily can see the four separate colours in some leaves (but not others). It is more striking than Hydrangea ‘Tricolor’ but a weaker plant.
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’
One branch in ‘Quadricolor’ has reverted to having just pure yellow leaves.
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’
Hydrangea ‘Quadricolor’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond’ by Hovel Turning is just out. No pink visible yet.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’ up Hovel Cart Road in shade looks fairly nondescript by comparison but would be much better with bigger flowers in full sun.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’ is still pure white with no pink tints visible yet by the Fernery.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Vanille Fraise’
Still a few more H. paniculata varieties to catch up on around and about (‘Phantom’, ‘White Lady’, ‘Limelight’). It would be a good idea to plant more clumps of the newer paniculata varieties on the drive (‘Skyfall’, ‘Early Sensation’, ‘Little Lime’, ‘Wims Red’).

2019 – CHW
A young Taxus baccata ‘Aurea’ with particularly fine new growth in the shade on Sinogrande Walk. Quite a bit of tidying up to do along here this winter to tree conifers encroaching laurels and a large set of regrowth from an old oak stump getting in the way.
Taxus baccata ‘Aurea’
Taxus baccata ‘Aurea’
Taxus baccata ‘Aurea’
Taxus baccata ‘Aurea’
Rubus phoenicolasius with nearly ripe fruit which the pheasant poults will soon find and eat.
Rubus phoenicolasius
Rubus phoenicolasius
Rubus phoenicolasius
Rubus phoenicolasius
The dwarf growing and, here, top grafted Taxodium distichum ‘Hursley Park’ with attractive new growth.
Taxodium distichum ‘Hursley Park’
Taxodium distichum ‘Hursley Park’
Taxodium distichum ‘Hursley Park’
Taxodium distichum ‘Hursley Park’
Taxodium distichum ‘Hursley Park’
Taxodium distichum ‘Hursley Park’
Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum ‘Nutans’ is romping away. It was named on planting as Taxodium ascendens but has now been renamed. The branches are spreading and drooping but the new growth shoots are mainly ascendant. Quite some autumn colour to come here. This tree grows in a damp spot where a small spring rises in heavy rainfall. Jaimie says that it had its leader blown out but I do not think that this was the case. It will become a tree eventually but this is simply how it grows initially.
Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum ‘Nutans’
Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum ‘Nutans’
Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum ‘Nutans’
Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum ‘Nutans’
Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum ‘Nutans’
Taxodium distichum var. imbricatum ‘Nutans’

2018 – CHW
A trip to Manley Cottage in Cheshire (to see Lizzie’s mum who is 94) at the weekend as the drought ends but not soon enough to see the end results there:

Wisteria setting runner bean-like seeds. I do not think I have ever seen this in Cornwall, very seldom elsewhere and never in such profusion.

Wisteria setting runner bean-like seeds
Wisteria setting runner bean-like seeds
Wisteria setting runner bean-like seeds
Wisteria setting runner bean-like seeds
Cotoneaster horizontalis dying for lack of water. A most resilient plant normally.
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Mahonia aquifolium with an enormous crop of blue-black seeds with a silvery sheen. Again the plant is demonstrating its desire to survive the drought by procreation.
Mahonia aquifolium
Mahonia aquifolium
Mahonia aquifolium
Mahonia aquifolium
Then a sad progress of dead rhododendrons. This is even Rhododendron ponticum dying in the drought.
dead rhododendrons
dead rhododendrons
Far worse casualties of nice species here and all were fine plants growing in semi shade on a hillside.
casualties of nice species
casualties of nice species
casualties of nice species
casualties of nice species
casualties of nice species
casualties of nice species
Rhododendron cilpinense was however a survivor to finally cheer us up.
Rhododendron cilpinense
Rhododendron cilpinense

2017 – CHW
Jaimie has sent me pictures of the new machine’s performance in cutting Old Park. It all looks very tidy and well ahead of our normal schedule which is great. The gunnera bed is at its zenith too.
Old Park
Old Park
Old Park
Old Park
Old Park
Old Park
Old Park
Old Park
A huge wasps’ nest in a bank dug out by a badger who was clearly repulsed in the attempt!
wasps’ nest
wasps’ nest
wasps’ nest
wasps’ nest

2016 – CHW
A shambolic 1960s style farm shop right beside a tourist trap called ‘Oasis’ selling tourist ‘tat’. The shop is run by an elderly couple with no till and a lack of hygiene regulations which would drive the EU and supermarkets absolutely mad. Self-butchered boar and delicious scotch eggs, crab in punnets with a ‘sell by’ label handwritten and stuck on as you buy. An absolutely perfect food hut pictured here with free range livestock. This is what smallholder farming used to be!
A shambolic 1960s style farm shop
A shambolic 1960s style farm shop
A shambolic 1960s style farm shop
A shambolic 1960s style farm shop

A few more novelties to consider as we buy a few plants for the Backstay garden.Lobelia ‘Fan Salmon’ is a pleasant pink with dark brown leaves like the popular Lobelia ‘Queen Victoria’.

Lobelia ‘Fan Salmon’
Lobelia ‘Fan Salmon’
Lobelia ‘Fan Salmon’
Lobelia ‘Fan Salmon’
Rudbeckia ‘Tiger Eye Gold’ is a lowish growing good yellow but not quite Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’ so probably not worth stocking. On offer at £4.95!
Rudbeckia ‘Tiger Eye Gold’
Rudbeckia ‘Tiger Eye Gold’
Rudbeckia ‘Tiger Eye Gold’
Rudbeckia ‘Tiger Eye Gold’
Cestrum elegans is a Mexican species which we do not stock. Pinkish-purple or pinkish-red flowers and not that different to Cestrum ‘Newellii’ which has bright crimson flowers and is probably a hybrid of Cestrum elegans. The foliage is different though.
Cestrum elegans
Cestrum elegans
Cestrum elegans
Cestrum elegans
Cestrum elegans
Cestrum elegans
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Glow’ is probably sufficiently different and bicolor to make it a useful addition to the catalogue if we can locate a grower.
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Glow’
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Glow’
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Glow’
Rudbeckia ‘Prairie Glow’
A new one to me entirely was Lysimachia ‘Clethroides’ although you can see how it justifies its name. I do not remember ever seeing a white lysimachia and we even bought one (£8.00).
Lysimachia ‘Clethroides’
Lysimachia ‘Clethroides’
Lysimachia ‘Clethroides’
Lysimachia ‘Clethroides’

Now on to the happy task of selecting the Caerhays order of rare plants from Crug Farm for delivery in February 2017.

2015 – CHW

Mark Bulk’s (Boskoop, Holland) availability list (for once with prices) arrives to peruse. Quite a few odd, rare and new things to purchase for the new 2016 Burncoose catalogue based on new ‘stuff’ growing well here already. Strangely JCW did often use the word ‘stuff’ to describe his plants. A rare aberration from the then protocol.

Chordospartium stevensonii (coastal plant seen at Ventnor)Carriera calycina (original plant here from Penrice Castle)

Cornus kousa ‘Xanthocarpa’ (yellow fruits – very rare)

Deutzia pulchra (wild collected and given to us originally by Roy Lancaster)

Forsythia mandschurica (no idea but dwarf?)

Hydrangea serratifolia (as at Tregothnan – climber)

Polyspora axillaris (see early February for pictures)

Torreya nuncifera (endangered in the wild)

I end up ordering lots for Caerhays and Burncoose gardens and will leave Clare to do the serious catalogue stuff. Quite fun spending a little (£5,000) of the Burncoose spring profits! Easy to get carried away by my personal preferences and then a bollocking no doubt from Andrew, the nursery manager, for increasing our stock too much.Then on to photograph oaks planted in Penvergate (Forty Acres Wood) and Giddle Orchard (Old Park Wood) since 1997. Time is so limited apart from July and August to actually look at what has been as prolific and extensive a planting programme as the garden as ever seen since 1910 to 1930. Many failures and losses. The further you go from Castle Wood the less maintenance and care has been undertaken and the greater the losses. Still we did find a few successes for the next 50 plus years to enjoy!

In March 1997 Quercus variabilis was planted in Giddle Orchard. Although the leaves do not quite match the picture in the Chevithorne oak book the trunk certainly does. A 15 to 20ft tree in 18 years and doing well. We clearly now have two or three of these dotted about.
Quercus variabilis
Quercus variabilis
Quercus variabilis
Quercus variabilis
Of the other six Mexican oaks planted in Giddle Orchard in March 1999 I can find no obvious trace. Uxoris, lancefolia, acutifolia and candicans. We just also lost a Quercus candicans above the veitchiis but this had blown over. Unless I am being dim a total wipeout but trees did come down here and plenty of space to try again.
Moving on to Penvergate we planted Quercus castaneifolia and Quercus coccifera. The former has done well although it is a bit like Quercus x pseudoturneri. Planted in 1998 and a good 20 feet today.
Quercus castaneifolia
Quercus castaneifolia
Quercus castaneifolia
Quercus castaneifolia
Quercus castaneifolia
Quercus castaneifolia
Quercus coccifera, the Kermes Oak, is really a bushy shrub and has done very well in Penvergate just below the pheasant pen at the far end. Probably badly sited.
Quercus coccifera
Quercus coccifera
Quercus coccifera
Quercus coccifera
Of the four other oaks planted in Penvergate in 2000 only two remain. A very poor and stunted Quercus acutifolia which is only 4ft tall and has much salt spray dieback. Secondly, what I think is Quercus castanena x sapadifolia growing reasonably beside Acer sterculiaceum which is doing well. Of Quercus affinis and Quercus rugosa there is no sign. Major casualties because of minimal care and maintenance on the periphery of the garden.
One cannot help admiring Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’ from Werrington via Wilson in 1901. Amazing bark and just as I remember it. Planted 15 years ago. Nice to see several crabiodendron doing well here too.
Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’
Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’
Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’
Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’
Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’
Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’
Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’
Betual albosinensis ‘Bowling Green’
On the way back down the drive we spot Quercus x bushii with its extraordinary leaf form. Planted in 1997/8. A hybrid of Quercus marylandica and Quercus velutina. Our Quercus marylandica above Higher Quarry Nursery now looks sickly with major dieback.
Quercus x bushii
Quercus x bushii
Quercus x bushii
Quercus x bushii
Quercus x bushii
Quercus x bushii

1989 – FJW
A little rain is falling. We need a great deal – last proper rain June 3rd.

1965 – FJW
First Young Farmers Rally. Lost 1 pair of trousers and a parrot. A wet year – hay difficult – new growth on plants very marked.

1929 – JCW
Hybrids of Ungernii, Decorum and Discolor x Auriculatum are very good, Rosa Brunonis and American Pillar are very and so is the Romneya. One or two Eriogynum have flowers now. Mag delavayi a lot of flowers.

1917 – JCW
Buddleias are good now there is very little else. The Gros au Felicity rose has been very good since May, but wants food.

1916 – JCW
Much as above. Plagianthus begins to go yellow in the leaf, flowers good yet.

1910 – JCW
The buddleias are just starting. Mitraria are good. Ferns by the mitrarias good. Honeysuckles good, not much else, an odd lapageria and so cyclamen.

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