7th 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

Decaisnea insignis is getting going in Tin Garden but no flowers yet.

Decaisnea insignis
Decaisnea insignis
Rosa ‘American Pillar’ covering the wall on the Tin Garden shed but the flowers have not opened properly in the drought.
Rosa ‘American Pillar’
Rosa ‘American Pillar’
Deer damage on Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’ nearby. Not a leaf left on the lower branches.
Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’
Rosa banksiae ‘Lutea’
Cornus oblonga was a gift from David West of Fromefield. Doing well and very distinct.
Cornus oblonga
Cornus oblonga
More of the ripening seed pods on Cercis canadensis ‘Flame’.
Cercis canadensis ‘Flame’
Cercis canadensis ‘Flame’
Carpinus heterophylla ‘Quercifolia’ living up to its name.
Carpinus heterophylla ‘Quercifolia’
Carpinus heterophylla ‘Quercifolia’
Carrierea calycina, planted in 2014, has made enormous growth this year but the foliage remains different to our other 2 older plants. Longer, more pointed leaves which are darker in colour.
Carrierea calycina
Carrierea calycina
Carrierea calycina
Carrierea calycina

2022 – CHW

Quite a few shrubs flowering away in the nursery today.Blepharocalyx cruckshankii with its aromatic fluffy white flowers.

Blepharocalyx cruckshankii
Blepharocalyx cruckshankii
Chitalpa tashkentensis which is usually a shy flowered at a young age.
Chitalpa tashkentensis
Chitalpa tashkentensis
Indigofera howellii flowering earlier than usual this summer.
Indigofera howellii
Indigofera howellii
Holodiscus discolor can be an attractive small shrub when covered in flower.
Holodiscus discolor
Holodiscus discolor
Punica granatum ‘Flore Pleno’ also out in flower six to eight weeks earlier than usual.
Punica granatum ‘Flore Pleno’
Punica granatum ‘Flore Pleno’
Our new seed house is brimming with germination. Here a nice tray full of Taxodium distichum ‘Ascendens’.
Taxodium distichum ‘Ascendens’
Taxodium distichum ‘Ascendens’
Tail end flowers on Eucryphia glutinosa.
Eucryphia glutinosa
Eucryphia glutinosa
Well formed fruits on Passiflora ‘Snow Queen’.
Passiflora ‘Snow Queen’
Passiflora ‘Snow Queen’

2021 – CHW
The customary pilgrimage to Will Caws’ secret 40 acres of chalk downland at the base of a steep valley where normally there are several species of orchid as I have seen over the years.Due to 300 sheep grazing and a very dry spring we failed to find a single bee orchid this year and the pyramid orchids were few and far between. Nibbled or trampled by sheep as they must have been for centuries on this sort of farmland.
pyramid orchids
pyramid orchids
pyramid orchids
pyramid orchids
The views were spectacular but many of the surrounding ash trees already dead or dying. Two years from my last visit to the Isle of Wight the problem is many times worse especially in small young roadside trees.
views
views
views
views
views
views
A wild spreading mallow near the field entrance.
mallow
mallow
I wish I had brought the Cornish wildflower book for Will.

2020 – CHW
A day to look at thistles and try to match up the Latin names. I am astonished to find seven separate genus names for ‘thistles’ before we even start at the species within each genus. So this is not going to be an easy quest. Several thistles have common names which are perhaps local (eg milky dysel) and not, therefore, necessarily correct, even before we get into the botanical names and identification. I doubt we will get far today but we are getting into the thistle flowering season.Cirsium, Carolina, Onopardon, Centaurea, Carduus, Sonchus and the gloriously named Silybum! Interesting that several of these genus are not unknown to the Burncoose catalogue and there is clearly rather more to most of these genus than just ‘thistles’.SILYBUM marianum is the milk thistle and is uncommon so little chance of me finding this growing locally here. More is the pity!This is Cirsium palustre, the marsh thistle, which is quite common here in the water meadows and has spread invasively up into White Stiles field. It is a native biennial and, if left on its own and uncut in its first season, it can easily achieve heights of 6ft or so as here.
Cirsium palustre
Cirsium palustre
Cirsium palustre
Cirsium palustre
Cirsium palustre
Cirsium palustre
Cirsium palustre
Cirsium palustre
This is the even commoner Cirsium arvense, or creeping thistle, which is a pest in the parkland and coastal fields here. We used to spray infestations out but this is not allowed now in a parkland setting so one has to swipe them off before the flower sets seeds and allows them to spread even further. Sheep will nibble off the younger new growth but they soon become too prickly. This thistle has a long deep taproot and is not easily removed from a lawn. It is a native perennial and quite resistant to spray. Male and female flowers on separate plants.
Cirsium arvense
Cirsium arvense
Cirsium arvense
Cirsium arvense
This common (and fairly nasty) one is Cirsium vulgare or spear thistle which is a biennial. Growing here in a field and hedgerow. It can get much larger than this in an un-grazed environment.
Cirsium vulgare
Cirsium vulgare
Cirsium vulgare
Cirsium vulgare
Cirsium vulgare
Cirsium vulgare
Not quite so common is Carduus tenuiflorus, the slender thistle, which is an annual or biennial and, more often than not, found near the sea. Quite a nasty little number for cattle in a field but growing here only beside The Lookout as far as I yet know.
Carduus tenuiflorus
Carduus tenuiflorus
Carduus tenuiflorus
Carduus tenuiflorus
Carduus tenuiflorus
Carduus tenuiflorus
Sonchus arvensis is the perennial sow thistle growing here on the top of a coastal stone wall. It is found normally in coastal locations and was first recorded in Cornwall in 1832. Since 1999 it has appeared in 1,126 survey records in Cornwall so not exactly rare but the most obscure of those seen today.
Sonchus arvensis
Sonchus arvensis
Sonchus arvensis
Sonchus arvensis
This is what I have known since childhood as the milky dysel or milky thistle because, like a euphorbia, it bleeds white milk when cut. I am not at all sure I have identified it correctly as Sonchus asper, prickly sow thistle, which is a fairly common native annual species which grows on bare disturbed ground. This huge patch is directly below the root crop in Big Barn Hills field. Growing beside it is common Melilot which was part of an earlier wild bird mix crop and is not native although it is doing just as well as the thistles.
milky dysel
milky dysel
milky dysel
milky dysel
milky dysel
milky dysel
milky dysel
milky dysel

2019 – CHW
Another pilgrimage to Ventnor Botanic Garden. For a garden with this title they really do need to do more proper labelling. Some new planting near the entrance was relabelled but a two year old planting of New Zealand things have lost their tiny original labels.Many wonderful things full out:Fuchsia boliviana
Fuchsia boliviana
Fuchsia boliviana
Fuchsia boliviana
Fuchsia boliviana
Eucalyptus leucoxylon rosea
Eucalyptus leucoxylon rosea
Eucalyptus leucoxylon rosea
Eucalyptus leucoxylon rosea
Eucalyptus leucoxylon rosea
Puya dyckioides
Puya dyckioides
Puya dyckioides
Puya dyckioides
Puya dyckioides
Callistemon ‘Mauve Mist’
Callistemon ‘Mauve Mist’
Callistemon ‘Mauve Mist’
Callistemon ‘Mauve Mist’
Callistemon ‘Mauve Mist’
Strelitzia reginae in flower outside on a dry bank
Strelitzia reginae
Strelitzia reginae

2018 – CHW
Jaimie has found two 15 to 20 year old plants of Magnolia macrophylla in Forty Acres wood. These are wonderful pictures of a flower from Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei which he cut today. The dark purple central markings within the flower are normally hidden when on the tree as they were at Lanhydrock 10 or so days ago. Very blue indumentum on the undersides of the huge leaves. Quite the magnolia find of the year!
Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei
Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei
Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei
Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei
Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei
Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei
Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei
Magnolia macrophylla subsp ashei
An odd, misshapen flower underneath a Magnolia dawsoniana alongside a swelling seed pod.
Magnolia dawsoniana
Magnolia dawsoniana
Also flowering in Old Park is an excellent Magnolia virginiana seedling which is much better than any of the plants in the main garden.
Magnolia virginiana seedling
Magnolia virginiana seedling
Magnolia virginiana seedling
Magnolia virginiana seedling
Magnolia virginiana seedling
Magnolia virginiana seedling
Right next to the beehives is a pheasant’s nest; probably far too late for them to hatch off now.
pheasant’s nest
pheasant’s nest

2017 – CHW

First flowers out on the shy flowering evergreen Cornus hongkongensis.

Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Cornus hongkongensis
Seed cones appear high up on the Magnolia rostrata – giant cucumbers!
Magnolia rostrata
Magnolia rostrata
Magnolia rostrata
Magnolia rostrata
Attractive new growth on a young Rhederodendron macrocarpum.
Rhederodendron macrocarpum
Rhederodendron macrocarpum
Rhederodendron macrocarpum
Rhederodendron macrocarpum
Schefflera alpina has extraordinary brown or nearly black new growth. I have never seen this before.
Schefflera alpina
Schefflera alpina
Schefflera alpina
Schefflera alpina
Another dead mature magnolia! This time Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Woodsman’. No obvious cause.
Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Woodsman’
Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Woodsman’
Euphorbia stygiana was trimmed back on its main shoots last week to generate more side shoots which will make cuttings in late autumn. The milky bleeding from the cut stems has stopped.
Euphorbia stygiana
Euphorbia stygiana
Euphorbia stygiana
Euphorbia stygiana
Another rhododendron honey fungus casualty – this is the time of the year when these horrors show up.
rhododendron honey fungus casualty
rhododendron honey fungus casualty
Suckering growth from the base and roots on Cinnamomum camphora.
Cinnamomum camphora
Cinnamomum camphora
Cotoneaster exburyensis is full out beyond Georges Hut. A good show.
Cotoneaster exburyensis
Cotoneaster exburyensis
Cotoneaster exburyensis
Cotoneaster exburyensis
Finally, after weeks in bud, Styrax serrulatus is full out. Not much scent but covered in bees. When you step inside the umbrella of the tree the ‘ceiling’ is a mass of white flowers. The best thing in the garden today by miles!
Styrax serrulatus
Styrax serrulatus
Styrax serrulatus
Styrax serrulatus
Styrax serrulatus
Styrax serrulatus
Styrax serrulatus
Styrax serrulatus
An odd late (or early?) flower on Rhododendron zaleucum.
Rhododendron zaleucum
Rhododendron zaleucum

2016 – CHW
The interpretation panel for the newly restored Battery Walk Arch is up in the beach car park.
interpretation panel
interpretation panel
2015 – CHW
These are the wonderful coloured cliffs at Alum Bay.

Alum Bay, Isle of Wight
Alum Bay, Isle of Wight

2003 – FJW
(Handwritten note attached to Garden Book page)
Quercus turneri, above Auklandii Garden: a challenged wisdom tells us that it does not set acorns for 60 years. The plant at Caerhays has flowers on this month, shows signs of small fruit.

1975 – FJW
Rain fell at 7am – drought since Chelsea time. Driest June since 1925? In the evening very heavy and spectacular thunder – no damage.

1934 – JCW
Much as in 1931 and 1932.

1931 – JCW
Eriogonums and Griersonianum are excellent. Fuschias opening. American Pillar good. Maddeni flowers very fine. Styrax japonica just open. No Auriculatums open.

1924 – JCW
Some Auriculatums hybrids are opening. Styrax hemsleyanus is just over but quite suddenly Discolor are nice. Hybrid Escallonia not open yet.

1922 – JCW
Just a day or so behind 1917. Styrax wilsoni – daisypetallum – langllangense and japonica have flowers on them but hemsleyanus is over. The Wilson Discolor in the Beech Walk is just now flowering again fairly well for the first time since 1915.

1920 – JCW
All the above are over and I start for the Gott match tonight.

1917 – JCW
Lilium giganteums start. Wilson’s Fortunei’s at their best, Lonicera tragophylla is good. Azalea arborescens would be fine if we had a group of it, Mikado is over. Dracoenas just over. Escallonia pteroclaydon is good.

1915 – JCW
Abelia floribunda V.G. Rosa Brunonis are good, Lilium giganteum open but only a few bulbs now, I found the best pink form of Wilson’s Fortunei in the Beech Walk I have ever seen. L tragophylla good. Azalea viscosum on the wane.

1907 – JCW
Just back from Scotland, a very wet cold summer. All daff seed but Recurvas has just been picked. Roses good yet , have been very good. Rhodo’s have grown well. One or two Lapagerias open. Maddeni nearly over. Cinnabarinum a few flowers left, Keysii open. A few azaleas open.

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