2nd 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

Well in to the first proof of the 2024 Burncoose catalogue celebrating 40 years since the business started.

Rhododendron ‘Tally Ho’ splendid on the Drive today.

Rhododendron ‘Tally Ho’
Rhododendron ‘Tally Ho’
Deutzia x hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’ just coming out. In a day or two this will be quite outstanding as well. D. pulchra is good and D.calycosa ‘Dali’ good as well but this one is, for me, the best Deutzia of all.
Deutzia x hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’
Deutzia x hybrida ‘Strawberry Fields’
Only 2 of the 5 different colours in the Azalea indica clump towards the Top Lodge are actually out yet.
Azalea indica clump
Azalea indica clump
Jaimie has started a hard prune on the laurel hedge between Red Linney and Top Lodge on the lower side of the Drive.
Jaimie has started
Jaimie has started
An enormous gall has formed on a Camellia flower which will be the food source for whatever insect has laid its eggs inside it. Strange but not that uncommon.
enormous gall
enormous gall
Azalea ‘Narcissiflorum’ full out on the Drive above Red Linney. A tree hit half of the clump 2 or 3 years ago and was cut back hard but it has responded well and the regrowth flowering already.
Azalea ‘Narcissiflorum’
Azalea ‘Narcissiflorum’
Still a few flowers on Magnolia ‘lolanthe’ below the Drive.
Magnolia ‘lolanthe’
Magnolia ‘lolanthe’
Liriodendron tulipifera with some branches covered in flower high up although they are hard to see. The branches on the windward side have loads of flower but those in the lee do not.
Liriodendron tulipifera
Liriodendron tulipifera
‘Flowering’ for the first time that I have noticed on a 25 year old Monkey Puzzle outside the Front Gate. These are male (flower) cones. The females are more rounded on the end of the twigs/branches. So the older mature Araucaria aracuna and the younger plant (as here) are both males!
25 year old Monkey Puzzle
25 year old Monkey Puzzle

2022 – CHW

The first day of the Jubilee bank holiday weekend and the weather is set fine. The Trooping the Colour and the flypast over the Queen and the palace was as good as it can be!

Tom Hudson has responded to my short article on Rhodoleia aff. parvipetala written for the Cornwall Garden Society yearbook in 2023 which I had asked him to peer review. This plant flowered here spectacularly for the first time last spring and came from a wild collection in Vietnam by Sue and Bleddyn Wynn-Jones of Crûg Farm.

Here are Tom’s comments and a picture of leaves from his four plants together with pictures of his (supposed) Rhodoleia henryi. It looks identical to our plant of aff. parvipetala as he readily admits!

picture of leaves
picture of leaves
Rhodoleia henryi
Rhodoleia henryi
Rhodoleia henryi
Rhodoleia henryi
From: Tom Hudson
Sent: 25 May 2022 18:54
To: Charles Williams
Subject: Rhodoleia spp.
Dear Charlie,
Thanks for your note regarding the Rhodoleia flowering.
As usual this genus is a completely mixed up mess taxonomically and the Flora of China key isn’t particularly useful.
No images to speak of online and I’m a little wary of the Crug aff parvipetala moniker.
I have attached an image of the 4 different leaf types that are growing here, a mixture from Southern China and Nth Vietnam.
Unfortunately the only species to regularly flower here is Rhodoleia henryi which is the right hand leaf.
The left hand leaf is Rhodoleia championii from China which even though is about 20 or more years old hasn’t flowered yet.
The other 2 leaves in the centre are from separate collections and haven’t flowered either but are noticeably different.
Having looked at some of the Crug collections there doesn’t seem to be any consistent key characters that delineate parvipetala and henryi.
I’m thinking that these two species may be merged in due course.
I’m going to have to play the waiting game here to get more flowers on these other 2 species at least before putting head above parapet…..
Anyway your images look great and you have a lovely addition in the woodland.
Its hard for me to construct much comment on your article when the situation is still so much up in the air.
Let another game commence…….
All the best,
Tom
A few pictures of the Jubilee (bonfire) beacon in Church Town Field at 9.15-9.45. Lighting time was 9.45. ‘Bring your own booze’ as they say at No. 10 lockdown parties but pasties provided. Around 40 cars and 100 people turned up. Not bad for a parish of only 75!
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon
Jubilee (bonfire) beacon

2021 – CHW
Preparing for Rick Stein’s filming this afternoon and identifying what is best in the garden to film.

Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Wallaby’

Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Wallaby’
Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Wallaby’
Azalea kaempferi at its best at Donkey Shoe.
Azalea kaempferi
Azalea kaempferi
Philadelphus sericanthus just out. This is going to be a sizeable shrub.
Philadelphus sericanthus
Philadelphus sericanthus
Philadelphus sericanthus
Philadelphus sericanthus
Philadelphus caucasicus just out too. Two of the three plants are growing well.
Philadelphus caucasicus
Philadelphus caucasicus
Philadelphus caucasicus
Philadelphus caucasicus
Another plant of Rhododendron excellens in full flower two years from planting out.
Rhododendron excellens
Rhododendron excellens
This is the shot for filming – Rhododendron ‘Lem’s Monarch’ at its best.
Rhododendron ‘Lem’s Monarch’
Rhododendron ‘Lem’s Monarch’
Syringa wilsonii now full out.
Syringa wilsonii
Syringa wilsonii
Syringa wilsonii
Syringa wilsonii
These wild growing Papaver cambricum beside the drive are a joy. Welsh poppy – previously Meconopsis cambrica. Fairly rare in Cornwall as a native wildflower.
Papaver cambricum
Papaver cambricum
The end of filming with Rick Stein, his wife, and the film crew outside the front door. Filming of what may be 10 minutes of a BBC programme about Cornish life next spring took five hours. In the garden we filmed:
Rick Stein, his wife, and the film crew
Rick Stein, his wife, and the film crew
Rick Stein, his wife, and the film crew
Rick Stein, his wife, and the film crew
Styrax veitchiorum (Styrax odoratissimum)
Rhododendron ‘Lem’s Monarch’Rhododendron excellens and Rhododendron williamsianumMagnolia sieboldiiIf we had not all been well prepared it would have taken much longer. Rick has been commissioned to host the making of 15 separate programmes over 45 days filming. As he said, little time for his other businesses.

2020 – CHW
A trip to look at the very late flowering deciduous azaleas by the Trevanion Holly. I have more or less identified these in previous years as a separate set of American bred hybrids. No names sadly but they are very different in texture/colour and flowering time to all the others on the drive.Along the way I find Deutzia ningpoensis (chunii) which we need pictures for on the website. Very pretty as it comes out.
Deutzia ningpoensis
Deutzia ningpoensis
Deutzia ningpoensis
Deutzia ningpoensis
Deutzia ningpoensis
Deutzia ningpoensis
Deutzia ningpoensis
Deutzia ningpoensis
The first orange with a yellow flash – nearly over.
first orange
first orange
This one really caught the eye today. Pinkish red with an orange flare. Hugely scented in today’s heatwave and gentler east winds.
Pinkish red
Pinkish red
Pinkish red
Pinkish red
Pinkish red
Pinkish red
Pinkish red
Pinkish red
Then a red one with an orange flare.
red
red
red
red
Still tight buds on Styrax japonicus ‘Pink Chimes’.
Styrax japonicus ‘Pink Chimes’
Styrax japonicus ‘Pink Chimes’
A light pink with yellow flare – huge bush.
light pink
light pink
light pink
light pink
Similar but with a much tighter flower head.
tighter flower head
tighter flower head
Slightly different again – light pink with a yellow flare and a whitish stripe.
whitish stripe
whitish stripe
whitish stripe
whitish stripe
whitish stripe
whitish stripe
Then a rather more conventional late flowering pale yellow.
pale yellow
pale yellow
pale yellow
pale yellow
Similar again with a darker yellow flare.
darker yellow
darker yellow
Cornus kousa ‘Wendle Weeping’ is in full shade under a magnolia but still has a few flowers.
Cornus kousa ‘Wendle Weeping’
Cornus kousa ‘Wendle Weeping’
Cornus kousa ‘Wendle Weeping’
Cornus kousa ‘Wendle Weeping’
Deutzia scabra has pink flecking on the back of its petals and pink buds but is pure white from a distance.
Deutzia scabra
Deutzia scabra
Deutzia scabra
Deutzia scabra
One forgets just how stunning Cercis canadensis ‘Forrest Pansy’ is when in leaf. It is very late to come into leaf but then…
Cercis canadensis ‘Forrest Pansy’
Cercis canadensis ‘Forrest Pansy’
Cercis canadensis ‘Forrest Pansy’
Cercis canadensis ‘Forrest Pansy’
Cercis canadensis ‘Forrest Pansy’
Cercis canadensis ‘Forrest Pansy’
More flowers on Hydrangea ‘Ayesha’.
Hydrangea ‘Ayesha’
Hydrangea ‘Ayesha’
A very late clump of bluebells which Serena hopes to use in her bouquet if lockdown is lifted enough for her to marry Neil – perhaps on Friday?
bluebells
bluebells
A very late orangey semi deciduous azalea below the Fernery. No name. The end one in this clump is earlier and darker. Youngish plants now in the Auklandii Garden but this one is worth propagating too.
azalea
azalea
azalea
azalea

2019 – CHW
A large group of Belgian and French horticulturalists and gardeners. A four hour trip around which was enjoyed by all. Slow going which is exactly how I like to look at a new garden and unknown new plants.Some wild orchids in the long grass above the greenhouse. Really rather rare here.
Wild orchids
Wild orchids
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus with strange new growth. Still only 4ft tall although planted in 2007.
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Lithocarpus lepidocarpus
Persea thunbergii new growth which speaks for itself.
Persea thunbergii
Persea thunbergii
Persea thunbergii
Persea thunbergii
Magnolia acuminata ‘Seiyu’ with bluish buds and yellowish flowers.
Magnolia acuminata ‘Seiyu’
Magnolia acuminata ‘Seiyu’
Magnolia acuminata ‘Seiyu’
Magnolia acuminata ‘Seiyu’
Just a single flower on Rhododendron bureavei this year but it looks well.
Rhododendron bureavei
Rhododendron bureavei
Acorns forming on Quercus lamellosa in profusion. Nothing has ever come of these before. They shrivel and never develop.
Quercus lamellosa
Quercus lamellosa
Quercus lamellosa
Quercus lamellosa
A low down flower on Magnolia rostrata.
Magnolia rostrata
Magnolia rostrata
The red flowers are over on Juglans ailanthifolia and seed pods are forming quickly.
Juglans ailanthifolia
Juglans ailanthifolia
The undersides of the new leaves on Salix moupinense are silvery.
Salix moupinense
Salix moupinense
Salix moupinense
Salix moupinense
Rhododendron catawbiense (or very similar) hidden away at the top of the garden. It is expendable and there are better things either side of it.
Rhododendron catawbiense
Rhododendron catawbiense
Rhododendron catawbiense
Rhododendron catawbiense
Reddish-pink new growth and early leaves on Quercus crassifolia. The silvery underside to the new leaves is good too. This is one of a few of the newer evergreen oaks which we all should be growing.
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Quercus crassifolia
Pterostyrax psilophyllus in flower. Its leaves have three lobes and this used to be called Pterostyrax leveillei. Some plants of P. psilophyllus have leaves without the three lobes as here. The flowers are about halfway in size and shape between Pterostyrax hispida and Pterostyrax corymbosa but out a bit before or alongside the leaves.
Pterostyrax psilophyllus
Pterostyrax psilophyllus
Pterostyrax psilophyllus
Pterostyrax psilophyllus
Enkianthus hirtinervus now full out and splendid. The very last of the Enkianthus species to flower.
Enkianthus hirtinervus
Enkianthus hirtinervus
Enkianthus hirtinervus
Enkianthus hirtinervus

2018 – CHW
A young Acer macrophyllum now just in leaf in the new Isla Rose Plantation. I fear it is not in the right place and needs moving next winter.

Acer macrophyllum
Acer macrophyllum
Pterocarya macroptera var insignis does not look terribly different in its first leaf form to the Pterocarya fraxinifolia growing by the sales point which came from Tregothnan 35 or so years ago.
Pterocarya macroptera var insignis
Pterocarya macroptera var insignis
Pterocarya macroptera var insignis
Pterocarya macroptera var insignis
Pterocarya tonkinensis does however look very different in leaf. If these two survive here in the Isla Rose Plantation they will one day be enormous trees. I wonder if these species will produce numerous root suckers like P. fraxinifolia always does? Blackish bark with white spots on this new species to us. Seems very vigorous.
Pterocarya tonkinensis
Pterocarya tonkinensis
Pterocarya tonkinensis
Pterocarya tonkinensis
A good bit of tree pruning on a young beech tree to let in more light to the adjacent clump of Rhododendron nuttallii which is nearly out in flower.
young beech tree
young beech tree
young beech tree
young beech tree
This extraordinary but rather tiny and insignificant flower belongs to Euonymus moupinensis in the Auklandii Garden. The flowers seem to be growing out of the centre of the leaf (like a helwingia) but they are actually stalked back to the base of the leaf. A very odd species which we might do well to propagate.
Euonymus moupinensis
Euonymus moupinensis
Euonymus moupinensis
Euonymus moupinensis
Euonymus moupinensis
Euonymus moupinensis
Attractive reddish new growth on Stewartia pteropetiolata and reddish stems to the new leaves. Re-growing vigorously after major leaf loss in ‘The Beast’.
Stewartia pteropetiolata
Stewartia pteropetiolata
Stewartia pteropetiolata
Stewartia pteropetiolata
Philadelphus satsumi is a new species to us and highly floriferous. One for Asia to propagate definitely.
Philadelphus satsumi
Philadelphus satsumi
Philadelphus satsumi
Philadelphus satsumi
Wachendorfia thrysiflora in full flower in a pot in one of the greenhouse holding frames for new plants to go out in 2019.
Wachendorfia thrysiflora
Wachendorfia thrysiflora
Wachendorfia thrysiflora
Wachendorfia thrysiflora

2017 – CHW
The Great Gardens of Cornwall meeting today is at Lamorran Gardens above St Mawes. 35 years ago when Burncoose worked on a project here it was all exposed to the elements. Today the garden is shrouded in dense growth and small damp glades of exotic, rare and tender plants which you seldom, if ever, see surviving outside the greenhouse. A unique and wonderful plantsman’s paradise and the smallest of the genuinely Great Gardens of Cornwall.We have a quick tour after the meeting:The tallest and largest Clianthus puniceus I have ever seen which has been flowering since January.
Clianthus puniceus
Clianthus puniceus
Clianthus puniceus
Clianthus puniceus
A cruise ship waiting off Falmouth docks from a vantage point in the garden.
A cruise ship
A cruise ship
Fuchsia boliviana growing happily outside. We should try too.
Fuchsia boliviana
Fuchsia boliviana
Bilbergia nutans, a succulent, which I once grew as a child in pots in my greenhouse.
Bilbergia nutans
Bilbergia nutans
Bilbergia nutans
Bilbergia nutans
Unknown exotic bilbergia/orchid (?) growing happily out of the side of a palm tree.
Unknown exotic bilbergia/orchid
Unknown exotic bilbergia/orchid
Unknown exotic bilbergia/orchid
Unknown exotic bilbergia/orchid
Cyathea medullaris – one of two mature tree ferns of this species here.
Cyathea medullaris
Cyathea medullaris
The scented Rhododendron liliflora which I had never seen. Amazing scent and peeling bark.
Rhododendron liliflora
Rhododendron liliflora
Rhododendron liliflora
Rhododendron liliflora
This rhododendron is apparently a cross between Rhododendron excellans and Rhododendron nuttallii. Looks more of the latter?
a cross between Rhododendron excellans and Rhododendron nuttallii
a cross between Rhododendron excellans and Rhododendron nuttallii
a cross between Rhododendron excellans and Rhododendron nuttallii
a cross between Rhododendron excellans and Rhododendron nuttallii
Exbucklandia populnea in maturity! Amazing! We tried this twice as did Tregothnan who also lost it two times. Tregrehan have it but not at this size. Extraordinary new growth. From the tropics of India, Malaya and Indonesia. Not even faintly frost hardy but doing well here.
Exbucklandia populnea
Exbucklandia populnea
Exbucklandia populnea
Exbucklandia populnea
Exbucklandia populnea
Exbucklandia populnea
Another Cyathea medullaris, the Black Ponga, from New Zealand. Here it has a bit more light and a fatter stem. 15 to 20 years ago we all thought we could grow this spectacular species (and others) outside in Cornwall. We have now found out the hard way that you cannot even with a few degrees of frost.
Another Cyathea medullaris
Another Cyathea medullaris
Another Cyathea medullaris
Another Cyathea medullaris
Another Cyathea medullaris
Another Cyathea medullaris
At the top of Lamorran Gardens Robert Dudley-Cooke has recently planted a rose garden with 175 varieties – mainly old historic ones. His desire is to prove that you can grow a decent rose garden in Cornwall. I forget the name of this one with a variegated flower. All newly planted and about to flower.
one with a variegated flower
one with a variegated flower

2016 – CHW
Off on an oak collection review with Beatrice Chassé of which I will write more when I get her findings and renaming after her two day visit.Along the way I spot two flowers on Rhododendron ‘Crest’ (Hawk Group) just coming out.
Rhododendron ‘Crest’ (Hawk Group)
Rhododendron ‘Crest’ (Hawk Group)
Then Magnolia ‘?’ which I had not seen this year which was more interesting than the Quercus glaber (new name) alongside.
Magnolia unknown
Magnolia unknown
Similarly the new Rhododendron lindleyi clump from Glendoick next to Quercus oxyodon. These have smaller flowers and more pink in the bud than our own seed raised plants from Charles Michaels Nursery.
Rhododendron lindleyi
Rhododendron lindleyi
Rhododendron lindleyi
Rhododendron lindleyi
White campion flowers and the normal pink by the playhouse are a riot.
White campion flowers and the normal pink
White campion flowers and the normal pink
White campion flowers and the normal pink
White campion flowers and the normal pink
2015 – CHW
So an investigation of Magnolia sieboldii and more newly planted forms.Firstly Magnolia sieboldii ‘Ming Pyong Gal’.  Quite a nice large flower but one wonders if this is just ‘a good form’ or if there is a bit of Magnolia sieboldii sinensis in it?

Magnolia sieboldii ‘Ming Pyong Gal’
Magnolia sieboldii ‘Ming Pyong Gal’
Magnolia sieboldii ‘Ming Pyong Gal’
Magnolia sieboldii ‘Ming Pyong Gal’
Magnolia sieboldii 4
Magnolia sieboldii ‘Mishko Renge’
Magnolia sieboldii ‘Mishko Range’
Magnolia sieboldii ‘Mishko Renge’
Magnolia sieboldii ‘Mishko Range’
Magnolia sieboldii ‘Mishko Renge’

Secondly Magnolia sieboldii ‘Mishko Renge’.  The flowers hang down a bit more than you might expect of sieboldii and are on the large side but hardly reddish stamens as sieboldii sinensis should have.

Thirdly one of several sets of Magnolia sieboldii from seed in the garden.  Lots of small flowers which are not all out at once and which hang at right angles to the twig/branch rather than hanging down.  The central cluster of stamens is very clearly a light pink.  A spreading habit, easy to grow, and with abundant pink seedpods if you get there before the squirrels.

Then off to Belvoir Castle for a board meeting and an inspection of our multiple woodland plantings there at dusk and dawn.

Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii 10
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii 9
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii 8
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii 6
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii 5
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii 3
Magnolia sieboldii
Magnolia sieboldii 2
Magnolia sieboldii

2001 – FJW
The rain that had begun in mid September and kept going until May 1st. Record rain in many places.

1926 – JCW
Auklandii pure is going back fast and zuelanicum x not come out yet, the soulei x campylocarpum very very pretty. The Davidia not quite open.

1911 – JCW
Recurvas not open as much as in 1909. Daff crossing over. Montana ⅓ open and so Auklandii’s.

1909 – JCW
No recurvas yet, a little of Campylocarpum. Auklandii not quite, ⅓ cushion Iris, frost at night, nearly finished crossing.

1906 – JCW
All recurvas open and late recurvas seedling. Rhodo yunnanense, campylocarpum, thomsonii, falconeri, auklandii, royali, augustinii, dalhousii (nearly) etc, etc. Crimson Hookeri shows colour. Roses opening in beds. Cushion Iris nearly all out, and crossing mostly over.

1901 – JCW
Picked some recurvas, sent two fine Poet flowers to Appleshaw.

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