Rhododendron kiyosumense (a form of R. reticulatum) flowering on the drive.

Magnolia ‘Iolanthe’ nearly full out.

First sign of flowers on Azalea ‘Amoena’.

Magnolia ‘Blushing Belle’ in Sinogrande Walk.

Cercis chinensis ‘Avondale’ just coming out in the Isla Rose.

Eight years from planting the Isla Rose Plantation and the magnolias are starting to make a proper show.

Magnolia ‘Dark Bird’ – not registered or in the reference books as far as I can see.

Magnolia ‘Angel’s Landing’ (M. ‘Pickard’s Opal’ x M. sprengeri var elongata).

Magnolia ‘Strawberry Shake’ form Lunaplant (M. ‘Purple Globe’ x M. ‘Joe McDaniel’). An odd but not unpleasant colour mix.

Magnolia ‘Phelan Bright’ (M. x soulangeana ’Lennei Alba’ x M. x veitchii ‘Peter Veitch’). Bred by Tina Durio in Louisiana. Not sure the picture in the Eisenhut book matches the description in the MSI register. The register says largely white.

Magnolia ‘Avocet’ (M. x veitchii ‘Isca’ x M. x soulangeana). An odd result colour wise from these two parents.

Berberis kawakamii.

Magnolia ‘Joli Pompom’ looking splendid above the greenhouse.

Two pure whites, side by side in fact, as this is Magnolia ‘Tina Durio’.

Staphylea holocarpa ‘Rosea’ just out.

Camellia ‘Tiny Princess’ on the path beside the Aucklandii Garden has a pinkish hue on opening and then fading to near white (C. Camellia ‘Akebono’ x C. fraterna). I think I may have called this C. fraterna in error when we were getting cuttings for Burncoose last autumn.

2024 – CHW
Good Friday and a report of the first swallows from Lizzie. Also a visiting hoopoe in a garden in Gorran Haven. I saw one of these very rarely UK seen birds as a child near the Hovel with Gilbert Anning.At Burncoose early this morning to sort out the route for the new 3 phase electric supply to the Copper House and Nursery. As we stand discussing where to dig across the back drive a magpies nest is attacked by 2 crows. Despite the two magpies best efforts the crows tear off the top of the covered nest and eat the youngsters before our eyes. Nature at its most barbaric. Magpies of course do this all the time to small birds nests so perhaps poetic justice. Sadly it was hailing at the time so photography impossible.

Jim Gardiner sends me a great picture of Jaimie receiving his RHS Award in London.

The press release regarding Jaimie’s award is included here.

A good young Rhododendron johnstoneanum out far too early.

The rain and hailstorms have even shattered all the flowers on the toughest and most resilient of rhododendrons; ‘Cornish Red’.

Rhododendron ‘Elizabeth’ was spared as it wasn’t out.

Magnolia ‘Diana’ looks a bit better today.

Acer negundo subsp. californicum was planted in 2011. Now flowering well.

Magnolia ‘Toro’ has its first flower which looks interesting. I guessed x brooklynensis hybrid similar to ‘Titan’ but its actually M. acuminata ‘Fertile Myrtle’ x soulangeana ‘Picture’.

Picea alcoquiana var. acicularis has old cones from last year, vivid red new female cones and male flowers. A tremendous show today.

Magnolia ‘Dark Shadow’ is damaged but rather uninteresting in what I think is its first flowering here. Its an old Gresham hybrid of no great note.

Magnolia ‘Strawberry Shake’ not too smashed up in the rain.

There are a group of magnolias in Area 25 in Kennel Close with no labels. I would guess they have all been pinched so I have to try to work this one out from the (rather good) planting plans. I think this is a wind battered Magnolia ‘Flamingo’.

Magnolia ‘Anya’ has been smashed up this year but it’s a good thing. A random seedling raised in NZ.

Magnolia ‘Amethyst Flame’ has also been ruined but it is a good variety and well worth growing.

Magnolia ‘Sentinel’ is a good name for an upright and slightly recurved bud.

Magnolia kobus ‘White Elegance’ has only a very few undamaged flowers.

Magnolia x brooklynensis ‘Titan’ looks very like M. ‘Toro’ but there we are!

Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Silverana’ is rapidly developing into a tree.

Magnolia ‘Pink Fruity’ grows in an odd way and clearly only a small shrub.

First flower out this year on Magnolia ‘Lemon Star’.

Magnolia ‘Wim Rutten’ looks much better today.

Another Magnolia ‘Phelan Bright’ glows against the laurel hedge.

2023 – CHW
Pouring with rain at Burncoose.

Magnolia (Michelia) ‘Eternal Spring’ is a cross between M. laevifolia and M. maudiae ‘Eternal’. Strangely devoid of leaves but the flowers and new shoots are fine. A new entry for the catalogue this year.

Good plants for sale of Machilus yunnanensis. A rare and unusual evergreen tree.

Some nice plants of Magnolia (Michelia) martinii.

Three new forms of Prunus incisa which are new to the catalogue this year.

Prunus incisa ‘Mikinori’

Prunus incisa ‘Pendula’.

Prunus incisa ‘Oshidori’ not quite out as yet.

Then to Old Park as the rain eased.

Magnolia ‘Anticipation’ (M. cylindrica x ?).

A battered Magnolia ‘Simple Pleasures’ – simple indeed and little pleasure!

Magnolia ‘Fairy White’ is full out and smelling gorgeous.

But Magnolia ‘Fairy Blush’ and Magnolia ‘Fairy Cream’ are still in tight bud.

Magnolia ‘Just Jean’ is a M. soulangeana seedling raised by John Gallagher.

Gigantic Rhododendron calophytums at the bottom of Old Park.

Salix hookeriana has attractive catkins but nothing like as good as ‘Mount Aso’.

2022 – CHW

A welcome bit of rain overnight.Magnolia Pickard’s Hybrid ‘PP7’ flowering here. The plant is destined for the Pickard magnolia collection at Canterbury Cathedral. Similar to M. ‘Pickard’s Schmetterling’ I think (Eisenhut Catalogue Number 499 and only named as ‘PP7’).

Camellia japonica ‘Optima’ by the side door.

Then a long garden tour with Peter & Henny Shotter.

The Korean sourced Magnolia cylindrica full out.

The newly planted Magnolia ‘Summer Lady’ from Germany is not that exciting as yet but different.

Magnolia ‘Tropicana’ with Michelia doltsopa behind it.

Rhododendron pseudochrysanthemum

Staphylea holocarpa ‘Rosea’ full out now.

Magnolia ‘Tikitere’ which is usually out much later.

First flowers on Magnolia ‘Sibille’ in Penvergate.

Magnolia ‘Yellow Fever’ just showing. M. ‘Yellow Bird’ beside it not showing at all.

Magnolia ‘Apollo’ in Penvergate.

Magnolia ‘Butterflies’ in Penvergate. Covered in flower on a dwarfish large shrub after 20 years.

Steve Dance sends me these pictures of Citrus ‘Calamondin Orange’ growing happily away outside against a hot wall in Trengwainton garden. Hard to believe it is doing so well outside and with fruits.

2021 – CHW
The amazing Tilia endochrysea just into leaf.

Magnolia ‘A E Bold’ (Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia ‘JC Williams’) with its first flower. We have other plants, but the colour of the bud is superb.

Magnolia ‘Olav Kalleberg’ (Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ x Magnolia liliiflora ‘Holland Red’) still in bud but evidence of the liliiflora flower shape is obvious.

Magnolia ‘Anya’ (Magnolia ‘Iolanthe’ x Magnolia ‘Vulcan’?)

Magnolia ‘Amethyst Flame’ (Magnolia liliiflora x Magnolia ‘Vulcan’) just out. Not perhaps as striking as it was last year.

Magnolia ‘Lili Diva’ (Magnolia liliiflora ‘Nigra’ x Magnolia sprengeri diva) has been frosted a bit but one decent dark flower. This is going to be an excellent plant in time.

The last few flowers on Magnolia campbellii x sargentiana ‘Treve Holman’.

Camellia reticulata ‘Debut’ flowering well for the first time.

The second time we have seen flowers on the Crûg Farm collection of Magnolia (Michelia) floribunda var. tonkinensis.

Exciting moment! The first time I have ever seen Maddenia hypoleuca in flower. Cherry like leaves and introduced by Ernest Wilson in 1907. It used to grow here but has long since died out.

Another young Magnolia ‘Black Swan’ with decent bud and flower.

Magnolia ‘Darkest Purple’ x Magnolia campbellii ‘Betty Jessel’ is a young plant but not, as yet, that impressive. No specific name as yet.

Berberis xanthoclada in full flower.

Magnolia ‘Blushing Belle’ is a US cross between Magnolia ‘Yellow Bird’ and Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’. The flowers have more than a trace of yellow as they open.