8th 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

To Burncoose to deliver the 2025 catalogue proof at its first stage.

Agapanthus ‘Royal Velvet’ is quite stunning today.

Agapanthus ‘Royal Velvet’
Agapanthus ‘Royal Velvet’
Hydrangeas lined up for customers by the sales point.
Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas
Agapanthus ‘Windsor Grey’ really is grey!
Agapanthus ‘Windsor Grey’
Agapanthus ‘Windsor Grey’
This batch, supposedly, of Buddleia globosa from France are flowering yellow rather than the more normal orange. That is perhaps OK but the other half of the batch are pink and not quite globose at all.
Buddleia globosa
Buddleia globosa
Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Grenadene’ is a good new addition to the website. Orange-red on opening then turning redder.
Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Grenadene’
Campsis x tagliabuana ‘Grenadene’
Cardiocrinum giganteum in flower. I hope Cressy grabs the seed when ripe as they are very easy to grow.
Cardiocrinum giganteum
Cardiocrinum giganteum
Gomphostigma virgatum is a new addition to the 2025 catalogue. A South African plant with rosemary-like leaves and rather better flowers.
Gomphostigma virgatum
Gomphostigma virgatum
Persicaria alpina is another new entry for the catalogue.
Persicaria alpina
Persicaria alpina
Magnolia potting week in the nursery.
Magnolia potting
Magnolia potting

2023 – CHW

Seed heads farming on Sorbus gonggashanica maturing early.

Sorbus gonggashanica
Sorbus gonggashanica
Acer morrisonense also covered with strings of winged seeds.
Acer morrisonense
Acer morrisonense
Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’ with its bark pealing nicely. 2014 planted.
Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’
Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis ‘China Ruby’
Huge leaves on the latest new growth on Tilia mexicana. Larger than the original ones.
Tilia mexicana
Tilia mexicana
Tilia mexicana
Tilia mexicana
Lamorna with a seed head from Carpinus japonica which she wants to eat.
Lamorna with a seed head from Carpinus japonica
Lamorna with a seed head from Carpinus japonica

2022 – CHW

To Loxley in Warwickshire and a cottage garden with great interest.

A fine Clematis viticella ‘Dark Eyes’ growing up through an apple tree.

Clematis viticella ‘Dark Eyes’

Clematis viticella ‘Dark Eyes’
Clematis viticella ‘Dark Eyes’
Victoria plums developing well.
Victoria plums
Victoria plums
Crab apples formed but far from ripe.
crab apple
crab apple
A small red fruited crab apple.
crab apple
crab apple
A golden hop dominates an apple tree.
golden hop
golden hop
Flowers forming on Humulus lupus ‘Aureus’.
Humulus lupus ‘Aureus’
Humulus lupus ‘Aureus’
A fine display of potted Hostas.
Hostas
Hostas
Hosta fortunei albomarginata in flower.
Hosta fortunei albomarginata
Hosta fortunei albomarginata
Well clipped Buxus sempervirens and Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’.
Buxus sempervirens
Buxus sempervirens
Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’ and Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’.
Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’
Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’

2021 – CHW
Osborne House is run by English Heritage so they nearly refused entry since I had not prebooked. I was then asked if I was an OAP? When answering I was told it was the wrong answer and charged £14.50 to enter just the gardens (not house).A one way system in the walled garden and no entry to the display greenhouses ‘for your safety’! The rose garden looked a bit unexciting.If only they bothered to label a bit more herbaceous stuff in the walled garden and more of the specimen trees in the parkland the public might learn something. Generally the woodland garden well maintained even if little new planting apart from annuals around the house.Managed 103 ‘nicely’ plant photographs in two hours. Even more than at Ventnor. It is tedious driving everywhere at 20mph on the island’s dreadful roads.The climbing Rosa ‘The Garland’ was especially good. A very old variety but it ought to be more widely grown.
Rosa ‘The Garland’
Rosa ‘The Garland’
Rosa ‘The Garland’
Rosa ‘The Garland’
I think we ought to sell borage (Borago officinalis) in the nursery.
Borago officinalis
Borago officinalis
Borago officinalis
Borago officinalis
Lilium hansonii was the only variety in flower yet in the covered frames.
Lilium hansonii
Lilium hansonii
Lilium hansonii
Lilium hansonii
Cupressus lawsoniana ‘Stricta’ which was planted in 1897. Forty foot perhaps.
Cupressus lawsoniana ‘Stricta’
Cupressus lawsoniana ‘Stricta’
Cupressus lawsoniana ‘Stricta’
Cupressus lawsoniana ‘Stricta’
Sciadopitys verticillata with cones as I have seen here before.
Sciadopitys verticillata
Sciadopitys verticillata
A few views of the seaward side of Osborne House and the lavender lined pergola in the walled garden.
Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House

2020 – CHW
I have now rather got the bug for this wildflower business!This is purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, growing outside the front gate and, thankfully, spared during last week’s grass cutting. It is more common in a band across mid Cornwall than elsewhere and has been recorded by botanists ‘only’ 800 times since 1999. I have seen this more often growing in and around the water meadows.
Lythrum salicaria
Lythrum salicaria
Lythrum salicaria
Lythrum salicaria
This is the view of the fairly newly reconstructed stone faced earth bank between Warren and Look Out fields. It is properly sheep fenced and now hosts many interesting wildflowers.
earth bank
earth bank
This is Reseda luteola or dyer’s rocket which is a native biennial which needs disturbed ground to germinate. It used to be grown for use in ancient dye making.
Reseda luteola
Reseda luteola
I am less sure about this but I think it is cat’s ear or Hypochoeris radicata. This is a native perennial and its leaves can be used in salads. It is very common in Cornwall in sand dunes, meadows and coastal locations as here.
Hypochoeris radicata
Hypochoeris radicata
Hypochoeris radicata
Hypochoeris radicata
I think this is Sedum angelicum – English stonecrop (it might possibly be Sedum album – white stonecrop). At first I thought it was Crassula tillaea, mossy stonecrop, but I think the odd flower which is left suggests S. angelicum which has appeared on earlier survey records here. However so has C. tillaea. The reason I plump for S. angelicum is that is grows on a similarly bare stone faced hedge top or bank outside Malvern House in the village. I have spotted it there over the years and was not sure, until now, if it was a Crassula or a Sedum? In the reference books the pictures look very similar and one needs more pictures or better detailed plant descriptions than in the Flora of Cornwall to be certain.
Sedum angelicum
Sedum angelicum
Sedum angelicum
Sedum angelicum
Sedum angelicum
Sedum angelicum
This is the view of one of the now wonderful coastal wildflower meadows which we recreated from dense scrub in the mid-1990s. It is grazed but only lightly and then trimmed to keep the invasive gorse, bramble and bracken under control.
view
view
Then back to more normality in the garden!
Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ growing in full shade under a camellia.
Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’
Hosta sieboldiana ‘Elegans’
Rhododendron sanguineum by Georges Hut.
Rhododendron sanguineum
Rhododendron sanguineum
Magnolia tamaulipana just coming out. This flowered last year for the first time but I was away at Hampton Court and missed it. Very few people in the UK have ever seen this subtropical species from the Tamaulipas in Mexico. We have tried to grow it twice before but it died in the subsequent winters. Here it is tucked away in a very sheltered spot at the top of the garden. Quite a coup in gardening terms.
Magnolia tamaulipana
Magnolia tamaulipana
Another Eucryphia x lucida ‘Pink Cloud’ with even larger flowers. This form was discovered in Tasmania.
Eucryphia x lucida ‘Pink Cloud’
Eucryphia x lucida ‘Pink Cloud’
Flowers on the very rare Cotoneaster frigidus ‘Inchmery’. We have grown seed from this.
Cotoneaster frigidus ‘Inchmery’
Cotoneaster frigidus ‘Inchmery’
Cotoneaster frigidus ‘Inchmery’
Cotoneaster frigidus ‘Inchmery’
I am not sure of the name of this mature (presumably) Cornus kousa variety below Slip Rail which I had not spotted before with very tiny flowers but now think it is Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Spinners’.
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Spinners’
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Spinners’
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Spinners’
Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Spinners’

2019 – CHW
A visit to Godshill Model Village which is basically a topiary or bonsai garden for children based around conifers. Extremely well planned and planted with immense amounts of pruning and trimming to give a superb overall effect. My only worry was that with no labels at all it was hard to recognise enough of the conifer varieties myself. Free entry to RHS members though which saved £4.95! Godshill is otherwise a ghastly tourist trap and full of dumb elderly UK tourists looking bored and oceans of tat for sale in many gift shops. Plenty of very bored fat dogs too in the Model Village which were even worse than the children. Not many RHS members there today!

Unusual clipped and pruned conifer combinations:

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkansugi’ and Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Gold Rush’

Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkansugi’ and Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Gold Rush’
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkansugi’ and Metasequoia glyptostroboides ‘Gold Rush’
Picea pungens ‘Kloster’ and Sciadopitys verticillata
Picea pungens ‘Kloster’ and Sciadopitys verticillata
Picea pungens ‘Kloster’ and Sciadopitys verticillata
Wollemia nobilis and a very fine Calocedrus decurrens ‘Aureovariegata’
Wollemia nobilis and a very fine Calocedrus decurrens ‘Aureovariegata’
Wollemia nobilis and a very fine Calocedrus decurrens ‘Aureovariegata’
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan’ [Not ‘Golden Promise’ – thank you Wolfgang Keidel for pointing this out!] and Cupressus macrocarpa
Cryptomeria japonica 'Sekkan’ and Cupressus macrocarpa
Cryptomeria japonica ‘Sekkan’ and Cupressus macrocarpa

2018 – CHW
The only thing to cheer one up here on a sweltering day is to visit Ventnor botanics. ‘The Beast’ has made a fair dent in some of the more tender things but most are rallying. Nothing is ever as bad in the garden as it seems at the time of the trouble.Agapanthus, canna and hedychium are about three weeks later than last year and still not yet out. The Cantua buxifolia was nearly dead but not much else. Here is a bit of a summary of what I found.Portulaca grandiflora decimated by the cold in spring. Odd bits survive out of the wind and the odd flower.
Portulaca grandiflora
Portulaca grandiflora
Portulaca grandiflora
Portulaca grandiflora
Arbutus menziezii has suffered and lost all its leaves but the new growth has come and the bark is fissuring nicely.
Arbutus menziezii
Arbutus menziezii
Arbutus menziezii
Arbutus menziezii
Arbutus menziezii
Arbutus menziezii
Last year this was a huge 6-7ft tall clump of Melianthus major. The cold has reduced it just to a couple of tiny shoots from the old roots. Mostly dead.
Melianthus major
Melianthus major
Also dead where the wind got it is Tetrapanax papyifera ‘Rex’. Alive however where there was more shelter.
Tetrapanax papyifera ‘Rex’
Tetrapanax papyifera ‘Rex’
Tetrapanax papyifera ‘Rex’
Tetrapanax papyifera ‘Rex’
Aristolochia californica (Californian Dutchman’s pipe) is shooting well from the base but most of it, growing through another plant, is well dead. We admired this in full flower last year.
Aristolochia californica
Aristolochia californica
Some of the huge agave were untouched by ‘The Beast’ but not others!
agave
agave
agave
agave
agave
agave
The lovely Grevillea johnsonii is now decimated and only one branch of many remains.
Grevillea johnsonii
Grevillea johnsonii
Grevillea johnsonii
Grevillea johnsonii
Washingtonia robusta have survived the winter with a good bit of scorching to most of the leaves but otherwise a huge win here.
Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta
Washingtonia robusta
Phoenix canariensis untouched too.
Phoenix canariensis
Phoenix canariensis

2017 – CHW
Stop and marvel at the peeling bark on Rhododendron stenaulum. We have just pruned other things away from it so that you can see the peeling on the trunk, branches and smaller stems in all their glory. A great natural spectacle which few will have observed on this extraordinary plant. The species has been renamed Rhododendron moulmainense but will always be stenaulum to me.
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Rhododendron stenaulum
Viburnum betulifolium is now in full flower.
Viburnum betulifolium
Viburnum betulifolium
Viburnum betulifolium
Viburnum betulifolium
The first Crinum powellii (crinum lily) is out but the slugs have got there first despite the hot weather. The leaves are hugely slug damaged too which is the trouble with this excellent later flowering bulbous plant.
Crinum powellii
Crinum powellii
The clump of dierama on the top wall is just out and there are two, if not three, forms with different colours. Very lovely indeed. Asia will need to grab the seed in a few weeks as they set quickly. The pink form has flashes on its angels trumpets!
dierama
dierama
dierama
dierama
dierama
dierama
dierama
dierama
The last of the Rhododendron royalii ‘Pink Flush’ is out and flopping in the heat on Burns Bank.
Rhododendron royalii ‘Pink Flush’
Rhododendron royalii ‘Pink Flush’
We have always called this Stewartia sinensis and I think its bark proves it is that of Stewartia sinensis. Just going over today and the ground is carpeted in small fallen white flowers. I need to check the shape of the seed to be certain. The tree is leaning at such an angle that it must soon fall over. Last year the seeds were sterile but Asia needs to try again later.
Stewartia sinensis
Stewartia sinensis
Stewartia sinensis
Stewartia sinensis
Stewartia sinensis
Stewartia sinensis
Stewartia sinensis
Stewartia sinensis
Scaffolding up the towers for window painting next week.
Scaffolding
Scaffolding

2016 – CHW
The new wind turbine was delivered to Pittsdown yesterday and they started erecting straightaway. Here are some photos of it coming over the bridge in Tregony. There is a nice scuff on the last one and the bridge!
wind turbine
wind turbine
wind turbine
wind turbine

2015 – CHWTo Buzy Bees Garden Centre on a photography mission and to try to find worthwhile and popular ‘new’ plants for next year’s Burncoose catalogue.  Huge expense on revamping this enormous concrete shed with a few plants (windblown) outside. Pricing not that expensive.  Roses all from Harkness so nothing much here that we stock.

Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’ looked rather nice and would I think be a welcome addition. We used to stock this.
Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’
Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’
Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’
Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’
Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’
Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’
Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’
Saluia involucrate ‘Bethellii’
Leucanthemum ‘Aglaia’ has rather an attractive frilly edge to the flower.  Would probably sell well but we added two new leucanthemums into the 2015 catalogue.
Leucanthemum ‘Aglaia’
Leucanthemum ‘Aglaia’
Leucanthemum ‘Aglaia’
Leucanthemum ‘Aglaia’
Leucanthemum ‘Aglaia’
Leucanthemum ‘Aglaia’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’ – nice to see a Caerhays bred plant in stock here. Named after a gardener called Mr Ivey. A wonderful plant for bees and butterflies. Giant fritillaries and Red Admirals especially. I will try to picture the originals on my return.
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’
Escallonia ‘Iveyi’

2004 – FJW
Visit to Caerhays of Roy Lancaster.
Visited the new areas in the 40 Acres and Old Park for the first time. The first knowledgeable outsider to see them.Knowledgeable considering if they exist do not visit gardens these days.
Trip around parts of the Castle Garden. He met old friends he had first met 40 years ago.
He brought some very interesting plants with him for the garden.
He lectured for 2 hours in and round and after a hard day, talked until midnight!
A wet period but no rain fell on this day.

1994 – FJW
June was fairly dry (3 good days for the Royal Cornwall). Not very hot and rain every 3 or 4 days. Picked flower of Camellia 1. Konron Jura 2. Hawaii

1925 – JCW
Griersonianum and maddeni hybrid (late one) are the best rhodo’s but a number of good Dichroanthum are giving bits of flower. R Brunonis is very good, also American Pillar and L giganteums – Romneya nice.

1897 – JCW
Desfontainea’s at their best. I planted Rapid on the road to the Kitchen Garden. (1925 is yet there and never increased).

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