17th May | The Garden Diary

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2025 – CHW

Rhododendron ‘Crest’ a good clump in the Rockery Nursery bed to go out next year.

Seed grown (by us) Staphylea colchica – 2 young plants in the Rookery.

Gamblea psedudoevodifolia making headway at last.

Attractive new growth on Machilus yunnanensis.

Magnolia sieboldii ‘Mishiko Renge’.

Magnolia ‘Judy Zuk’ still not as bold a mix of colours or with as much orange as the one I saw at Antony Woodland Gardens.

Magnolia sieboldii (pure).

Viburnum plicatum ‘Kilimanjaro Sunrise’ really getting going below Slip Rail.

Magnolia sieboldii ‘Pride of Norway’.

Magnolia x wieseneri with the most gorgeous scent.

2024 – CHW
The Chelsea stand is taking shape and Giles has arrived with the water feature. Still a very long way to go yet and only 4 days more for it to be complete. The pool area is, as usual, leaking everywhere.

A sycamore tree had fallen into the Fernery and, while clearing up the mess, a wrens nest in the trunk of a tree fern.

Weigela florida ‘Variegata’ on Laundry Hill is starting to revert. The flower is the same but some branches are no longer variegated.

Rhododendron ‘Crosswater Belle’ starts off yellowish-green and then turns pinkish. Rather tender even in Cornwall.

Catkin flowers on Quercus variabilis.

Although half dead from drought this is a good dark form of Rhododendron orbiculare. Probably its swansong but certainly one for Asia to collect seed from.

Suddenly something startingly new which I have never seen in flower before. Buddleja speciosissima looks pretty tender. Asia needs to put this top of the list to propagate this summer. What tubular orange bells!

Crataegus laevigata ‘Crimson Cloud’ perfect today in the Isla Rose.

Syringa tomentella from Roundabarrow with its first few flowers.

Abelia floribunda looking good in the Isla Rose. It thrives in a hot and dry location.

Olearia floribunda is another species which we should be propagating regularly. Very attractive small flowers.

2023 – CHW
The weather has turned and the new growth is luxuriant after the rain. A search for new things today.Carya cordiformis coming into leaf. A very distinctive new leaf and habit and this is the second species seen in a few days.

Ilex cerasifolia from Brazil which has survived the winter and now with red new growth.

I have stated to concentrate on the rather dull genus Celtis. We now have 3 species recently planted and a couple from earlier which may need proper identification. This is Celtis sinensis. We also have C. australis and C. tournefortii. These Nettle trees or Hackberries originate from Europe, Asia and the USA. They look a bit like Carpinus so plenty of fun in the future working out which is which. Nice bark already on this one.

The white flowered sport of Azalea ‘Greenway’ making a nice clump in Tin Garden.

Deutzia calycosa ‘Dali’, also in Tin Garden, is quickly making a good sized shrub.

Deutzia longifolia from Tom Hudson is an even more vigorous grower.

Cercis canadensis ‘Flame’ plastered in flower.

2022 – CHW

Seven cygnets have hatched on the lake.

Mallotus japonicus coming into leaf. The deer cannot nibble this now with a higher wire netting surround.

Rehderodendron kweichowense (WWJ 12019) flowering properly.

Rhododendron ‘Sappho’ outside the back yard nearly over before Chelsea.

Rhododendron ‘Veryan Bay’

Rhododendron zaleucum still flowering a little after its haircut last winter.

Then on to a tour of the garden at Carnanton which has quickly developed over the last 20 years into something excellent and well worth opening to the public. Ash disease on 20 to 30 year old ashes the worst I have yet seen in Cornwall.

Rhododendron unknown

Rhododendron ‘Percy Wiseman’

Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ just coming out.

Rhododendron ‘Silver Lady’?

Rhododendron ‘Winsome’ and Leptospermum ‘Red Damask’.

Rhododendron ‘Winsome’ and Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’.

Unknown but spectacular rose.

The yew avenue was cut down to about 8ft and is now kept trimmed.

Azalea ‘Rosebud’ and Photinia davidiana ‘Pink Marble’.

The fountain under the weeping willow – gravity fed from the top pond and impressive.

Bulrushes on one of the three lakes.

Rhododendron ‘Ken Janeck’?

Rhododendron ‘Pink Cherub’

Rhododendron ‘Hoppy’?

Rhododendron ‘Winsome’

Rhododendron ‘Dopey’

Rhododendron ‘Doc’?

Rhododendron ‘Excelsior’?

Rhododendron yakushimanum?

Rhododendron ‘Silberwolke’?

Rhododendron ‘Hachmann’s Polaris’

My rhododendron naming may be a bit inaccurate but these were taken during a wedding!

2021 – CHW
A welcome sight. Large puddles outside the front door in what would have been Chelsea Flower Show week. A dry summer looks less of a worry for the garden.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Black Dragon’ just out above the gents’ urinals. It used to mingle with an Actinidia but is now better on its own.

The very last single flower on one of the original Camellia saluenensis. The first was in November!

Camellia ‘Optima’ still has plenty of flowers which is unusual this late in the season.

Azalea ‘Caerhays Lavender’ just out on the Main Ride. Normally over by Chelsea so perhaps a little late this year.

A garden tour today with Susan d’Arcy, a travel writer for The Times, who was staying at The Nare hotel as they reopened after lockdown. Since the hotel is fully booked for the rest of the year, she may hopefully give us a mention!

The castle reopened today for tours of only six people (booked online). Scarcely viable with these sorts of numbers but we too need to celebrate another milestone in the route map to the total end of lockdown.

View 17th May 1897 – 2020