Rhododendron neriiflorum ssp. phaedropum.

Rhododendron wallichii (EX 20587) – rather different from what we saw at Rowallane last week.

Rhododendron roxieanum – AGM leaf form.

Rhododendron bureavioides which I had forgotten about. On checking it is in fact Rhododendron bureavii (AC 2072).

Another fine Rhododendron niveum.

A good show above the nursery bed.

Acer sikkimense (WWJ 11613) in full flower.

Acer pseudoplatanus in flower with the seeds forming.

2023 – CHW

To Old Park to look at ‘The Fairies’ together.

Magnolia ‘Tikitere’ and Magnolia ‘Fairy Blush’.

Magnolia ‘Tikitere’ and Magnolia ‘Fairy White’.

Magnolia ‘Fairy Blush’ absolutely splendid today in Old Park. Amazing scent and far away its best performance yet.

Magnolia ‘Fairy Blush’ and Magnolia ‘Fairy White’ growing side by side.

Magnolia ‘Fairy Cream’ is just as good as the other colours and just as scented.

The 3 fairies side by side in Old Park (Cream, Blush and White). When these 3 all become large trees, as they will barring disasters, what a show this is going to be.

Just a few flowers left on Magnolia ‘Fairy White’ which has been out for at least a month while the other 2 are now at their best. We have the 4th one of these, Magnolia ‘Fairy Lime’, above Rogers Quarry, but no flowers as yet although it is growing well. (I looked at it 2 days ago to check).

2022 – CHW
A trip to Bonython garden at rhododendron time which I had not seen before. Strangely they were, in the main, five to ten days behind those here in terms of being fully out.

Orchids under a tree at the entrance to the walled garden. Orchis mascula – the early purple orchid – I think based on the black spotting on the leaves.

Magnolia ‘Sunsation’ about a week later into flower than here.

Paulownia tomentosa at its very best beside the birch circles.

Rhododendron ‘Unique’?

The view down to the bottom pond.

The view over the middle pond.

Podophyllum versipelle ‘Spotty Dotty’ embedded in garlic and looking very fine.

2021 – CHW
Some rain (and a strong westerly gale) but not enough!More work for Allen Coombes on Cyclobalanopsis.The original Quercus myrsinifolia grown as a hedge in the Auklandii Garden. One or two have died and one is reshooting well after tree damage. The rest are in good health.

The heavily scented and very tender Rhododendron ‘Mi Amor’.

Quercus fleuryi, planted in 2015, is just about still alive with some winter cold damage. It has been killed to ground level at least once.

Rhododendron ‘Beauty of Littleworth’ at its best and now layered for posterity.

Rhododendron cinnarbarinum subsp. xantocodon Purpurellum Group with a few flowers. This is borderline with us even in full shelter.

There has always been a question mark over the naming of this oak. Once a tree this is a surviving sucker shoot from the base. My father called it Quercus glabra and it is not the Quercus glauca which is what Allen Coombes wants. Thomas Methuen-Campbell thought this was Lithocarpus edulis.

A group of three 2017 planted Rhododendron ‘Penjerrick’ just performing for the first time below Slip Rail. Came from Glendoick as grafted plants. Burncoose now stocks ‘Glory of Penjerrick’ which is a strong red with a large flower.

Quercus morii (CMBS 649 2003-1091) was planted out in 2008. It has always struggled as you can see here with winter damage (plus deer which has not helped). 5-6ft at best after 13 years.

This might or might not be Quercus gilva also planted in 2008. I will let Allen put me right on this one, but the two-day hunt has failed to confirm which is Q. gilva. Along the way I have found several more species of Lithocarpus than I knew we had!

2020 – CHW
So Lord Bragg and the other leading lights in the art/cultural world want (a mere) £50 billion from the government (just like those nice Germans have given apparently) in an open letter to the papers with support from the archbishop (who shut all our churches) and Lord Blunkett. They have been a bit slow off the mark with their demands from the never ending money tree which is our future taxation. This they ignore, of course, and might it not be said that they have a degree of financial self-interest too?Another, unnoticed, group of people who are having a ‘good’ pandemic are of course the PR companies who create and drive ‘worthy’ causes like this one using their political and media contacts among the metropolitan elite. Better perhaps that the art world consider a new post COVID business plan as industry is doing. Even with cheap loans they have to be repaid but I fear that does not come into Lord Bragg’s plea bargaining for the art world either. It must be a ‘free’ handout and not a loan ‘because they deserve it’ and the nation deserves them. It probably does but even 4.6 million employees on furlough only cost £4 billion in the first month.I expect we will find out which PR and media advisors have acted for which pressure group in due course.Major redundancies loom even before ‘furloughing’ ends. That, and not the death rate, is, and will eventually be seen to be, the disaster of the pandemic. It could not have been avoided completely but it could have been handled very much better if the government, rather than the media, had been in control.Rhododendron ‘Rabatz’ is a very dark red.

Rhododendron ‘Polyroy’ is from Millais Nurseries breeding.

Still some decent flowers on Magnolia ‘Genie’ even with the leaves.

Schefflera taiwaniana is already nearly 20ft tall. New growth clusters very fine.

The Rhododendron ‘Veryan Bay’ clump is very aged and flowering high up at 12ft or so. I remember planting this lot 40 years ago and they were at waist level for ages.

Afrocarpus falcatus with a crop of blue-green new growth (Podocarpus falcatus).

Magnolia x wieseneri with a couple of flowers out.

Trachycarpus wagnerianus with its first flower clusters here. Quite impressive! ‘Penile’ at present.

Populus deltoides ‘Purple Tower’ had a branch which had reverted to green leaves which I had been trying to reach for a while. Using the mule it was easy!

Just two long catkins on Juglans ailanthifolia.

Still a good crop of flowers on Magnolia ‘Banana Split’.

Paulownia kawakamii is still sparse flowering but what interesting flower colours in the trumpet.

Sorbaronia ‘Likjornaja’ is an interesting hybrid between Sorbus and Aronia. This is its first flowering here and certainly more Aronia than Sorbus!

Our clump of three Betula insignis ‘Fansipanensis’ has not liked the cold winds and two of the three are struggling. Clearly a tenderish form. The third has a fine display of bronze new growth today.

Deutzia x rosea ‘Yuki Cherry Blossom’ now full out.

Rhododendron zaleucum is now about 10ft.

Aextoxicon punctatum is making a small tree.

Rhododendron ‘Mrs Furnivall’ according to the plan.

This Michelia doltsopa is now leafless but the new growth is starting to break out.

The Rhododendron ‘Moonstone Group’ (campylocarpum x williamsianum) is doing really well as a clump. Those on the drive have nearly died out.

2019 – CHW

Leonardslee gardens reopened to the public a month ago after having been shut since 2010. A Loder rhododendron garden of 200+ acres now owned by a South African who has invested £30m in buying the place, restoring the two main houses, starting to renovate the garden (60 acres started) and installing car parks, shops etc. A quite gob-smacking garden and already easily back in the Top 10 UK gardens.

General garden views:

The best plants included:

Rhododendron ‘Leonardslee Primrose’

Rhododendron loderi ‘Georgette’

A hundred and twenty foot tall Sequoiadendron giganteum

Ilex dipyrena

Rhododendron ‘Jubilee Queen’ (loderi ‘Venus’ x Rose du Barri – 1935)

Rhododendron loderi ‘Fairy Queen’ (griffithianum x fortunei ssp. fortunei)

Rhododendron loderi ‘Patience’ (griffithianum x fortunei ssp. fortunei)

There are 170 separate Loderi crosses still in the garden. Many are very similar and many still to be exposed amid the undergrowth after years of neglect.An enormous Oxydendron arboreum.

Cryptomeria japonica araucarioides – extraordinary!

I had not been to High Beeches for 20+ years and had not seen the view from the house properly. Seldom can a garden have been created into such a wonderful landscape terrain. The wild flower meadows complement a woodland garden created by the Loders and acquired by the Boscawens in around 1930.The key plants seen were:

Quercus floribunda – perhaps the only mature plant in the country of this evergreen oak.

Quercus libanerris – interesting bark.

A mature Quercus trojana. The International Dendrology Society gave us a plant of this last Tuesday. Enjoys a hot dry spot here.

Rhododendron loderi ‘Coral Pink’ in the Loderi Walk.

Rhododendron campylogynum – a particularly dense growing form with dark flowers.

Stewartia pseudocamellia var. koreana – beautiful bark.

Stewartia monodelpha – one of their national collection.

Meliosma myriantha was a totally unknown species which needs checking in New Trees as it will probably have been renamed. A small tree with black bark.

Quercus rhederiana (allied to but not the same as Quercus semecarpifolia).

Quercus delavayi – another very rare evergreen oak with a compact rounded habit.

Berberis sieboldii

Athrotaxis laxifolia – a mature plant with numerous seed cones.

2018 – CHW
Off to look at newer plants in Kennel Close but ended up simply admiring the sheer variation and beauty of rhododendrons.

Rhododendron ‘Titness Park’ which is one of the parents of yesterday’s hybrid.

Magnolia ‘Genie’ is still out and the flowers are increasing in size with age. It has been out for at least six weeks; perhaps more. Its competitor Magnolia ‘Black Tulip’ is long over.

Another batch of all slightly different rhododendron hybrids (not on the planting plans but I see several batches dotted about). This too is well worth a proper name with its pink edging.

New leaves emerging on Juglans ailanthifolia. Attractive. They will become huge (one meter long).

Sorbus alnifolia in flower. We saw the first berries last autumn.

The best find of the day was Quercus bushii ‘Seattle Trident’ with its pink and red new leaf edging. I wonder how quickly this show will grow out?

Acer sterculiaceum var sterculiaceum has delightful bronzish new growth and, amazingly, it has already flowered and produced a cluster of winged acer seeds.

This is the most striking red late flowered camellia full out in May. It has to be Camellia ‘Mathotiana Rubra’. Might it last for Chelsea?

Rhododendron haematodes – a good young plant. One survivor of a group of three. This species had previously died out here.

The new growth on Diplopanax stachyanthus is superb and no winter cold damage at all that I can see. Certainly a rarity for the future.

The dwarf but extraordinarily pretty Rhododendron luteiflorum.

Rhododendron ‘Cowslip’ – a williamsianum hybrid but not one of our making.

Then my absolute favourite species – Rhododendron floccigerum. It is very variable in its forms but this is amazing!

2017 – CHW
The first Magnolia sieboldii is full out in a hot spot. Others are nearly out. This is Magnolia sieboldii ‘Mishiko Renge’. It is a good floriferous form with a decent sized flower but nothing exceptional.

Paulownia elongata is now full out and I have finally found the label. The most splendid thing today in the garden. I had thought this was Paulownia ‘Lilacina’ which is now deemed to be a form of Paulownia tomentosa in ‘New Trees’ but Hillier’s indicates it might be Paulownia fargesii as they say this is another name for Paulownia ‘Lilacina’. I cannot find a description of Paulownia elongata so remain confused. It does have a slight yellow throat which suggests Paulownia tomentosa ‘Lilacina’ but its flowers are elongated compared to tomentosa’s. Remember this tree had buds and a few flowers out in November/December last year and one or two in January/February. These were darker and did not fully open up as now.

I think these four plants are Jaimie’s hybrid Rhododendron ‘Polar Bear’ x ‘Moses Maroon’ but need to check with him.

Rhododendron ‘Graziellia’ (a Rhododendron roxianum cross judging by the leaf) is emerging into sparse flower by Georges Hut.

Magnolia ‘Woodsman’ x ‘Patriot’ is now full out and much of the blue hue on the buds has vanished. Many more flowers than I had first thought.

Syringa vulgaris ‘Primrose’ on the drive which I have caught a bit earlier this year. The yellow soon fades off in the sun but the scent is good.

Enkianthus cernuus reflexus is just out but you can see the bells starting to curve at the end. A small compact shrub and not a large bush like most of the others.

The smallest leaved rhododendron species – Rhododendron serpyllifolium. This is a young new plant on the drive and very much lighter in colour than Windsor’s exhibit at the Savill Gardens. Later into flower too than our old plant in the Rookery which is over.