Corylopsis sinensis ‘Spring Purple’ with secondary new growth.

Cornus kousa ‘Wolf Eyes’.

Quercus x bushii ‘Seattle Trident’ (ex Roundabarrow) with its huge leaves was much admired by the International Oak Society.

Quercus palustris ‘Flaming Suzy’ (gift from John Vernon).

Crataegus wattiana with berries.

Severe deer damage to the trunk of Quercus ‘Belle d’Aquitaine’.

2024 – CHW
A shower at 9am but otherwise a dry if overcast day for the Caerhays Charity Fete on Father’s Day.The High Sherrif, Sam Galsworthy, in his full kit ready to inspect the flower festival in the church. 3 children and 2 dogs as well.

Sam’s family and the grandchildren meet up.

The grand opening with Sam and the Children’s Hospice, our main charity.

A fleet of Tuk-tucks to ferry visitors the church.

Bouncy castle.

The start of the 5km race.

Morris dancers in the back yard.

The squash box puppet show thrilled the children. Jethro without the filth so the adults enjoyed it too.

Food stalls outside the castle.

Enjoying the varied musical offerings – Mevagissey Male Voice Choir had 40 participants.

Dancing to the last of the music with John and the grandchildren.

2023 – CHW

Back to Max Kendry’s garden in the lovely village of Loxley in preparation for the third day of the first Ashes Test Match at Edgbaston.

Euonymus japonicus ‘Aureus’ in full flower.

A tremendous show of flowering on Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’.

2022 – CHW

A garden tour on behalf of the National Garden Scheme charity (eleven paid but only six turned up).

Sad news that Lawrence Banks of Hergest Croft garden has just died. One of the RHS titans of the woody plant world and a family friend for many generations of gardening.

Rhododendron ‘Crosswater Belle’ is tender with us and temperamental. Better pink colouration in sun than in shade. Our clump needs more shelter from cold winds.

One year old and new female cones on Araucaria bidwillii.

Styrax wilsonii is a shrubby species. Flowering much better than last year unlike other species which are doing the reverse.

Carpinus japonicus with fruit cones turning pinkish already.

Cornus kousa ‘Ed Mezitt’ with its first flowers and reddish new growth.

Cornus ‘Venus’ the knockout plant on our Chelsea stand with its bracts finally turning pinkish here before dropping.

Rhododendron auriculatum just out.

Styrax wuyuanensis is only just starting to come out. Most S. japonicus and S. formosanus forms nearly over.

A small flowered form of Rhododendron maddenii below Donkey Shoe just showing.

Rhododendron fortunei subsp. discolor just out in the Main Quarry.

Tropaeolum ciliatum suddenly out in flower on the castle wall.

2021 – CHW
First trip to Hook Norton Brewery for 16 months. Zoom board meetings replaced by reality. Could it be profitability in May after 13 months of severe losses?Another clump of Rhododendron nuttallii.

Three Rhododendron yuefengense out in the old Orchid House Nursery bed. Two plants have caught the wind and have smallish and pale pink flowers. The third has much larger flowers opening dark pink as you can see.

On 22nd July last year I photographed Camellia ‘Kitty’ with a flower. Today it is full out with flowers shedding everywhere underneath this 1960s planted large shrub. Pinkish when it opens fading to white. A late flowerer like this will be a welcome addition to the catalogue.

Picea pungens ‘Spek’ with its fantastic light blue new growth.

Cotoneaster confusus just going over.

The clump of three Hypericum lancastriense has taken a cold winter hammering with dieback but is now reshooting vigorously. Needs a good pruning.