25th May | The Garden Diary

FJW 1955-2007

CHW 2015-

JCW 1897-1939

CW 1940-1955

2025 – CHW

While I have been away at Chelsea the Kitchen Garden grass has had its first cut. Especially long here for the time of year.

Michelia ‘Fairy Blush’ still has a good show in Old Park. Michelia ‘Fairy Cream’ was out in early March so a 3 month spread over the 4 different ‘Fairies’.

Malus coronaria var. dasycalyx ‘Charlottae’ has huge late flowers in the Kitchen Garden. Most of the other Malus are over.

Sophora davidii was planted in Old Park a year or two ago.

Osteomeles subrotunda now full in flower.

Eucalyptus gregsoniana in full flower in Kennel Close.

Magnolia acuminata ‘Seiju’ producing a good late show.

Grass cutting (for the first time around) now finished in Kennel Close as well.

2024 – CHW
Magnolia rostrata is very seldom out in May even in a very early year but here we are with flowers and gigantic leaves.

The veteran Lithocarpus cleistocarpus trying very hard to produce seed clusters.

Rhododendron stamineum out more or less exactly on time. We have exhibited this at Chelsea a few times over the years.

Rhododendron ‘Lem’s Monarch’ now at its finest.

The very scented Rhododendron excellens (C&H 7180) just opening.

Styrax japonicus ‘Evening Light’ with its black new growth.

A drought battling Magnolia sieboldii which I had pruned again today back to the most promising new shoots.

Wonderful new growth on Schefflera delavayi.

35 year old ash trees below Kennel Close quietly dying. A new threat to all our new planting here. Do we act now or do we wait for them to die and blow down?

Styrax japonicus ‘Jippei-kawamure’ has large flowers but they are well hidden within the tree.

Styrax formosanus var. hayatiana in Kennel Close with multiple shoots from the base. Our other mature plant does not yet have this.

2023 – CHW
Magnolia ‘Sunset Swirl’ is rather similar to ‘Peachy’, ‘Daybreak’ and ‘Flamingo’. Not bad at all though.

Diplopanax stachyanthus (WWJ 12110) is about to flower for the first time. It was only planted in 2017 but has grown exponentially and is now about 12-15 feet in height. An exciting new development in the garden this year, we hope, when it actually opens.

The restoration of Penvergate Farmhouse by KPK Builders has just started. The first picture shows what is left of the “listed” staircase when removed and the others show the sorry state of the front of the building. How much extra repair cost after a 2 year wait for Planning Permission with the building empty? Another disgraceful opt out by government/ local authority officials ‘inundated with work’ but, in reality, working from home when they feel like it (seldom!) Yet another public “service” which is not functioning at all (despite their enormous index linked pensions which we pay for).

Azalea ‘Delicatissimum’ planted last year in Kennel Close. An ancient clump on the drive.

Magnolia ‘Peaches and Cream’ – whats in a name like this?

A young Sorbus hedlundii in flower.

Magnolia ‘Daybreak’ x M. ‘Gold Cup’ – not bad for late season.

Magnolia ‘Strawberry Shake’ (I think) although rather past its best.

Carpinus rankanensis in full new growth.

Azalea ‘Cinzia’ is a new variety and not in the Burncoose catalogue. Quite nice and floriferous.

Rhododendron ‘Graziella’ nicely into flower in late May by George’s Hut.

Magnolia ‘Touch of Pink’ leafless (as normal) but still with decent flowers with the ‘touch’!

2022 – CHW
Meanwhile back at Caerhays Jaimie records the following which I am missing in the garden today.

Magnolia ‘Anilou’ turns out to be as good a yellow as its writeups have suggested.

Crataegus combyi

Crataegus aprica

Magnolia ‘Daybreak’ x ‘Gold Cup’ – planted 2014

Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlett’ now properly out.

Aesculus sylvatica – not sure?

2021 – CHW
A nursery day with a plant order for Lanarth, lots of pictures of new plants but the video programme was interrupted by heavy rain.Rooted camellia liners to be potted next week in the mist benches.

Rooted camellia species liners in trays.

Luma apiculata self-sown seedlings from Caerhays now potted up.

Louisa, the chief propagator, keeps stock plants for cuttings of Rhododendron ‘Cornish Red’ in the mist houses. The new growth is now clean and ready for propagation.

Another mist house of rooted camellia cuttings ready to pot on.

Paeonia delavayi by the mist houses in full flower at around 6ft tall.

Our stock plant for cuttings of Weinmannia trichosperma.

A good batch of recently potted Lomatia ferruginea.

Embothrium lanceolatum seedlings have germinated well and are now being pricked out and potted in small pots.

A good new crop of Jacaranda mimosifolia growing on well after suffering in the March frosts.

Rhododendron polyandrum is out a fortnight after the very similar Rhododendron crassum. Slightly smaller flowers and twisted branches differentiate it.

View 25th May 1897 – 2020