22nd June

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

Rather like last year but, sadly, rather earlier in June than then, I find trips around the garden disheartening as I watch decent established rhododendrons, and other fairly recently planted things, in hotter spots die on their feet in only a few days from drought. When in a depressed mood, because I see no real rain in the next weeks forecast, I begin to wonder if it is worth growing rhododendrons at all. After a glass of wine somehow the depression lifts when one thinks about new species to try in catalogues and in our nursery beds. Tom Hudson’s email today about a Litsea/ Lindera tour here soon had a similar effect.

Todays quest is to photograph 3 oaks which I looked at earlier this week with Allen Coombes which he says are wrongly named.

This has always been known for generations as Quercus myrsinifolia which grows as a windbreak hedge in the Aucklandii Garden. Burncoose have grown this from cuttings for years and sold it as Q. myrsinifolia. Alan says it is Quercus glauca and, I agree, that it looks NOW very like the Q. glauca which I photographed at Batsford Arboretum last week (and an elderly plant here in the Rookery). Hilliers says that Q. myrsinifolia is often confused with Q. glauca but the difference is that the new growth is purple-red when it unfurls (a bit later than Q. glauca). Our ‘hedge’ certainly has attractive purple-red new growth. Alan then says that the undersides of the newer leaves of Q. glabra are ‘hairy’ and we gaze through the eyeglass to prove his point. Where is the true Q. myrsinifolia then to prove that it does not have hairs on the underside of its leaves? One has to enjoy these sorts of debates as a non-botanist, non-taxonomist and enthusiastic amateur. Its not the first time this issue has been raised. If our trees produce acorns this year I must photograph them! That just might be the decider. (In fact I think I already have in past years and they are exactly as pictured on the IDS website as Q. myrsinifolia and not at all like Q. glabra).

Quercus myrsinifolia
Quercus myrsinifolia
Quercus myrsinifolia
Quercus myrsinifolia
Quercus myrsinifolia
Quercus myrsinifolia

These 2 plants have always been labelled as 2 different species of Castanopsis from seed grown from one of Alan’s wild collections. They are not evergreen and clearly not Castanopsis. How this occurred in the greenhouse c. 2000 I have no idea or even whether it was our seed/ label/ growing muddle to start with. Anyway Alan is absolutely right and identifies them both as Q. chenii (previously Quercus acutifolia).

Quercus acutifolia
Quercus acutifolia
Quercus acutifolia
Quercus acutifolia
Quercus acutifolia
Quercus acutifolia
Quercus acutifolia
Quercus acutifolia
This we had as Quercus gregii (one of several young plants here but this one a gift from Penrice) but Alan says it is in fact Quercus glabrescens. Both (if it is) have a bushy, multi-stemmed habit, pinkish new growth in the autumn and are cut back a bit in a cold winter. I accept that this plant looks in better shape than our other Q. gregii TODAY but I need to do a lot more research to get closer to understanding all the names of these new oak species. It gets more and more complicated and the number of oak experts is rather limited even if Alan is the King! Anyway Q. glabrescens seems to like a hot spot! (Sadly the IDS website doesn’t have much at present on Q. glabrescens).
Quercus gregii
Quercus gregii
Quercus gregii
Quercus gregii
Quercus gregii
Quercus gregii
Quercus gregii
Quercus gregii
Isn’t this the real fun of trying to grow and preserve these very rare old and new introductions from the wild?

2022 – CHW
A few secondary flowers on the now fully recovered large Magnolia dawsoniana outside the front gate.
Magnolia dawsoniana
Magnolia dawsoniana
A good young clump of the pink form of Rhododendron decorum outside the front gate. The last few decent flowers.
Rhododendron decorum
Rhododendron decorum
The rhododendrons planted five years ago above the drive towards Four in Hand have grown well with few losses despite it being a hot dry spell.
rhododendrons
rhododendrons
Ginkgo biloba ‘Jade Butterflies’ with its attractive leaves. Planted 2009.
Ginkgo biloba ‘Jade Butterflies’
Ginkgo biloba ‘Jade Butterflies’
Ginkgo biloba ‘Jade Butterflies’
Ginkgo biloba ‘Jade Butterflies’
Impressive new growth on Taxus baccata ‘Semperaurea’.
Taxus baccata ‘Semperaurea’
Taxus baccata ‘Semperaurea’
Viburnum erubescens making an attractive show below Sinogrande Walk.
Viburnum erubescens
Viburnum erubescens
Viburnum erubescens
Viburnum erubescens
Cornus angustata with rather smaller bracts.
Cornus angustata
Cornus angustata
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’. Planted 2009.
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’
A tree fern on Sinogrande Walk with Rh. ponticum and Quercus ilex growing from its trunk.
tree fern
tree fern
The (untraceable) and dwarf Carpinus nimpoli finally getting going with red new growth.
Carpinus nimpoli
Carpinus nimpoli
Buddleia limitanea – a gift from Peter Moore planted 2017. Compact and rounded habit with silvery leaves. Flowers have yellow centres.
Buddleia limitanea
Buddleia limitanea
Buddleia limitanea
Buddleia limitanea
Pseudotaxus chenii growing away well now in a hot spot on a dry bank.
Pseudotaxus chenii
Pseudotaxus chenii
Ginkgo biloba ‘Mutant Weeper’ with very long and peculiar split leaves. Planted 2005.
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba

2021 – CHW
Yesterday’s rain has been a godsend to the younger plants especially the newly planted azaleas in Kennel Close which were wilting.Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’ at its best on Hovel Cart Road.
Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’
Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’
Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’
Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’
Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’
Cornus kousa ‘Madame Butterfly’
Styrax wuyuanensis at its absolute best but a bit droopy from the rain and weight of the flowers.
Styrax wuyuanensis
Styrax wuyuanensis
Styrax wuyuanensis
Styrax wuyuanensis
Rhododendron [to confirm from planting plant update – label lost]
Rhododendron

Rhododendron
I have been waiting for weeks for the Viburnum hoangliense flowers to actually open. When they do there is, sadly, not that much to see. Tiny upright flowers in large flower clusters.
Viburnum hoangliense
Viburnum hoangliense
Viburnum hoangliense
Viburnum hoangliense
Viburnum hoangliense
Viburnum hoangliense
Flowers now full out on Huodendron tibeticum and new growth emerging.
Huodendron tibeticum
Huodendron tibeticum
First flowers out on the late flowering Rhododendron auriculatum. Earlier than normal.
Rhododendron auriculatum
Rhododendron auriculatum
Rosa roxburgii nicely out but most flowers battered by rain.
Rosa roxburgii
Rosa roxburgii
Raphiolepsis umbellata out but battered too.
Raphiolepsis umbellata
Raphiolepsis umbellata
Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’ just out high up.
Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’
Magnolia virginiana ‘Satellite’
A replacement Schefflera macrophylla with good new growth. Deer damage risk unless the netting is heightened!
Schefflera macrophylla
Schefflera macrophylla
Magnolia globosa has 10 or more flowers out today. The first flower was about three weeks ago.
Magnolia globosa
Magnolia globosa
Magnolia globosa
Magnolia globosa
Still plenty of flower on Michelia x foggii ‘Jack Fogg’ – two months at least in flower.
Michelia x foggii ‘Jack Fogg’
Michelia x foggii ‘Jack Fogg’
Philadelphus pekinensis in flower but not profusely as yet two and a half years from planting.
Philadelphus pekinensis
Philadelphus pekinensis
Philadelphus pekinensis
Philadelphus pekinensis
First flowers on Rhododendron maddenii below Donkey Shoe. Very like Rhododendron crassum really which is now over.
Rhododendron maddenii
Rhododendron maddenii
This Rhododendron keysii absolutely full out at the wrong time of the year. Fear it will now pass out.
Rhododendron keysii
Rhododendron keysii
Rhododendron keysii
Rhododendron keysii

2020 – CHW
A little bit of history to add to the absurdities and real problems of lockdown. My daughter has been trying to get married to an army colonel who is about to go on active service overseas in Africa. I will not bore you here but will put the saga in the handwritten diary for posterity which is an email from the regimental chaplain to a government minister outlining the predicament and how church law has little leeway to do anything when churches and registry offices are closed.Quercus laurifolia had some dieback and was very slow into leaf but now the drought is over things are looking up. Nice bark developing on the trunk. We used to have a row of three Q. laurifolia which were small trees in the Rireii Opening but the last blew over a few years ago.
Quercus laurifolia
Quercus laurifolia
Quercus laurifolia
Quercus laurifolia
Buddleia loricata is now in flower by the shop. Creamy flowers with a reddish-orange eye. Another thing to propagate for the Burncoose website.
Buddleia loricata
Buddleia loricata
Buddleia loricata
Buddleia loricata

I went to check the younger plants in the Stewartia collection but nothing out yet and, like the Styrax, there does not seem much bud compared to last year. Even the mature Stewartia rostratas have only 25% of the flowers they produced last year. Stewartia x henryae still in tight bud in Kennel Close.

Escallonia tucumanensis is a gorgeous species from Argentina. Its drooping panicles of flowers are a delight. Asia should propagate lots! I suspect it would root very easily now. It has been perfectly hardy here for six to eight years and needs no trimming.

Escallonia tucumanensis
Escallonia tucumanensis
Escallonia tucumanensis
Escallonia tucumanensis
Escallonia tucumanensis
Escallonia tucumanensis
Escallonia tucumanensis
Escallonia tucumanensis

2019 – CHW
Ninety-five to lunch and tour here yesterday to raise funds for the Cornwall Historic Churches Trust. We kept the flower festival going in the church and prompted them to drop in on their way home – £87 extra raised. Thankfully that is about it for house tours and house group visits for this year.

Ross Collins has now felled and split all the trunks of the five big beech trees. We will do the burning up ourselves but we agreed on site to extend the new planting area for next spring by grubbing out some additional old camellias and the odd rhododendron.

felled and split
felled and split
felled and split
felled and split
felled and split
felled and split
felled and split
felled and split
Vaccinum cylindraeceum in full flower with greenish-cream flowers in profusion that have a hint of pink. Quite outstanding today. It comes from the Azores and only one of the three original plantings has made a decent plant. More or less evergreen with black fruits.
Vaccinum cylindraeceum
Vaccinum cylindraeceum
Vaccinum cylindraeceum
Vaccinum cylindraeceum
Vaccinum cylindraeceum
Vaccinum cylindraeceum
The supposed Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis (DJHV 06105) is probably Manglietia insignis from N. Vietnam but investigations continue with Crug Farm. Full out today and very well worth its place. Jaimie wants to layer it as cuttings have so far failed.
Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis
Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis
Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis
Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis
Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis
Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis
Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis
Magnolia floribunda var. tonkinensis
Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla (syn. monticola) has the most gigantic leaves as you can see here. Far bigger than on any other lime tree which I have seen. The slugs have had a go in the recent rain but nothing too drastic and a roe deer has enjoyed a few lower leaves. Thankfully most are now out of reach.
Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla
Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla
Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla
Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla
Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla
Tilia carolina subsp. heterophylla
Styrax faberi just coming out.
Styrax faberi
Styrax faberi
Ilex kingiana with berries already setting.
Ilex kingiana
Ilex kingiana
Ilex kingiana
Ilex kingiana
Jaimie and Michael just back from the Isle of Wight. Would it not be wonderful if we could put up signs like this in Cornwall. The Cornwall Red Squirrel Project is getting closer to a release on the Lizard Peninsula.
Isle of Wight squirrels sign
Isle of Wight squirrels sign

2018 – CHW
A fine crop of blueberries are emerging on the newly planted plants in the Isla Rose Plantation. Isla is now walking without support at 15 months old so she might just get to taste them later.

blueberries
blueberries
blueberries
blueberries
At the nursery today for various meetings.
Clematis florida ‘Taiga’ really is an outstanding show.
Clematis florida ‘Taiga’
Clematis florida ‘Taiga’
Clematis florida ‘Taiga’
Clematis florida ‘Taiga’
Delphinium ‘Wishful Thinking’ will be a pleasant bicoloured addition to next year’s catalogue.
Carpinus tuczaninowii will be new for next year too.
Carpinus tuczaninowii
Carpinus tuczaninowii
Carpinus tuczaninowii
Carpinus tuczaninowii
Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Summer Sunset’ has a gorgeous mix of leaf colours as the sun bleaches them red.
Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Summer Sunset’
Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Summer Sunset’
Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Summer Sunset’
Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Summer Sunset’

2017 – CHW
I stopped in Carnon Downs on the way to Burncoose today to photograph this amazing clump of pink lampranthus full out in the sun.

pink lampranthus
pink lampranthus
pink lampranthus
pink lampranthus
The five young plants of Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’ are all growing on well on the bank. 2ft of new growth this year.
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Splendour’
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Overton’ has some stunning flowers. The other on the top wall are not out just yet.
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Overton’
Magnolia grandiflora ‘Overton’
Gingko biloba ‘Saratoga’ has an extraordinary leaf structure. Very slow to get going as this has been here for eight years.
Gingko biloba ‘Saratoga’
Gingko biloba ‘Saratoga’
Gingko biloba ‘Saratoga’
Gingko biloba ‘Saratoga’
Another unknown but very late flowering evergreen azalea in two clumps between the ferneries. Not very floriferous and not a very nice orange-red. My father never knew its name either. Perhaps worth Asia propagating?
evergreen azalea
evergreen azalea
evergreen azalea
evergreen azalea
The young monkey puzzle is flowering for the first time. Is this a male of female? On the basis of the Wollemi seen yesterday the dark cones of flower should be male. [Update – they are male! See comments below.]
monkey puzzle
monkey puzzle
monkey puzzle
monkey puzzle
This ancient Rhododendron indicum by the front door is quite a show!
Rhododendron indicum
Rhododendron indicum
Rhododendron indicum
Rhododendron indicum
Rhododendron indicum
Rhododendron indicum

2016 – CHW
Day trip to Hook Norton Brewery for a monthly board meeting.
2015 – CHW
Another styrax full out; Styrax obassia with the largest leaves of any species and white racemens of flowers hidden amid the foliage.Cornus kousa ‘National’ (I think) on the drive has large faintly star shaped flowers. This was planted in 1991 and is a good sized tree.Behind it a clump of three white Rhododendron decorum coming into their prime but flowering rather later than the older and ancient original plants in the garden, some of which were out a month ago and all of which are now over.On the Hovel Cart Road the evergreen Cornus hongkongensis is starting the odd flower. The US reference book on cornus does not even mention this variety which one has to say is a pretty dull collector’s item. The other one was pruned up by deer.Near Georges Hut a fine 15 year old replacement clump of Rhododendron auriculatum  flowering its heart out.Touching them is a 1991 vintage Stewartia rostrata with its first few huge camellia-like flowers with a splodge of pink. This is, to my mind, the best of the stewartias with superb dark purple, almost black autumn colour.In Kennel Close we find a styrax (ex Crug) which is flowering profusely and the first time seen by me. About six years from planting and now bushy and about eight feet tall. Some leaves are oval and some more elliptical. The reference books are unclear. I think it is Styrax wilsonii but it may be Styrax officinalis which grows rather taller; twice the size in fact.A new Magnolia ‘Summer Solstice’ has its first three flowers where we can see them unlike the main 1991 planted tree.Primula helodoxa is flowering just outside my study window. There used to be quite a collection of candelabra primulas in the Auklandii Garden where they would self sow themselves on damp bare earth patches. It was interesting to note that over time all the new seedlings became yellow and still a few pop up (as here) from time to time. Primula helodoxa clearly has the dominant gene and the only survivor.

1996 – FJW
Magnolia Macrophylla dealbata in flower for first time.

1917 – JCW
The Wilson Fortunei’s are starting to open. A Mikado is very good and A arborescens, also some of the Harrow hybrids. Papa gontier [rose] is good and also R maddeni, hardly a bud was touched by the great frost.

1897 – JCW
The waterlilies are at their best. Bambusa nigra at full length, Henonis at ¾ of their length, Mitis only now starting in some cases and so nitida.

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