2016 – CHW
New planting completed in the large cleared area above the greenhouses. This planting is concentrated on expanding our collection of styrax and stewartia species and hybrids to complement the 10 or so semi mature plants growing well above Crinodendron Hedge. There are several completely new species here from Tom Hudson, Esvelt and Mark Bulk’s nurseries in Holland. Combined with our elderly plants we probably now have around 15 species and 10 named hybrids. Hopefully lots of fun checking their identities in the future and checking on misnaming or plants with different names which turn out to be the same thing.The key new varieties include:Stewartia henryaeStyrax shiriainusStyrax dasyanthusStyrax formosanusStyrax japonicus ‘Fargesii’

Styrax japonicus ‘Evening Light’

Styrax japonicus ‘Emerald Pagoda’

Styrax japonicus ‘Fragrant Fountain’

Styrax japonicus ‘Crystal’

Included in the planting were several more additions to the enkianthus collection:

In particular a group of five Enkianthus serrulatus (as seen at Tregrehan)

One Enkianthus ‘Sinsetu’

One Enkianthus ‘Miyama-beni’

Two Enkianthus ‘Showy Lantern’

Two Enkianthus cernus recurvuus

It will not be a planting to excite anyone but a serious plantsman even though we have included a few magnolias for long term effect.

On the way I discover Magnolia nitida covered in flower above the Auklandii Garden. This large tree nestled away in thick cover has never, to my knowledge, flowered as profusely as this. Then again one could very easily miss it altogether.

A large Manchurian cock pheasant is very fine and shining black in the sun.

Magnolia ‘David Clulow’ is full out with some damage on the Main Ride.

Next to it is another white magnolia, Magnolia ‘Lotus’, with printed flowers that curve in on themselves.

Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’ is now full out beside Mr Rogers Quarry. No flowers low down yet.

Michelia martinii has just one yellowish flower bud on the path to Bramble Field Gate. Again I have never seen this youngish plant in flower before. The leaves are slightly silvery underneath. A cold spot so it is doing really well. There was another single flower full out last week which has now dropped but the petals on the ground are creamy yellow. Another michelia to add to the collection

2015 – CHW
From the same seed pod as Magnolia ‘Kew’s Surprise’ in 1951 are two perfectly decent but nowhere near as good siblings. The better of the two is outside the front gate and the third behind the JCW camellia clump on Bond Street. Was it not fortunate that the best plant ended up in the best place or was it that the most sturdy seedling of the three at the time got the best spot. We will never know if it was luck or judgement.

Two of Philip Tregunna’s hybrids to assess again as they start to open:Planted 1985 Magnolia sargentiana robusta x ‘Lanarth’ – by the best Rhododendron macabeanum

Planted 1995 Magnolia campbellii var mollicomata ‘Lanarth’ seedling – towards Rookery Gate

Neither of these trees are easy to see close up or at a distance as they rise above the neighbouring plants. However both are becoming dominant parts of the garden landscape and will wow visitors for decades to come.

And one of Charles Michaels’ from 1958 – Magnolia sargentiana var robusta x sprengeri ‘Diva’ above the Auklandii garden next to the record Magnolia campbellii.

We have debated this for years as being worthy of a name but my father always refused partly because taking it to Vincent Square to try to get an award was a lot of hassle. Others, including Roy Lancaster, John Hillier and John Gallagher, have disagreed. The best ‘reddish’ pink colour is in its first couple of days in flower. After that it fades to a plainer drooping more ordinary pink.