2026 – CHW
To Old Park to look at magnolias.
Another good Magnolia ‘Vairano’ (M. ‘Iolanthe’ x M. campbellii).
Magnolia campbellii ‘Sidbury’.
Jaimie’s ‘Atlas’ cross just showing.
Jaimie’s magnolia seedling in Brownberry showing up from a distance.
The views today across the main magnolia planting at the end of Old Park.
Cercis chinensis ‘Avondale’ in flower in the nursery cash point.
The paths above Higher Quarry Nursery topped off with hardcore.
Shillet from the giant fir root providing the base for the repaired paths.
Prunus ‘Kursar’.
Magnolia ‘Caerhays Belle’ starting to open amid the gloom.
2025 – CHW
A camellia lecture and tour.
A seedling of Magnolia campbellii Alba Group just starting.
The row of Camellia x williamsii ‘Brigadoon’ on the Main Ride.
Camellia ‘Royalty’ now full out (reticulata x japonica).
Magnolia ‘Queen Elizabeth’ on a perfect day.
The original Magnolia campbellii.
The best Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’.
Then to Tregrehan.
Sassafras randaiense in flower which I had not seen before.
Cupressus chengiana.
Pseudotsuga wilsoniana from Taiwan.
Fraxinus griffithii – an evergreen and also from Taiwan.
Cupressus jiangeensis.
Betula insignis ssp. fansipanensis with its extraordinary bark.
Fascicularia bicolor and Sequoiadendron giganteum.
Grevillea barklyana in flower.
Podocarpus spinulosus.
Agathis robusta seemingly growing well despite its obvious tenderness.
Nothofagus moorei with much larger than our plant.
Nestegis lanceolata.
Camellia lapidea.
Magnolia maudiae ‘Golden Temple’ in full flower. We have just planted one here.
Larix kongboensis.
Tom’s Magnolia campbellii.
The first time any of us had seen seeds on Aucuba omeiensis. Roy Lancaster’s collections turned out to be all male but Edward Needham collected a female and Tom planted the two together.
Cordyline australis and Magnolia campbellii.
Camellia reticulata ‘Francie L’.
Camellia ‘Black Magic’.
2024 – CHW
A trip to Tregrehan with a group of 12.
Machilus ichangensis – never seen the species before.
Camellia trichocarpa remains one of the absolute highlights of the garden in early spring.
Keteleeria evelyniana – attractive bark and different to the species which we have (K. davidiana).
Strobilanthes wallichii still in full flower in March!
Acer purpurascens an interesting evergreen species with woody bark.
Magnolia lotungensis still has no buds despite being a champion tree. How close is this to M. nitida in reality?
Two side by side but slightly different Betula ermanii, Mt. Hakkoda, Honshu – very attractive bark.
Tom’s own unnamed and tender Hedychium in a greenhouse. He gave us a plant years ago.
A Brazilian conifer called Retrophyllum in the greenhouse.
Another tender one called Secundecarpus.
Michelia flaviflorum with its first two flowers in a greenhouse.
2023 – CHW
Magnolia campbellii nearly full out.
Magnolia campbellii nearly full out.
Camellia reticulata ‘William Hertrich’ in fine form about 8 years from planting out.
Camellia reticulata ‘Lasca Beauty’ just as good in the opposite side of the path.
The largest Magnolia campbellii ‘Valentine’s Torch’ half out on a murky day.
Acacia pravissima nearly out.
The first true Magnolia ‘Sprengeri Diva’ to have flowers out.
Magnolia ‘Philip Tregunna’ showing colour.
Magnolia ‘Bishop Peter’ an excellent colour this year.
As is the New Zealand Magnolia ‘Lanarth’.
A newly planted (in full sun) Rhododendron williamsianum with myopex overlaid with bark mulch to keep it moist.
Yet more Viburnum species have gone in in the clearing above Higher Quarry Nursery.
First flowers out on the lawn of Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’ offset well against the green of the yew behind.
2022 – CHW
Last night the launch of ‘Spring has Sprung’ at The Nare hotel with the Great Gardens of Cornwall and a speech from me.
The magnolia arch had been at Truro station to greet rail travellers and promote this event.
The speeches with Toby Ashworth, owner of The Nare hotel.
A Burncoose Nurseries visit today.
Beschorneria calicola is a new addition to the catalogue.
Out in flower today:
Magnolia ‘Ian’s Red’ in the nursery flowering as a young plant.
Bergenia ‘Bressingham White’
Centranthus ruber ‘Coccineus’ – absurdly early.
Camellia ‘Candy Apple’
Camellia ‘Souvenir de Behaud Litou’
Camellia ‘Rubescens Major’
Raphiolepsis indica ‘Springtime’
Ribes laevifolium ‘Amy Doncaster’ – a creeping, low growing shrub.
Ribes laevifolium – which is markedly different.
Grevillea juniperina sulphureum
Eurya japonica ‘Moutiers’
Callistemon pallidus – even more absurdly early.
Hydrangea lobbii – likewise!
Magnolia ‘Royal Purple’
Rhododendron calophytum just coming out by the garden entrance.
Magnolia campbellii ‘Darjeeling’ on the drive.
The hose in hose Azalea ‘Salmon Kirin’ nicely out as well.
2021 – CHW
With a bit of sun and east wind the magnolias are rushing out. Trying to get a film crew here on the right day weather wise and fitting in with their diary is not easy. Will the best moment be around 10th March or 20th March? Still a bit of a gamble on the weather as it always is.Magnolia campbellii ‘Darjeeling’ is now out and a good colour but slightly small flowers as yet.
With a bit of sun and east wind the magnolias are rushing out. Trying to get a film crew here on the right day weather wise and fitting in with their diary is not easy. Will the best moment be around 10th March or 20th March? Still a bit of a gamble on the weather as it always is.Magnolia campbellii ‘Darjeeling’ is now out and a good colour but slightly small flowers as yet.
A planting day placing out the very best new plants in the very best places. Here Illicium macranthum (BSWJ 11809) in flower goes in by Tin Garden where the bamboos were dug out. Looks much like Illicium simonii to me in flower.
Asia’s propagation of Illicium floridanum (Florida anise) at Donkey Shoe also has a single flower. It normally flowers much later but I have seen the odd early flower before.
Rabbit nibbling on both sides of a 30-year-old magnolia has necessitated restoring the wire netting surround.
The New Zealand form of ‘Lanarth’ is even more splendid today than yesterday.
Another (the third) good young clump of Rhododendron ririei. This plant has its flowers less hidden within the bush than most of the others.
The first decent big leaf Rhododendron sinogrande that I have seen out this year.
The root damaged and nearly dead Schefflera macrophylla has been cut back. A hollow pithy centre to the woody stem. The Taiwanese use the stems to make drinking vessels. I have little hope of this reshooting from lower down the trunk even if one side is still green at the base.
Polyspora axillaris still has plenty of flower high up and rather later on than usual.
As Jaimie remarked Rhododendron ‘Choremia’ is flowering much earlier in the year as it has matured (arboreum x haematodes).
Magnolia ‘Delia Williams’ has had its first flowers blown open during the course of the day. The outer protection to the flowers now litters the gravel with a bud or two.
